Home People James son of Alphaeus James son of Alphaeus, also known as 'James the Less' or 'James the Younger', was one of Jesus' twelve apostles. He is distinguished from James son of Zebedee by his father Alphaeus. He is mentioned in all the lists of apostles, but little else is known about his life and ministry.
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Key events James son of Alphaeus was chosen as one of Jesus' twelve apostles and is mentioned in the lists of apostles in all four Gospels.
2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Gk τῶν δὲ δώδεκα ἀποστόλων τὰ ὀνόματά ἐστιν ταῦτα· πρῶτος Σίμων ὁ λεγόμενος Πέτρος καὶ Ἀνδρέας ὁ ἀδελφὸς ⸀αὐτοῦ, Ἰάκωβος ὁ τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου καὶ Ἰωάννης ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ,
3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Gk Φίλιππος καὶ Βαρθολομαῖος, Θωμᾶς καὶ Μαθθαῖος ὁ τελώνης, Ἰάκωβος ὁ τοῦ Ἁλφαίου καὶ ⸀Θαδδαῖος,
James is listed among the twelve whom Jesus gave authority to drive out unclean spirits and heal diseases.
14 He appointed twelve, so that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach, Gk καὶ ἐποίησεν ⸀δώδεκα, ἵνα ὦσιν μετʼ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἵνα ἀποστέλλῃ αὐτοὺς κηρύσσειν
18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananean, Gk καὶ Ἀνδρέαν καὶ Φίλιππον καὶ Βαρθολομαῖον καὶ Μαθθαῖον καὶ Θωμᾶν καὶ Ἰάκωβον τὸν τοῦ Ἁλφαίου καὶ Θαδδαῖον καὶ Σίμωνα τὸν ⸀Καναναῖον
James was among the twelve whom Jesus sent out two by two to preach and heal.
13 When day came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles: Gk καὶ ὅτε ἐγένετο ἡμέρα, προσεφώνησεν τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκλεξάμενος ἀπʼ αὐτῶν δώδεκα, οὓς καὶ ἀποστόλους ὠνόμασεν,
14 Simon, whom he also named Peter, and his brother Andrew; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Gk Σίμωνα ὃν καὶ ὠνόμασεν Πέτρον καὶ Ἀνδρέαν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ⸀καὶ Ἰάκωβον καὶ Ἰωάννην ⸁καὶ Φίλιππον καὶ Βαρθολομαῖον
15 Matthew and Thomas; James son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot; Gk ⸀καὶ Μαθθαῖον καὶ Θωμᾶν ⸁καὶ ⸀Ἰάκωβον Ἁλφαίου καὶ Σίμωνα τὸν καλούμενον Ζηλωτὴν
16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. Gk ⸀καὶ Ἰούδαν Ἰακώβου καὶ Ἰούδαν ⸀Ἰσκαριὼθ ⸀ὃς ἐγένετο προδότης.
After the ascension, James son of Alphaeus was among the apostles who gathered together in prayer in the upper room in Jerusalem.
13 When they arrived, they went up to the upper room where they were staying: Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. Gk καὶ ὅτε εἰσῆλθον, ⸂εἰς τὸ ὑπερῷον ἀνέβησαν⸃ οὗ ἦσαν καταμένοντες, ὅ τε Πέτρος καὶ ⸂Ἰωάννης καὶ Ἰάκωβος⸃ καὶ Ἀνδρέας, Φίλιππος καὶ Θωμᾶς, Βαρθολομαῖος καὶ Μαθθαῖος, Ἰάκωβος Ἁλφαίου καὶ Σίμων ὁ ζηλωτὴς καὶ Ἰούδας Ἰακώβου.
14 They all devoted themselves with one mind to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. Gk οὗτοι πάντες ἦσαν προσκαρτεροῦντες ὁμοθυμαδὸν τῇ ⸀προσευχῇ σὺν γυναιξὶν καὶ ⸀Μαριὰμ τῇ μητρὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ ⸀σὺν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς αὐτοῦ.
His mother Mary was among the women who stood by Jesus' cross and witnessed the crucifixion.
40 There were also women watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. Gk Ἦσαν δὲ καὶ γυναῖκες ἀπὸ μακρόθεν θεωροῦσαι, ἐν ⸀αἷς καὶ ⸀Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ καὶ Μαρία ⸀ἡ Ἰακώβου τοῦ μικροῦ καὶ ⸀Ἰωσῆτος μήτηρ καὶ Σαλώμη,