Seventy disciples


The seventy disciples or seventy-two disciples were early emissaries of Jesus mentioned in the Gospel of Luke. According to Luke, the only gospel in which they appear, Jesus appointed them and sent them out in pairs on a specific mission which is detailed in the text.
In Western Christianity, they are usually referred to as disciples, whereas in Eastern Christianity they are usually referred to as Apostles. Using the original Greek words, both titles are descriptive, as an apostle is one sent on a mission whereas a disciple is a student, but the two traditions differ on the scope of the words apostle and disciple.

Text

The passage from Luke 10 reads :

Analysis

This is the only mention of the group in the Bible. The number is seventy in some manuscripts of the Alexandrian and Caesarean text traditions but seventy-two in most other Alexandrian and Western texts. It may derive from the seventy nations of Genesis 10 or the many other occurrences of the number seventy in the Bible, or the seventy-two translators of the Septuagint from the Letter of Aristeas. In translating the Vulgate, Jerome selected the reading of seventy-two.
The Gospel of Luke is not alone among the synoptic gospels in containing multiple episodes in which Jesus sends out his followers on missions. The first occasion is closely based on the "limited commission" mission in Mark, which however recounts the sending out of the twelve apostles, rather than seventy, though with similar details. The parallels suggest a common origin in the hypothesized Q document. Luke also mentions the Great Commission to "all nations" but in less detail than Matthew's account and mentions the Dispersion of the Apostles.
What has been said to the seventy in is referred in passing to the Twelve in :

Feast days

The feast day commemorating the seventy is known as the "Synaxis of the Seventy Apostles" in Eastern Orthodoxy, and is celebrated on January 4. Each of the seventy apostles also has individual commemorations scattered throughout the liturgical year.

The record by Pseudo-Hippolytus

was a disciple of Irenaeus, a disciple of Polycarp, a disciple of Apostle John. Hippolytus's works were considered lost prior to their discovery at a monastery on Mount Athos in 1854. While his major work The Refutation of All Heresies was readily accepted, his two small works, On the Twelve Apostles of Christ and On the Seventy Apostles of Christ, are still regarded as dubious, put in the appendix of his works in the voluminous collection of the writings of early church fathers. Here is the complete text of Pseudo-Hippolytus's On the Seventy Apostles of Christ:

  1. James the Lord's brother, bishop of Jerusalem.
  2. Cleopas, bishop of Jerusalem.
  3. Matthias, who supplied the vacant place in the number of the twelve apostles.
  4. Thaddeus, who conveyed the epistle to Augarus.
  5. Ananias, who baptized Paul, and was bishop of Damascus.
  6. Stephen, the first martyr.
  7. Philip, who baptized the Ethiopian eunuch.
  8. Prochorus, bishop of Nicomedia, who also was the first that departed, 11 believing together with his daughters.
  9. Nicanor died when Stephen was martyred.
  10. Timon, bishop of Bostra.
  11. Parmenas, bishop of Soli.
  12. Nicolaus, bishop of Samaria.
  13. Barnabas, bishop of Milan.
  14. Mark the Evangelist, bishop of Alexandria.
  15. Luke the Evangelist.
These two belonged to the seventy disciples who were scattered by the offence of the word which Christ spoke, “Except a man eat my flesh, and drink my blood, he is not worthy of me.” But the one being induced to return to the Lord by Peter’s instrumentality, and the other by Paul’s, they were honored to preach that Gospel on account of which they also suffered martyrdom, the one being burned, and the other being crucified on an olive tree.

  1. Silas, bishop of Corinth.
  2. Silvanus, bishop of Thessalonica.
  3. Crisces, bishop of Carchedon in Gaul.
  4. Epænetus, bishop of Carthage.
  5. Andronicus, bishop of Pannonia.
  6. Amplias, bishop of Odyssus.
  7. Urban, bishop of Macedonia.
  8. Stachys, bishop of Byzantium.
  9. Barnabas, bishop of Heraclea
  10. Phygellus, bishop of Ephesus. He was of the party also of Simon.
  11. Hermogenes. He, too, was of the same mind with the former.
  12. Demas, who also became a priest of idols.
  13. Apelles, bishop of Smyrna.
  14. Aristobulus, bishop of Britain.
  15. Narcissus, bishop of Athens.
  16. Herodion, bishop of Tarsus.
  17. Agabus the prophet.
  18. Rufus, bishop of Thebes.
  19. Asyncritus, bishop of Hyrcania.
  20. Phlegon, bishop of Marathon.
  21. Hermes, bishop of Dalmatia.
  22. Patrobulus, bishop of Puteoli.
  23. Hermas, bishop of Philippopolis.
  24. Linus, bishop of Rome.
  25. Caius, bishop of Ephesus.
  26. Philologus, bishop of Sinope
  27. and 43. Olympus and Rhodion were martyred in Rome.

