Jesus Chooses Twelve Apostles

Optional Titles:Jesus called 12 disciples to be apostles.Twelve disciples became Apostles.The twelve.

Jesus first chose six men who wanted to become his disciples. Their names were Simon. Andrew, James, John, Philip, and Nathanael. Jesus changed Simon’s name to Peter.

One day, Jesus and his disciples were passing near a tax collector’s booth [station]. There, Jesus saw a tax collector whose name was Levi.

Jesus called to Levi, “Come, follow me, and become my disciple.” Levi [immediately] quit being a tax collector and followed Jesus. Levi had a second name, which was Matthew.

Matthew once invited Jesus and his other disciples to come eat a meal at his house. He also invited some other tax collectors, who had bad habits [who were known to cheat], to come eat with Jesus.

Some [Jewish] teachers learned that Jesus was eating a meal with tax collectors whom they despised [disrespected / hated].

These teachers went to some of Jesus’ disciples and complained [talked badly about] Jesus, “It is very wrong [inappropriate] that your teacher eats with tax collectors who have bad habits [who are so sinful]!!” These disciples later told this to Jesus.

So Jesus said to everyone, “It is sick people who need to go see a doctor. Well [healthy] people do not need to go see a doctor. In the same way, I call [invite] people who know they are sinful [to come follow me]. I do not call [invite] people who think they are good [righteous] [to come follow me]!”

Many more people heard about Jesus, so they came to hear him teach, and so that he might heal their diseases.

One evening, Jesus went alone outside the town [village] [and went up a hill]. He stayed out there all night, praying to God.

In the morning, Jesus came back and called together his disciples. He chose twelve of them whom he named his “apostles” [to whom he gave power].

The first four disciples whom Jesus chose to be apostles were Peter, his brother Andrew, James and his brother, John. [Jesus called James and John "Sons of Thunder" (like thunder)]

Jesus also chose [appointed] the tax collector Matthew, Thomas and another disciple called James.

Next, Jesus chose [appointed] another disciple called Simon, and Thaddaeus (who was also called Judas).

Finally, Jesus named another man called Judas [who came] from Iscariot. This Judas would later betray Jesus [for money].

These twelve men, now apostles, went everywhere Jesus went. He gave to them power to cast out evil spirits, to heal sick people, and to tell others about Jesus.