There were traditionally twelve apostles chosen by Jesus, but the Bible and later Christian interpretation refer to more people as “apostles” in a broader sense.

Quick Scoop: Core Answer

  • In basic Sunday-school terms, when people ask “how many apostles were there,” they usually mean the Twelve that Jesus chose during his earthly ministry.
  • After Judas’ death, the remaining apostles chose Matthias to restore the group back to twelve.
  • If you count everyone in the New Testament ever called an apostle (including Paul and others), some Christian writers argue the list can reach around 20–25 named figures , and even more if you include wider “sent ones.”

The Classic Twelve

Most churches and catechisms focus on the Twelve Apostles linked directly to Jesus’ earthly mission.

Common lists include:

  • Peter (also called Simon Peter)
  • Andrew
  • James son of Zebedee
  • John
  • Philip
  • Bartholomew
  • Thomas
  • Matthew
  • James son of Alphaeus
  • Thaddaeus (also called Jude)
  • Simon the Zealot
  • Judas Iscariot (later replaced by Matthias)

These are the core answer when someone quickly Googles “how many apostles were there” for a straightforward reply.

Beyond Twelve: Wider Apostleship

When the question is taken more technically— “how many people does the New Testament call apostles in any sense?” —the number grows.

Examples often included:

  • Paul
  • Barnabas
  • James, the Lord’s brother
  • Andronicus and Junia
  • Apollos, Epaphroditus, Silas, Timothy, and even two unnamed “apostles/messengers” in some readings.

Some modern Bible teachers count about 25 such figures explicitly called or treated as apostles in Scripture. Others argue the term can extend conceptually to many “sent” workers of the church.

Different Viewpoints in Discussion

Forum and blog discussions today often split into a few viewpoints on “how many apostles were there” :

  • Narrow view:
    • Only the original Twelve (plus Matthias and Paul) are “true” capital‑A Apostles with unique authority and eyewitness status.
  • Moderate view:
    • The Twelve are unique, but the New Testament clearly calls several others apostles in a secondary or functional sense (missionaries, special envoys).
  • Broad/charismatic view:
    • Apostolic ministry continues in the church, so there were more than twelve in the first century and many more throughout history, though opinions differ on how official that title should be.

Simple Takeaway

  • For a quick, simple answer: There were twelve apostles in the classic sense, with Matthias replacing Judas.
  • For a fuller biblical-literary answer: There are roughly 20–25 people in the New Testament who are described with apostolic language , depending on how strictly each passage is read.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.