  1. Lucius, bishop of Laodicea in Syria.
  2. Jason, bishop of Tarsus.
  3. Sosipater, bishop of Iconium
  4. Tertius, bishop of Iconium.
  5. Erastus, bishop of Panellas.
  6. Quartus, bishop of Berytus.
  7. Apollos, bishop of Cæsarea.
  8. Cephas.
  9. Sosthenes, bishop of Colophonia.
  10. Tychicus, bishop of Colophonia.
  11. Epaphroditus, bishop of Andriace.
  12. Cæsar, bishop of Dyrrachium.
  13. Mark, cousin to Barnabas, bishop of Apollonia.
  14. Justus, bishop of Eleutheropolis.
  15. Artemas, bishop of Lystra.
  16. Clement, bishop of Sardinia.
  17. Onesiphorus, bishop of Corone.
  18. Tychicus, bishop of Chalcedon.
  19. Carpus, bishop of Berytus in Thrace.
  20. Evodus, bishop of Antioch.
  21. Aristarchus, bishop of Apamea.
  22. Mark, who is also John, bishop of Bibloupolis.
  23. Zenas, bishop of Diospolis.
  24. Philemon, bishop of Gaza.
  25. Aristarchus.
  26. Pudes.
  27. Trophimus, who was martyred along with Paul.

