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The word apostle comes from the Greek word apostolos which can be translated as, envoy or messenger.

Apostolos comes from apostellien, which can be translated to mean, to send out.

Apostles were people who were personally chosen by Jesus Christ to be his envoys who would send out his good message into the world.

There were twelve apostles chosen by Jesus Christ.

‘Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.’ (Mark chapter 3 verses 13 to 15 - NIV)

The names of these twelve apostles are:-

Simon, whom Jesus called Peter

James, the son of Zebedee

John, also the son of Zebedee

Andrew

Philip

Bartholomew

Matthew

Thomas

James, the son of Alphaeus

Thaddaeus

Simon the Zealot

and Judas Iscariot

And after Jesus Christ had been crucified and returned to heaven, Jesus appeared to Paul and appointed him as an apostle too. This amazing event is described in the book of Acts chapter 9. Jesus instructed a man called Ananias to go to Paul to help him, because, “This man [Paul] is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.” (Acts chapter 9 verse 15 - NIV)

This is why Paul also calls himself an apostle: because he was a personally appointed envoy of Jesus Christ. Paul introduces himself as an apostle in some of his letters: for example, his letter to the Christian community in Rome begins with the words: ‘Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God’ (Romans chapter 1 verse 1 - NIV)

The apostles are the people whom Jesus Christ appointed to send out his good message into the world, and establish his kingdom on earth.

Paul uses the metaphor of a big building to describe the importance of the apostles, telling the Christian community in Ephesus that, “you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.” (Ephesians chapter 2 verses 19 to 21 - NIV)