they were ordinary men fishermen craftsmen yet Jesus chose them only 12 he called them one by one and made them a promise that would change the world follow me and I will make you fishers of men they walked with him and witnessed his miracles saw him weep laugh and raise the dead but they also witnessed his betrayal his cross and something no one could explain his empty tomb after the resurrection these 12 men were no longer the same something burned within them a spirit stronger than fear and deeper than death itself jesus sent them out on a mission to carry his message to the ends of the earth go and make disciples of all nations what began on the shores of the Sea of Galilee soon spread throughout Asia Africa Europe and beyond but that message came with a price and all of them one by one paid it in this journey you'll discover how each apostle died some were crucified others skinned alive some died alone others together but they all chose to die rather than deny Jesus get ready because this isn't just a story written in blood it's the story of the sacrifice of the church fathers what you're about to witness isn't just the end of 12 men it's the beginning of a faith that never stopped steven the first martyr soon followed only 2 years had passed since the crucifixion of Christ when the first disciple died for what he had seen his name was Steven and his faith led him to become the first great martyr he wasn't one of the 12 he wasn't called in Galilee nor did he share the bread at the last supper but he belonged to that first community who lived with a new fire in their hearts the Holy Spirit burned within them and among them Steven radiated brightest of all scripture describes him as a man full of grace and power performing great wonders among the people but it wasn't merely what he did it was what he said steven spoke with an authority that did not come from this world from his mouth poured forth the name of Jesus his hands healed the sick and crowds followed after him that was enough to unleash hatred the religious leaders saw the message of Christ spreading uncontrollably and believed Steven was responsible then a group of men from the synagogue known as the freed men rose up against Steven they challenged him trying to debate him but they failed frustrated they resorted to deception bribing false witnesses to accuse him of something severe blaspheming against Moses and against God the rumor spread quickly people became agitated and they dragged him through the streets of Jerusalem before the Sanhedrin and falsely accused him as they had done earlier with Jesus but Steven did not tremble he did not defend himself he did not justify his actions he opened his mouth and heaven spoke through him from Abraham to Moses from the temple to the prophets he recounted the full story of Israel then like lightning he spoke the truth that no hardened heart ever wants to hear you stiff necked people you always resist the Holy Spirit the Sanhedrin stirred angrily in their seats their rage grew stronger as Steven continued confronting them which one of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute they foretold the coming of the righteous one and yet you betrayed and murdered him the silence shattered members of the Sanhedrin shook with rage and the air grew heavy steven's fate was sealed but then something extraordinary happened steven lifted his gaze and he saw him the heavens opened before him and there above upon the throne of the universe stood Jesus not sitting but standing ready as if to welcome him home steven's eyes filled with radiance fear vanished completely and with a trembling voice he declared "Behold I see the heavens opened and the son of man standing at the right hand of God." The Sanhedrin erupted in furious shouts they couldn't bear it jesus exalted at God's side the same Jesus they had crucified now boldly proclaimed right to their faces by Steven himself the trial was over they needed no further proof rushing upon him they dragged Steven outside the city gates and began to stone him the first strike hit his body then another stone after stone rained down yet Steven neither screamed nor cursed nor begged for mercy as the men hurled rocks they removed their cloaks determined not to stain themselves with the blood of the righteous one a young Pharisee watched over them his name was Saul he observed the scene coldly his eyes unflinching he approved of the killing steven gasped feeling the blood streaming down his face with one final breath his lips uttered one last prayer not for himself but for those who murdered him lord do not hold this sin against them and then he closed his eyes and died steven was the first to die for Jesus and just like his master he died forgiving his blood was the seed that planted courage in the hearts of those who came afterward for the next martyr would be one of the chosen [Music] 12 james was the first of the 12 apostles to die for the name of Jesus he was the brother of John also a fisherman from the Sea of Galilee and one of the first to abandon everything when Jesus called to him "Follow me." James was part of Jesus' inner circle he stood beside him during moments others did not experience he witnessed Jesus raised Gyrus's daughter from the dead he was one of the three apostles who saw Jesus transfigured on the mountain and one of those who fell asleep as Jesus prayed in agony sweating blood at Gethsemane and when the Holy Spirit came down at Pentecost it was as if fire awakened inside him filled with courage his voice began to echo throughout Jerusalem proclaiming that the king had conquered death and that was why he was marked the city was changing believers were increasing day by day and Herod I hungry for power and eager to please the Sanhedrin decided it was time to send a clear message a message of fear he chose the most visible the strongest