Simon the Zealot

The Zealous One

The early churchApostleDisciplec. 5–65 AD

Simon the Zealot, also called Simon Canaanite, was one of Jesus' twelve apostles. The nickname 'the Zealot' or 'the zealous one' may indicate that he belonged to the Zealots—a Jewish resistance movement against the Romans—before becoming a disciple. As an apostle, he represents Jesus' ability to unite people from diverse backgrounds.

Key events

Chosen as an Apostle

Simon the Zealot was chosen as one of Jesus' twelve apostles and is mentioned in the lists of apostles in all four Gospels.

Matt 10:2 Show in context →

2These 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;

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,

Matt 10:4 Show in context →

4Simon the Cananaean,[^1] and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. [^1]: An Aramaic term meaning "the zealous one"; elsewhere rendered "Simon the Zealot."

Σίμων ὁ ⸀Καναναῖος καὶ Ἰούδας ⸀ὁ Ἰσκαριώτης ὁ καὶ παραδοὺς αὐτόν.

Called Canaanite

Matthew and Mark call him Simon Canaanite, which comes from the Aramaic word for 'zealous'—the same meaning as Zealot.

Mark 3:18 Show in context →

18Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananean,

καὶ Ἀνδρέαν καὶ Φίλιππον καὶ Βαρθολομαῖον καὶ Μαθθαῖον καὶ Θωμᾶν καὶ Ἰάκωβον τὸν τοῦ Ἁλφαίου καὶ Θαδδαῖον καὶ Σίμωνα τὸν ⸀Καναναῖον

Among the Twelve

Simon is mentioned among the twelve whom Jesus called and gave authority to preach and heal.

Luke 6:13 Show in context →

13When day came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles:

καὶ ὅτε ἐγένετο ἡμέρα, προσεφώνησεν τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκλεξάμενος ἀπʼ αὐτῶν δώδεκα, οὓς καὶ ἀποστόλους ὠνόμασεν,

Luke 6:15 Show in context →

15Matthew and Thomas; James son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot;

⸀καὶ Μαθθαῖον καὶ Θωμᾶν ⸁καὶ ⸀Ἰάκωβον Ἁλφαίου καὶ Σίμωνα τὸν καλούμενον Ζηλωτὴν

In the Upper Room

After the ascension, Simon Zelotes was among the apostles who gathered in prayer in the upper room in Jerusalem.

Acts 1:13 Show in context →

13When 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.

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.

Acts 1:14 Show in context →

14They all devoted themselves with one mind to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

οὗτοι πάντες ἦσαν προσκαρτεροῦντες ὁμοθυμαδὸν τῇ ⸀προσευχῇ σὺν γυναιξὶν καὶ ⸀Μαριὰμ τῇ μητρὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ ⸀σὺν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς αὐτοῦ.

Sent Out

Simon was one of the twelve whom Jesus sent out to proclaim that the kingdom of God had come near.

Luke 9:1 Show in context →

1Jesus called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases.

Συγκαλεσάμενος δὲ τοὺς δώδεκα ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς δύναμιν καὶ ἐξουσίαν ἐπὶ πάντα τὰ δαιμόνια καὶ νόσους θεραπεύειν,

Luke 9:2 Show in context →

2Then he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

καὶ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτοὺς κηρύσσειν τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἰᾶσθαι ⸂τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς⸃,