Person New Testament
Simon
Also known as Zealot =ESV, NIV; Zelotes =KJV
Simon, also known as the Zealot, was one of the twelve apostles chosen by Jesus. Mentioned in 4 verses across 4 books, first at Matthew 10:4.
Why it matters. One of the twelve apostles, also called the Zealot.
- Primary passages
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Simon
Simon, also called the Zealot, was one of the twelve apostles chosen by Jesus Christ (Mat.10.4; Mrk.3.18; Luk.6.15). The title "Zealot" likely indicates that Simon belonged to a Jewish political faction known for its fierce nationalism and opposition to Roman rule before following Jesus.
After Jesus' ascension, Simon the Zealot is mentioned as being among the apostles who gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem to pray and await the coming of the Holy Spirit (Act.1.13).
Beyond these brief mentions, no further details about Simon the Zealot's life or ministry are provided in the New Testament. Church tradition holds that he preached the gospel in various regions, possibly including Egypt, North Africa, and Persia, before being martyred for his faith, though the accounts vary.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
Connections
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Appears in Scripture
Named in 4 verses across 4 books. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.