voice james they arrested him without warning there was no fair trial merely a swift verdict death by the sword yet amid this injustice something unexpected happened the soldier assigned to guard James to the place of execution was suddenly moved perhaps it was the peace in James's eyes free from hatred free from bitterness or perhaps it was simply the spirit of God touching a hardened heart we cannot be certain but this we do know that very executioner fell to his knees alongside James confessed Christ and asked to die with him and so it came to pass both were led outside the city walls the Apostle James and that unnamed man who in his final moment chose eternity at dawn the sword fell upon his neck and thus died the first apostle who gave his life for Jesus but James' story did not end there years passed and an ancient legend began to take shape saying that his disciples carefully took his body and guided by the spirit carried him far away very far all the way to the northern coast of Hispania and buried him there in secret centuries later his tomb was discovered and a new flame was kindled the way of St james or also known as El Camino since then millions of people have walked for days weeks even months following in his footsteps to seek answers or draw closer to God because the blood of James became a pathway however James was not actually the first of the 12 apostles to die that was Judas's Scariot but Judas did not die as a martyr he died a traitor while the other apostles willingly gave their lives for the master Judas sold him out for 30 silver coins judas Iscariat judas Iscariat was an apostle but his story is unlike any other he too was called he too heard the master's voice walked upon the holy land witnessed miracles multiplying loaves resurrections he ate from the bread Jesus shared drank from the very same cup and yet his heart chose another path he was in charge of the money because he was smart observant and quiet but something deep inside him broke maybe it was greed or perhaps he was never truly a disciple whatever the case his betrayal became the harshest wound in the story of the gospel because it didn't come from an enemy it came from a friend in the garden of Gethsemane as the night grew tense and the soldiers footsteps drew near Judas stepped forward and with a kiss he betrayed the son of God jesus asked him "Are you betraying the son of man with a kiss and the silence that followed was the beginning of the end." When Judas saw that Jesus had been condemned something shattered inside him guilt rushed into him like a storm and the silver coins he'd received in exchange for his betrayal weighed heavily upon his soul then he went to the temple to the chief priests and tried to return the money confessing "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." But they mocked him replying "What do we care that's your problem." And Judas threw the coins onto the temple floor alone and ashamed he left the city and here the Bible gives us two versions of his end the Gospel of Matthew tells us he took his own life by hanging himself from a tree meanwhile the book of Acts recounts that he fell his body bursting open as it struck the ground two different accounts yet the same tragic conclusion the coins he threw away were used to buy a field a place still remembered today as Akalodama the field of blood judas didn't die as a martyr or proclaiming Christ he died crushed by guilt his name remains forever a symbol of betrayal but his story is more than just that it's a warning because it isn't enough to be near Jesus isn't enough to know him or even serve him what matters is giving him your heart judas was part of Jesus's inner circle but never allowed Jesus to transform him from within and when the test finally came he chose the darkest path of all his death left a void to be filled for Jesus had chosen 12 and now one had fallen judas's betrayal opened the door for a new chapter the calling of Matias matias matias wasn't one of the original 12 chosen by Jesus but he had been there since the very beginning journeying alongside the disciples sharing their faith and holding on to the same hope after Judas's betrayal a position among the apostles had become vacant the number 12 had to be restored the circle had to be made whole again the apostles prayed together "Lord you who know the hearts of all people show us which of these two you have chosen trusting the guidance of the Holy Spirit they cast lots the lot fell upon Matias matias began to preach with the same brighteyed passion as the original apostles filled with an unstoppable fire for Christ he began in Jerusalem and his message quickly spread among believers matias stepped forward to proclaim the truth of Christ throughout Jerusalem testifying boldly about his resurrection and the Savior's redeeming love yet shadows of the law and hatred persisted and the religious leaders accused him of blasphemy for preaching that Jesus was the Messiah the very son of God a dark tension descended and fear filled the sacred streets of Jerusalem then Matias was arrested and hastily condemned to martyrdom they led him outside the city yet even in his final moments Matias showed no fear with his eyes lifted to heaven toward the light that had always guided him he spoke one last prayer not for himself but for those who persecuted him unaware their violent acts stemmed from blind ignorance matias was publicly stoned and as he fell covered in dust and blood still gazing upward to heaven a Roman soldier drew near and with a sharp sword cut off his head thus with blood spilled upon Jerusalem's streets God's will was fulfilled the number of the 12 was restored matias did not seek earthly honor instead he gave his life as a humble testimony of love after Matias's martyrdom in Jerusalem the flame of the gospel continued spreading northward and one of those