Who are the 12 Apostles?

Jesus called them one by one, are lyrics to a song many kids learn at an early age. Who are we talking about? The Apostles of Jesus!

12 amazing men who devoted their life to following Jesus so that we today can know Him too!

Who are the 12 Apostles? Let’s look at the lyrics of the song sung to the tune of “Jesus Love Me”. The author is unknown so we took the liberty to tweak the lyrics just a bit.

The Apostles are:

Jesus called them one by one,
Peter, Andrew, James and John,
Next came Phillip, Thomas too,
Matthew and Bartholomew.

Yes, Jesus called them,
Yes, Jesus called them,
Yes, Jesus called them,
The Bible tells me so.

James, the one they called the less,
Simon also Thadaeus,
Twelve apostles Judas made,
Jesus was by him betrayed.

Yes, Jesus called them,
Yes, Jesus called them,
Yes, Jesus called them,
The Bible tells me so.

Matthias then took Judas’ place,
To preach to men of every race,
Paul three preaching trips did make,
And went to Rome for Jesus’ sake.

Yes, Jesus called them,
Yes, Jesus called them,
Yes, Jesus called them,
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus chose 12 men who followed Him to send out into the nations and to share the Gospel.

What is the Gospel?

The Good News that Jesus died on, rose from the grave defeating death, and paid the price for your sins.

These men would be sent into cities and nations, homes and hearts, spreading this message of hope and love. They were able to perform miracles, experience life-changing adventures, Some are credited as authors of some of the books of the New Testament.

Peter- 1 & 2 Peter
John- John, 1,2&3 John, Revelation
Paul- The Epistles /Letters to the Church and a few followers, too.

11 of these men were once known as the 12 Disciples of Jesus. How does that work? Well, let’s look at the Disciples and connect the dots.

Who are the 12 Disciples of Jesus?

Peter, Andrew (brothers)
James and John (brothers)
Phillip, Thomas
Matthew and James (maybe related)
Bartholomew (aka. Nathanael)
Simon, Thaddaeus,
Judas

These men were the original 12 chosen by Jesus to follow Him. A disciple is a student of a teacher and their teachings.

In the Bible, a disciple was a student who learned the teachings of Jesus and followed Him. They left their jobs and traveled with Jesus as witnesses to His miracles and wonders as they learned from Him through examples, parables and experiences. They prayed with Him, worshiped God with Him and lived life together.

The 12 Disciples came from different perspectives, political views and personalities. Some were fishermen, brothers and one was even a tax collector.

They would work in Jesus’ ministry for about 3 years and then Judas would betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Judas was the treasurer of the group and after his betrayal he would hang himself. His sinful actions would lead to Jesus being crucified on the cross and placed in the tomb.

Jesus would then rise from the grave and walk the earth for about 40 days before He ascended into heaven.

In Matthew 28 Jesus gives these 11 men the Great Commission:

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Tools
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Little did they know that from this send out, they would be known for thousands of years as the 12 Apostles

After Jesus left, the 11 disciples were scared, fearing persecution and execution for following Him. They were in a room together behind closed doors, unsure of what to do next. In the room with them were about 120 more followers of Jesus, also known as his disciples.

They would cast lots to choose a new disciple to keep the 12 Jesus had originally brought together.

Matthias was chosen to take Judas’ place in the group of 12.

In Acts 2, on the Day of Pentecost, these 12 men and the other disciples of Jesus were in a room gathered together when the Holy Spirit descended on them like tongues of fire. All of a sudden the fears went away, they understood all the teachings of Jesus clearly and they knew they were being sent on a mission. They once again had a purpose that was beyond anything they could have imagined.

Let’s not forget Paul, who has his own amazing encounter with Jesus (Acts 9) to also be sent out by Jesus into the world and become the 13th and probably most popular Apostle.

Why kids need to know the Apostles, Disciples
& other early “Doers”

Remember the other 120 disciples mentioned in Acts 2? Well these incredible followers of Jesus begin teaching, speaking and spreading the Good News too! They are doers of the Word and tell about Jesus in all that they do. In the work, their encounters and in their families, they share Jesus with others.

