The Martyrdom of the Apostles

Examining the evidence for each apostle's martyrdom

"[Outside of Peter, James, Paul, and John,] it is difficult to know for sure what happened to the remaining apostles... The evidence is late and filled with legendary accretion. The claim that Bartholomew was skinned alive, for instance, doesn't show up until about AD 500. And there are varying accounts that he died by drowning, beating, and crucifixion. Does that make each of these false? Not necessarily. But it makes it difficult to have much historical confidence in his actual fate. And the same is true with the other "minor" apostles. While there are no early accounts that any of the apostles recanted, we simply don't know how many of them were killed because of their testimony about Christ."
— Josh & Sean McDowell, Evidence That Demands a Verdict

Death of Jesus to Earliest Sources

Most sources are from over 100 years after Jesus' death

James (Zebedee)
Peter
Paul
Andrew
Matthias
James (Alphaeus)
John
Thomas
Matthew
Philip
Simon & Jude
Bartholomew
100 CE 200 CE 300 CE 400 CE

Peter

Martyrdom:Probable

Crucified upside down in Rome

  • Gospel of John (c. 90-100 CE)
  • 1 Clement (c. 95 CE)
  • Acts of Peter (c. 150-200 CE)

Paul

Martyrdom:Probable

Beheaded in Rome

  • Acts of the Apostles (c. 80-90 CE)
  • 1 Clement (c. 95 CE)
  • Acts of Paul (c. 150-200 CE)

James (Son of Zebedee)

Martyrdom:Probable

Beheaded in Jerusalem

  • Acts of the Apostles (c. 80-90 CE)
  • Clement of Alexandria (c. 200 CE)

Andrew

Martyrdom:Possible

Crucified at Patras

  • Acts of Andrew (c. 150-200 CE)

Thomas

Martyrdom:Possible

Speared in India

  • Acts of Thomas (c. 225 CE)

Philip

Martyrdom:Unlikely

Crucified in Hierapolis

  • Acts of Philip (c. 350 CE)

Bartholomew

Martyrdom:Unlikely

Flayed alive in Armenia

  • Acts of Bartholomew (c. 400-500 CE)

Matthew

Martyrdom:Unlikely

Killed in Ethiopia

  • Martyrdom of Matthew (c. 250 CE)

James (Son of Alphaeus)

Martyrdom:Unlikely

Stoned and clubbed in Jerusalem

  • Hegesippus via Eusebius (c. 170 CE)

Simon the Zealot

Martyrdom:Unlikely

Crucified

  • Acts of Simon and Jude (c. 450 CE)

Jude (Thaddaeus)

Martyrdom:Unlikely

Killed with clubs in Persia

  • Acts of Simon and Jude (c. 450 CE)

Matthias

Martyrdom:Unlikely

Stoned and beheaded

  • Acts of Andrew and Matthias (c. 150-200 CE)

John

Martyrdom:Unlikely

Natural death in Ephesus

  • Tertullian (c. 200 CE)
  • Polycrates via Eusebius (c. 190 CE)