preaching there was soon overtaken Andrew andrew Peter's brother was a quiet disciple and a tireless missionary he was among the first to hear the master's voice indeed before following Jesus he had been a disciple of John the Baptist and when John pointed at Jesus and proclaimed "Behold the Lamb of God." Andrew believed him and filled with excitement ran to find his brother Peter exclaiming "We have found the Messiah." From that moment onward he never looked back he wasn't part of the inner circle as Peter James or John were yet Andrew was always present without seeking recognition or attention after the resurrection his voice grew powerful andrew preached in places no one else wanted to go he journeyed across Asia Minor through Cyia and finally reached Akaya in the region of Patras Greece there in a foreign land he boldly stood as a witness of the living God and because of that he was condemned the city's proconsul furious at the many conversions brought about by Andrew arrested him and demanded he stop preaching when Andrew refused he sentenced him to death by crucifixion but when they showed him the cross Andrew smiled and said something that confused his executioners for years I have longed for this moment i am not ashamed of the cross for it is the place where my master overcame the world he asked only one thing that he not be crucified in the same manner as Jesus for he felt unworthy to die as his Lord did and so it was granted they prepared an X-shaped cross a different kind of cross yet no less cruel they bound him with ropes instead of nails prolonging his suffering and for two full days Andrew hanging there upon the cross continued to preach from the height of his suffering his voice still proclaimed Christ he spoke of God's love of forgiveness and of eternal life crowds listened in awe some shed tears others mocked him but no one remained indifferent while his body grew weaker his spirit became stronger and on the third day his voice grew silent his eyes closed and his soul was welcomed into glory the X-shaped cross became his symbol the cross of St andrew an emblem of humility self-sacrifice and unwavering loyalty until the end andrew never wrote any epistles nor founded famous churches yet his life constantly proclaimed the gospel and his death one of the most beautiful declarations of faith history has ever known after Andrew's death in Greece the gospel message echoed through the entire empire but persecution intensified as well and at the very heart of it all in Rome was his brother Peter the leader of the 12 Peter his name was Simon but Jesus called him Peter and declared "On this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not overcome it." Peter was the leader of the 12 always the first to speak the first to proclaim "You are the Christ the son of the living God and the first to step out onto the water but also the first to deny Jesus." That night when Jesus was arrested Peter followed at a distance standing by the fire in the courtyard of the high priest he denied knowing him three times then the rooster crowed and Peter wept bitterly but the master did not cast him aside instead Jesus sought Peter out and there by the glowing coals in the first light of dawn on a beach in Galilee he asked him three times "Do you love me?" And three times Peter replied "Lord you know everything you know that I love you." Then Jesus said to him "Feed my sheep truly I tell you when you become old you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and lead you where you do not want to go." Peter understood this was more than simply restoration it was prophecy he realized that one day he would give his life for Jesus peter was restored and forgiven after Pentecost Peter preached with an authority beyond this world and thousands believed in a single day he healed the sick raised the dead and boldly stood before the Sanhedrin without fear and when the time came he left Jerusalem taking the gospel straight into the heart of the empire Rome itself there in the city of Caesars he founded a church destined to withstand centuries of persecution yet in the year 64 AD during the reign of Emperor Nero judgment finally reached him nero had persecuted Christians throughout his reign but the harshest persecution erupted following the great fire of Rome in 64 AD the devastating fire swept through much of the city of Rome reducing entire districts to ashes and causing immense suffering and devastation though the exact cause of the fire remained unclear rumors spread that Nero himself had ordered the blaze to clear land for his grand construction projects including his opulent palace the Domus Ara to divert suspicion and accusations away from himself Nero urgently needed a scapegoat thus Emperor Nero pointed to the Christians accusing them of having started the fire the persecution that followed was brutal many Christians were arrested subjected to torture and put to horrific deaths some were sewn into animal skins and devoured by dogs others were crucified and some were even burned alive their bodies turned into torches lighting Nero's gardens at night among those persecuted was Peter he was quickly arrested and sentenced to death by crucifixion when the Roman soldiers announced to him how he would die Peter made one final request i am not worthy to die as my lord did crucify me upside down and so it happened on a dusty hill in Rome the hill of the Vatican they raised an inverted cross and upon it they hung the Apostle Peter he did not flee nor scream nor curse hanging upside down Peter surrendered his spirit his blood spilled onto the soil of an empire determined to crush the gospel unknowingly planting it deeper instead today upon that same hill stands one of the world's greatest churches St peter's Basilica yet his true legacy isn't built in stone or marble it lives in every heart made whole