They show real-life transformation. These men were human with the same fears, insecurities and struggles most people face in life. We read about their pride, failure to understand what they are experiencing, doubt, denial and even sinful moments. They were transformed by Jesus and paved the way for us to experience that same transformative power. 2 of the most incredible transformations were Jesus’ own half brothers who went from not believing He was God’s Son to spreading the news and writing 2 books of the Bible. They are the authors of the book of James and the book of Jude so that we too can live life following Jesus.
They model diverse gifts. From Peter’s bold preaching, Paul’s missionary journeys, Aquilla and Priscilla’s mentoring, to Lydia’s hospitality, kids can learn the personalities and talents Jesus used. Who do you relate to in the group of followers?
They connect the Gospels to Acts. Children see the Church growing from Jesus’ words into a worldwide movement. The Lord added to the Church daily those who were saved, and His people multiplied.
They remind us we’re disciples too. In the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, God told then to multiply and fill the earth. In the New Testament, “Follow Me” wasn’t just for first-century Galilee— or those original 12 men, it’s for us today. Go into all the world, tell the Gospel, spread the Good News, and multiply followers of Jesus in His Church. Your “all the world” is the playgrounds, classrooms, workspaces and dinner tables today.

As a follower of Jesus, you are a student of His teaching. That makes you a disciple, too, with a mission.

Everywhere you go, everyone you meet is your “all the world”. Not only are you a disciple, but you are a doer of the Word.

How do you explain the difference between Apostles and Disciples to Kids?

For kids to best understand the difference, let’s break it down into an easy phrase.

Apostles were sent out by Jesus.
Disciples are following Jesus.

We have a Bible resource guide to help you teach your children all about the 12 Apostles and Disciples of Jesus. We take it a few steps further by adding the people also called disciples and doers of the Word. We call this resource:

Apostles, Disciples & Doers (A.D.D.): People Who Helped Add & Multiply God’s Church

Apostles, Disciples & Doers — A.D.D. is our playful acronym meaning “adding to the Church”. We wanted a memorable, meaningful, and easy way for both kids and adults to follow Jesus, add to His church and multiply faith and love!

Why it works:

“Apostles, Disciples & Doers” gives a full spectrum: the Twelve, the wider group of followers, and the helpers who kept the Church going and growing.

ADD connects the meaning of being a follower of Jesus to Acts 2:47:

“And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

We are all too familiar with the the same acronym that is associated with “A.D.D.”. Some of us have first hand knowledge!

But instead of being distracted, this version of A.D.D. is a word play showcasing the people who focused their lives on being Jesus’ disciples and adding to God’s kingdom through faith and action. They were doers!

This Bible resource for kids is all about A.D.D. — not the kind that distracts you, but the kind that adds to the Church! Through stories, verses, and hands-on activities, you’ll meet Apostles, Disciples, and Doers who followed Jesus and shared His love with the world.

Instant timelines that show each apostle’s journey at a glance |
| ✅ | Kid-friendly maps of Paul’s travels (with blank versions they can color) |
| ✅ | Fact sheets & cultural insights explaining fishermen, Roman roads, & more |
| ✅ | Worksheets, word puzzles & verse hunts for independent seatwork |
| ✅ | Hands-on crafts & activities from craft-stick disciples to mission-footprint games |
| ✅ | Journal prompts & discussion questions scaled from preschool to tweens |
| ✅ | Full-page coloring graphics (the ones you just downloaded!) perfect for quiet time or art class |

Color-Me Timelines – Kids track each apostle’s key moments with visuals they customize.
Maps & Movement – Tape footprint cut-outs from Jerusalem to Rome across the floor.
Name-That-Disciple Relay – Call a fact (“fisherman from Bethsaida!”) and kids race to hold up the right card.
Craft-Stick Apostles – Classic Sunday-school craft that never gets old. daniellesplace.com
“Add & Multiply” Challenge – Older children write one way they can add kindness at home and multiply God’s love at school.

Ready-Made Resources (So You Don’t Start From Scratch) <!– H2 –>

Our new printable pack Apostles, Disciples & Doers (A.D.D.): People Who Helped Add & Multiply God’s Church bundles timelines, maps, worksheets, crafts, journal prompts and more—tailored for preschool through upper-elementary but versatile enough for family or adult study groups. Scroll down for the full breakdown!

(Keywords naturally sprinkled: “apostles lesson plan for kids,” “disciples coloring pages,” “Bible crafts,” “Sunday school activities,” “homeschool Bible curriculum,” “Christian printables,” “Apostle Paul lesson.”)

What Makes This Different?

Age-layered design – preschool questions and elementary critical-thinking prompts, middle-grade map challenges and coloring fun for all!
“Learn → Do” model – every fact page is paired with an action step to add faith and multiply love.
One price = family, co-op, or classroom use – copy for every student you teach.