by grace in every believer who has stumbled wept and been lifted up again because Peter wasn't perfect he was impulsive stubborn and deeply human but he was also courageous he was forgiven and stayed faithful to the very end but Peter wasn't the only apostle eliminated by the emperor Nero paul do you remember when Steven was stoned to death a young Pharisee watched it all unfold his name was Saul of Tarsus and if ever there were a man who embodied the transforming power of the gospel it was him he was a zealous Jew well-versed in the law deeply studied in scripture a Roman citizen and a fierce enemy of all who followed Jesus and witnessing Steven's martyrdom became the turning point that drove him to persecute the church relentlessly he stormed into homes seized men and women and dragged them forcefully into prison but even that wasn't enough he wanted more he approached the high priest and requested letters of authority granting permission to travel to Damascus if there were followers of Christ hidden there he would find them men or women it didn't matter he'd chain them and bring them back to Jerusalem and so he set out accompanied by his men the sun stood at midday when suddenly the road to Damascus exploded with an impossible brightness it was a light brighter than a thousand sons saul fell to the ground blinded stunned and suddenly a voice thundered from above saul Saul why do you persecute me saul gasped trembling and asked Who are you Lord the voice answered "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting." And everything changed for 3 days Saul neither ate nor drank he couldn't see with his eyes but for the first time he began to truly see with his heart from that moment on one of the most remarkable ministries in Christian history began paul devoted the rest of his life to one purpose alone proclaiming that Jesus was the Messiah the son of God the one who had persecuted now began to preach the one who had hated now began to love and the one who once destroyed churches began to build them he traveled further than any other apostle journeying through Asia Minor Greece Syria Macedonia and Italy he planted churches in strategic cities such as Ephesus Thessalonica Philippi Corinth and Rome he preached to both Jews and Gentiles he spoke in synagogues marketplaces prisons ships humble homes and imperial palaces where others saw danger paul saw opportunity he was stoned in Lististra whipped in Philippi chained in Jerusalem but he never stopped and God always protected him on one of his journeys to Rome Paul was placed aboard a ship as a prisoner the sea was raging and despite his warnings the ship set sail anyway for 14 days the storm hammered them relentlessly the sailors threw their cargo overboard lost their bearings and nearly lost all hope but in the midst of the chaos Paul stood up and said "None of you will lose your life because tonight an angel of the God whom I belong to and whom I serve stood before me." And so it happened the ship ran ground near an island called Malta and even though the vessel shattered into pieces not one single life was lost once on shore the local people welcomed them warmly they built a fire to keep them warm and as Paul was gathering sticks a snake suddenly darted out from the wood pile latched onto his hand and bit him the islander's eyes widened in horror they knew exactly what this meant it was a deadly viper they waited anxiously expecting to see his face go pale his knees buckle and his body collapse but Paul simply shook the snake off into the fire and continued speaking as if nothing had happened he did not swell up collapse or die amazement filled the island and they began praising him believing he was a god but Paul did not accept their worship he would not let them kneel before him instead he spoke about Christ preached the gospel and with his own hands healed many who were sick on the island clearly showing it wasn't him who healed it was Christ within him when winter ended the Romans allowed Paul to continue his journey and finally after storms shipwrecks and miracles he reached Rome but he arrived not as a free preacher but as a prisoner yet not chains nor walls nor guards could silence him from there he wrote letters from prison cells converted jailers preached before kings and mentored disciples who would carry his legacy far beyond his lifetime paul was not one of the 12 yet his words became scripture and his letters remain a living part of the New Testament and when at last he came to Rome not as a free man but as a prisoner he continued to do what he had always done proclaiming the gospel for 2 years under house arrest he welcomed all who came to him but after Rome burned when Nero accused the Christians of causing the great fire he decided to silence their leaders first Peter was crucified and now it was Paul's turn because Paul was a Roman citizen he could not be crucified instead he was sentenced to death by beheading they took him out of the city down the Via Oensi to an isolated place where executions were carried out away from the crowds paul did not flee he knew his time had come from a damp prison cell he wrote his final letter to his spiritual son Timothy saying "I have fought the good fight i have finished the race and I have kept the faith now the crown of righteousness awaits me." Then with the calm confidence of one entrusting his soul into the hands of his Lord Paul bowed his head the sword fell and his spirit soared to heaven paul wasn't one of the 12 but he became a foundational pillar of Christianity even today his epistles continue to guide God's people and his testimony boldly proclaims an eternal truth it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me but while Paul faced execution in Rome at the very heart of the empire another quieter death was unfolding in the holy city jerusalem the same city that had crucified the master and killed Steven now raised its hand against a local church leader james the Lesser his name was James son of Alfa in lists of the 12 he appeared quietly no spectacular miracles no prestigious titles yet his life spoke volumes through quiet faithfulness he was known simply as James the lesser one of those men who didn't need attention to achieve true greatness after the resurrection while many disciples traveled to distant lands James stayed in Jerusalem there where it all began he became a leader of the fledgling church while others fled persecution James remained behind comforting guiding and teaching he stood as a shepherd among a wounded flock a watchman amid wolves it was his faithfulness that put him in the crosshairs tensions in Jerusalem were becoming unbearable the religious leaders couldn't stand the fact that even after Jesus's death his name kept spreading and James had become a central figure so they arrested him in broad daylight before the watching crowd who knew him before the believers who loved him they led him up to the pinnacle of the temple its highest point and there they demanded in front of everyone that he deny Jesus they offered his life in exchange for his silence but James refused to be intimidated standing high above the temple ground he raised his voice and rather than recanting he proclaimed boldly "Jesus the Son of Man sits at the right hand of the Father and he will come again in glory." The temple shook the crowd stirred and the leaders shrieked with fury then suddenly they pushed him into the void james plunged down his body slammed against stone but he did not die from the dust wounded bleeding barely breathing james knelt and he prayed just as Jesus had prayed for those who murdered him lord forgive them they do not know what they're doing but there was no time for anything else a man ran towards him holding a club and with one brutal strike to the head took his life thus died James the Lesser with prayer upon his lips and forgiveness in his heart his blood mingled with the dust of the temple the very place where so many prophets were rejected and where the Son of God himself had been condemned with James's blood still fresh on the stones of the temple the gospel continued spreading eastward and there in far away lands two apostles preached side by side yet it was also there while sewing the word on hostile ground that they together met their martyrdom jude Thaddius and Simon the Zealot his name was Judas but not that Judas and for this reason he chose to call himself Thaddius so as never to be confused with the traitor he was one of the twel and after the resurrection as the apostles dispersed throughout the world Jude Thaddius set out eastward he preached through Samaria Syria Mesopotamia and finally reached Persia a land where the Christian faith posed a threat to idols of stone and established powers through his humility and determination he brought many to faith even nobles and people who had never heard the name of Jesus then the pagan priests accused him and handed him over to the authorities as a troublemaker he was arrested beaten and threatened yet he never backed down they took him away along with another apostle Simon the Zealot together they faced martyrdom jude Thaddius was savagely beaten with an iron club his body fell but his faith held strong and then as if this punishment were not enough he was beheaded and thus his blood spilled in foreign lands far from Jerusalem yet beneath heaven's watchful gaze the church never forgot his name over the centuries as his earthly story faded the power of his intercession only grew stronger he became known as the patron of impossible causes the saint of the desperate he who once forgotten during his lifetime was lifted by God into the memory of the faithful because this is how the kingdom of heaven works the last shall be first but what about Simon the Zealot before meeting Jesus Simon belonged to a Jewish resistance group dedicated to freeing Israel from Roman oppression by force he was a man willing to kill for his people a man driven by ideals and battle but then he met the Messiah jesus didn't summon him to wield a sword instead he called Simon to lay down his life for his enemies to turn the other cheek and to sacrifice himself not for an earthly nation but for the kingdom of God and Simon accepted he walked alongside the 12 listened intently in silence and when the master was crucified he didn't run from the pain instead he became a witness to the love that conquers hate after the resurrection Simon carried the message of Jesus beyond Judea together with Jude Thaddius he traveled through foreign lands deserts pagan villages until they reached Persia there the gospel once again challenged those in power conversions multiplied idols fell and the local religious authorities saw Simon and Jude as a threat they both were arrested but Simon's fate is described in various ways by Christian tradition some say he was sword in half just like the prophet Isaiah others claim he was crucified along with Thaddius hung upon a cross for preaching about Christ whatever the method the result was the same martyrdom he died far from home without a known grave or writings bearing his name yet Simon did not die alone he died as one of their own and he died for love the deaths of Thaddius and Simon in Persian lands left a profound mark but the mission did not stop as some fell others pressed forward toward new horizons [Music] matthew his given name was Levi son of Alfus and he was a tax collector he worked for Rome gathering money from his Jewish kin and that's why to his people he was a traitor a thief a sellout but one day in the cold and corrupt routine of his life Jesus passed by jesus looked at him and spoke only two words follow me matthew didn't ask questions he simply stood up and followed him from that day onward Matthew witnessed miracles parables storms calmed and even the dead brought back to life he heard the words of the sermon on the mount he saw compassion reflected in Jesus' eyes as he looked upon the rejected and he finally understood that he himself had been saved from his own darkness after the resurrection Matthew didn't fade back into obscurity he didn't return to his old occupation quite the opposite he took up a parchment and began to write his gospel was meant for the Jews his own people those brethren who still awaited the Messiah not realizing he had already come matthew wrote systematically with careful attention to detail guiding his readers from promise to fulfillment proving clearly that Jesus was the Christ the son of God the king whom the prophets foretold but he didn't limit himself to writing he preached as well he journeyed to Ethiopia Persia and other lands throughout Africa and Asia spreading the good news into remote places where the name of Jesus had never before been spoken until one day while celebrating mass they surrounded him religious leaders of the region enraged by the many conversions accused Matthew of subverting their traditions speaking against their gods and proclaiming a kingdom they could not see they attacked him viciously some accounts say he was stoned to death others claim he was brutally stabbed with a sword as he celebrated the Eucharist but all accounts agree on one thing he died with his eyes fixed on Christ he never laid down the cross he had willingly taken up that day at the tax collector's table he died as he had lived ever since that call in obedience today millions read the words he wrote in his gospel without realizing that every line came from a man who gave up everything to follow the master because Matthew didn't just write about Jesus he died for him and his blood spilled far from home remains an everlasting testimony that no one is ever beyond the reach of grace after Matthew's death the gospel kept expanding crossing borders beyond Africa and Persia moving into ever more distant and increasingly hostile lands one of those brave enough to go to the ends of the earth would become the next to be silenced thomas his name was Thomas but the world remembers him by another title the doubter history remembers him for that one moment after the resurrection when the other disciples declared "We have seen the Lord." And he replied "Unless I see the marks of the nails in his hands and put my finger where the nails were and place my hand into his side I will not believe." Yet that sentence was not the end of his story it was the beginning 8 days later Jesus appeared once again and this time Thomas was there the master did not reject him he simply reached out his hands and said "Place your finger here stop doubting and believe." In that moment Thomas broken within fell to his knees he didn't need to touch seeing was enough and he uttered one of the most powerful confessions in all of scripture my Lord and my God from that day onward Thomas never doubted again after Pentecost he journeyed farther than almost any other apostle while the others preached throughout Asia Minor and Europe Thomas traveled eastward through Persia all the way to India yes the disciple who once doubted was the very one who carried the gospel to the most distant lands there in what is now Chennai he founded Christian communities he baptized new believers established churches and became widely honored for the truth but preaching Christ in a land of idols wasn't safe conversions made the local religious leaders uncomfortable they watched him threatened him and one day they waited for him as Thomas prayed at top a sacred hill suddenly they surrounded him and with several spears they pierced him in anger his body fell to the ground and his blood soaked into the earth the same earth he had swn deeply with the message of the gospel and thus he died kneeling in prayer steadfast until his very last breath the man who once said "Unless I see I will not believe," ended up giving his life for that very thing which he believed with all his heart his tomb remains in India to this day millions honor him as the apostle who carried the faith into forgotten corners as the man who once needed sight but afterward lived by faith alone after Thomas died in distant India another apostle was already walking along those same harsh paths crossing Asia and proclaiming Christ's name to unfamiliar cultures and he would soon face one of the crulest deaths of all bartholomew before encountering Jesus Bartholomew was known as Nathaniel a sincere man devoted student of scripture deeply Jewish and yet skeptical because he was not easily swayed by appearances the very first time he heard that the Messiah might come from a place as small and insignificant as Nazareth his instant response was blunt can anything good come out of Nazareth it was a question filled with doubt yet also deeply honest nathaniel never pretended to have faith nor followed others just for appearances or peer pressure then one day his friend Philillip brought him face tof face with Jesus before Nathaniel could say a word the master showed he already knew him jesus looked straight at him and said "Here truly is an Israelite a man without deceit." Astonished Nathaniel replied "How do you know me?" And Jesus answered with gentle words that melted away all his disbelief before Philip called you when you were beneath the fig tree I saw you no one knew what Nathaniel had prayed thought or felt beneath that fig tree no one except God so his eyes wide in astonishment he confessed "Rabbi you truly are the son of God you are the king of Israel." From that day forward Bartholomew never left his side after the resurrection when the apostles were sent out to spread the gospel throughout the world Bartholomew journeyed beyond familiar shores he preached in Arabia Persia India Mesopotamia and finally Armenia there he brought Christ's message to a people enslaved by idol worship his preaching did not go unnoticed many converted even those within the royal household and this sealed his fate pagan priests seeing their power slip away accused him of spiritual rebellion they imprisoned him not simply to execute him but to utterly destroy him they wanted to erase his body his image and his legacy to serve as a warning of the fate awaiting anyone who challenged gods of stone thus began one of the most brutal martyrdoms in Christian history he was flayed alive his skin stripped away while he still breathed while his heart still beat and his lips still prayed afterwards he was beheaded his body was buried in foreign lands but his witness was forever etched into history as centuries passed Christian artists began depicting him holding a knife in his hand or even clutching his own skin as a symbol of the cost he paid for his faithfulness because Bartholomew died with his face lifted towards heaven the same face that one day Jesus himself had looked upon and declared without deceit a truth that remained until the very end yet after Bartholomew's heartbreaking martyrdom no one could foresee that the next apostle to fall would be his very friend Philillip the same man who first introduced him to Jesus back in Galilee philillip philillip was from a small fishing village in northern Galilee and there he first saw Jesus when he called him Philillip did not hesitate his heart ablaze he raced to find his friend Nathaniel the one later known as Bartholomew and told him excitedly "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law the one described by the prophets Jesus the son of Joseph from Nazareth." And when Nathaniel expressed doubt Philip didn't argue and didn't persuade him with elaborate reasoning instead he simply offered one phrase that would forever alter their destinies come and see that was Philillip humble straightforward and filled with conviction he had been there when Jesus fed 5,000 and later after the resurrection Philip didn't remain in Jerusalem he took the gospel northward and westward preaching in Syria Asia Minor and eventually arriving in Hierropolis a Greek city filled with temples dedicated to pagan gods there as he had seen in many other places the light of the gospel began to pierce the darkness philip preached passionately wisely and clearly jesus is the son of God he is risen and he alone is the way many believed including the wife of the Roman proconsul she secretly sought Philillip out eager to learn more about this Jesus that he spoke of philip shared with her about the cross and forgiveness about an eternal kingdom and a God who demanded no rituals or sacrifices but who himself became the sacrifice his words reached deep into her heart that very night she believed and was baptized when her husband the proconsul discovered this he erupted in anger how could an outsider a preacher without rank without weapons without soldiers have captured his wife's heart he saw it as heresy a personal humiliation in a furious rage he ordered Philip arrested and publicly condemned not merely as punishment but as a warning spectacle to all they wanted to silence him but they couldn't even in chains Philip kept speaking about Christ so the sentence was handed down some say he was publicly stoned by the city's religious leaders others say he was crucified upside down like Peter whatever the truth he died proclaiming Jesus because Philillip never stopped preaching Christ and even when his voice was silenced he'd already lit a fire that not even Rome could extinguish after Philip's death only one apostle remained alive the youngest when it all began and now the oldest the Apostle John john all the others were gone peter crucified upside down in Rome james beheaded in Jerusalem andrew tied to an X-shaped cross thomas pierced by spears philillip hanged for his faith bartholomew skinned alive matthew stabbed while celebrating mass simon and Thaddius murdered in distant lands matias stoned to death even the traitor had died by his own choice only one remained John the youngest of them all and now the last remaining elder he alone still vividly recalled the master's face for John had witnessed it all alongside his brother James he was called by Jesus while mending nets by the Sea of Galilee but Jesus didn't just call John he loved him deeply the scriptures may not explicitly say so yet time and again they point to John as the disciple whom Jesus loved most john understood the master's heart and the master trusted his he was there at the transfiguration when Jesus shone like the sun he was with him in Gethsemane when the son of God wept drops of blood and while all the other disciples fled only John remained at the foot of the cross there as the lamb's blood fell upon the earth Jesus looked at him and with his final breath of love he entrusted to him his mother woman here is your son and to the disciple here is your mother from that day John cared for Mary both as a son and as a disciple after the resurrection he was among the first who ran eagerly to the tomb and he arrived first yet he didn't enter he waited for Peter and the instant he saw the empty tomb he believed as the years went on his ministry expanded he traveled preached wrote and became a spiritual father to many churches especially in Ephesus he was the only apostle who did not die as a martyr yet that doesn't mean he did not suffer for John lived longer than them all but he also saw them all die one by one he watched his friends his missionary brothers being killed yet he remained he endured the loneliness of one who has witnessed too much and he too was arrested and persecuted he was taken to Rome where Emperor Domission sought to silence him and execute him in the most brutal way imaginable by throwing him into a pot of boiling oil the crowd expected him to scream to melt away consumed by flames and agony but he neither screamed nor died he wasn't even burned he stepped from that cauldron just as Daniel emerged from the lion's den completely unharmed he came out without a single burn as though the fire itself recognized a body already filled with the Holy Spirit the Romans had no idea what to do with him and fearing that his miraculous survival might become a divine sign the empire decided instead to make him vanish by sending him far away and so they exiled him to an isolated rocky and desolate island the island of Patmos and there surrounded by loneliness wind and sea God spoke again and it was on that island on the Lord's day that John received a vision unlike anything human eyes had ever witnessed before one day while praying alone in solitude on that island he heard a voice that rang out like a trumpet piercing through the heavens declaring "I am the Alpha and the Omega the first and the last." John froze his heart pounding suddenly he was no longer standing on the island the sky opened before him and then he saw him he saw Jesus but not the Jesus he remembered he was blazing fire glorious eternal i saw one like the Son of Man clothed in a robe reaching down to his feet his head and his hair were white like pure wool his eyes were like blazing fire his feet were like polished bronze and his voice like the roaring sound of rushing waters overwhelmed by this revelation John fell to the ground but then Jesus gently placed a hand on his shoulder and said "Do not be afraid i am the living one i was dead but behold I am alive forever more and I hold the keys of death and Hades and at that very moment heaven opened with its message god revealed to him the final destiny of mankind and his eternal glory instructing him to write down everything he saw so John wrote the book of Revelation john received all the visions the letters to the seven churches the throne of the lamb the sealed scroll the riders the trumpets the judgments the fall of Babylon and finally the new Jerusalem the holy city thus from the most forgotten island in the empire John penned the words that would become the final book of the Bible john spent years on Patmos years of solitude years filled with visions until one day the exile ended emperor Domission had died and his successor permitted the exiles to return home when he arrived the Christians of Asia Minor met John with tears and overwhelming joy the elders of the churches embraced him while believers stared at him with awe he was the last living witness who had walked with Jesus john continued tirelessly teaching encouraging and strengthening the church these were difficult times as false teachings had begun to creep in some denied that Jesus was the son of God others distorted the gospel with deception and John simply could not remain silent the elderly apostle picked up his pen once more to share what mattered most and so he wrote three more letters in first John he wrote passionately and urgently proclaiming that God is love that everyone who loves is born of God and that if we claim to love God yet hate our brother we are liars in second John he warned against deceivers who denied that Jesus had come in the flesh and urged believers to guard themselves against lies and in third John he penned a personal letter to gas encouraging him to keep faithful while rebuking those who mistreated the church even in his old age John kept fighting for the truth and his message always remained the same love he didn't need many words because he had seen the word himself had walked with the light and had felt God's own heartbeat years passed and John grew older and weaker yet still continued teaching the years weighed upon his frail body his hair was completely white his hands trembled with age and his feet could no longer support him but his spirit burned bright as ever he no longer could walk to the believers gatherings so others carried him there in their arms when everyone had gathered silence would fall upon the congregation and with a gentle voice he always repeated the same words "Love one another." At first people listened attentively but as he repeated the same words over and over some began to wonder why he always said the same thing one day one of his disciples asked him "Teacher why do you always tell us this?" John smiled and replied "Because it is the commandment of the Lord and if you fulfill this alone it will be enough." Days passed by weeks turned into months and one night John almost 100 years old closed his eyes for the very last time the final witness of Christ departed peacefully in Ephesus surrounded by his disciples he was the only apostle to die of old age the witness who survived everything and left open for us the door to heaven thus departed the last of the 12 the final witness Mary's adopted son the prophet of Revelation but he left his message alive in the scriptures where he gave us the final two sentences of the entire Bible he who testifies to these things says "Surely I am coming soon amen come Lord Jesus." May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all amen i hope this video reminds us of all we owe to these 12 men who gave their lives so that Christ's message could reach us today please hit the like button and share this video so that its message can reach other believers and their story may inspire us to live with the same faith passion and love for Jesus and remember the full story of the apostles is written in the book of Acts in the Bible on screen now is a video with the full book of Acts you need to watch it to understand the story of the birth of the church and how these 12 disciples conquered the world through faith alone because their story is still living through us today blessings to you and your