The first list and other lists

Many of the names included among the seventy are recognizable for their other achievements. The names included in various lists differ slightly. In the lists, Luke is also one of these seventy himself. The following list gives a widely accepted. Their names are listed below:
  1. James "the Lord's brother", author of the Epistle of James, and first Bishop of Jerusalem. ;,, ; Epistle of James.
  2. Agabus the Prophet Reference to in ;.
  3. Amplias. Reference to in
  4. Mark the Evangelist, author of the Gospel of Mark and Bishop of Alexandria
  5. Luke the Evangelist, author of the Gospel of Luke
  6. Cleopas
  7. Simeon, son of Cleopas, 2nd Bishop of Jerusalem
  8. Barnabas, companion of Paul
  9. Justus, Bishop of Eleutheropolis
  10. Thaddeus of Edessa, also known as Saint Addai
  11. Ananias, Bishop of Damascus
  12. Stephen, one of the Seven Deacons, the first martyr
  13. Philip the Evangelist, one of the Seven Deacons, Bishop of Tralles in Asia Minor
  14. Prochorus, one of the Seven Deacons, Bishop of Nicomedia in Bithynia
  15. Nicanor the Deacon, one of the Seven Deacons
  16. Timon, one of the Seven Deacons
  17. Parmenas the Deacon, one of the Seven Deacons
  18. Timothy, Bishop of Ephesus
  19. Titus, Bishop of Crete
  20. Philemon, Bishop of Gaza
  21. Onesimus
  22. Epaphras, Bishop of Andriaca
  23. Archippus
  24. Silas, Bishop of Corinth
  25. Silvanus
  26. Crescens
  27. Crispus, Bishop of Chalcedon in Galilee
  28. Epenetus, Bishop of Carthage
  29. Andronicus, Bishop of Pannonia
  30. Stachys, Bishop of Byzantium
  31. Amplias, Bishop of Odissa
  32. Urban, Bishop of Macedonia
  33. Narcissus, Bishop of Athens
  34. Apelles, Bishop of Heraklion
  35. Aristobulus, Bishop of Britain
  36. Herodion, Bishop of Patras
  37. Rufus, Bishop of Thebes
  38. Asyncritus, Bishop of Hyrcania
  39. Phlegon, Bishop of Marathon
  40. Hermes, Bishop of Philippopolis
  41. Parrobus, Bishop of Pottole
  42. Hermas, Bishop of Dalmatia
  43. Pope Linus, Bishop of Rome
  44. Gaius, Bishop of Ephesus
  45. Philologus, Bishop of Sinope
  46. Lucius of Cyrene, Bishop of Laodicea in Syria
  47. Jason, Bishop of Tarsus
  48. Sosipater, Bishop of Iconium
  49. Olympas
  50. Tertius, transcriber of the Epistle to the Romans and Bishop of Iconium
  51. Erastus, Bishop of Paneas
  52. Quartus, Bishop of Berytus
  53. Euodias, Bishop of Antioch
  54. Onesiphorus, Bishop of Cyrene
  55. Clement, Bishop of Sardis
  56. Sosthenes, Bishop of Colophon
  57. Apollos, Bishop of Caesarea
  58. Tychicus, Bishop of Colophon
  59. Epaphroditus
  60. Carpus, Bishop of Beroea in Thrace
  61. Quadratus
  62. John Mark, bishop of Byblos
  63. Zenas the Lawyer, Bishop of Diospolis
  64. Aristarchus, Bishop of Apamea in Syria
  65. Pudens
  66. Trophimus
  67. Mark, Bishop of Apollonia
  68. Artemas, Bishop of Lystra
  69. Aquila
  70. Fortunatus
  71. Achaicus
  72. Tabitha, a woman disciple, whom Peter raised from the dead
Matthias, who would later replace Judas Iscariot as one of the twelve apostles, is also often numbered among the seventy, since John Mark is typically viewed as Mark the Evangelist.
Also, some lists name a few different disciples than the ones listed above. Other names commonly included are:
These are usually included at the expense of the aforementioned Timothy, Titus, Archippus, Crescens, Olympas, Epaphroditus, Quadratus, Aquila, Fortunatus, and/or Achaicus.
Bishop Solomon of Basra of the Church of the East in the 13th century offers the following list:
  1. James, the son of Joseph;
  2. Simon the son of Cleopas;
  3. Cleopas, his father;
  4. Joses;
  5. Simon;
  6. Judah;
  7. Barnabas;
  8. Manaeus ;
  9. Ananias, who baptised Paul;
  10. Cephas, who preached at Antioch;
  11. Joseph the senator;
  12. Nicodemus the archon;
  13. Nathaniel the chief scribe;
  14. Justus, that is Joseph, who is called Barshabbâ;
  15. Silas;
  16. Judah;
  17. John, surnamed Mark ;
  18. Mnason, who received Paul;
  19. Manaël, the foster-brother of Herod;
  20. Simon called Niger;
  21. Jason, who is in the Acts ;
  22. Rufus;
  23. Alexander;
  24. Simon the Cyrenian, their father;
  25. Lucius the Cyrenian;
  26. Another Judah, who is mentioned in the Acts ;
  27. Judah, who is called Simon;
  28. Eurion the splay-footed;
  29. Thôrus ;
  30. Thorîsus ;
  31. Zabdon;
  32. Zakron.
A more concise and acknowledged list is below:
  1. Archaicus. Reference to in
  2. Agabus. Reference to in ;
  3. Amplias, appointed by St. Andrew as bishop of Lydda of Odyssopolis in Judea. He died a martyr. Reference to in.
  4. Ananias, who baptized St. Paul. He was the bishop of Damascus. He became a martyr by being stoned in Eleutheropolis. Reference to in ;
  5. Andronicus, bishop of Pannonia. Reference to in
  6. Apelles, bishop of Heraclea. Reference to in
  7. Apollos. He was a bishop of several places over time: Crete, Corinth, Smyrna, and Caesarea. Reference to in ; ; ; ; ;,
  8. Aquila. He was martyred. Reference to in,, ; ; ;
  9. Archippus. Reference to in ;
  10. Aristarchus, bishop of Apamea in Syria. He was martyred under Nero. “Aristarchus, whom Paul mentions several times, calling him a ‘fellow laborer,’ became bishop of Apamea in Syria.” Orthodox Study Bible Reference to in ; ; ; ;
  11. Aristobulus, bishop of Britain. “… the brother of the apostle Barnabas, preached the gospel in Great Britain and died peacefully there.” Orthodox Study Bible Reference to in
  12. Artemas, bishop of Lystra in Lycia. Reference to in Titus 3:12
  13. Aristarchus, bishop of Hyracania in Asia. Reference to in
  14. Barnabas. “A Jew of the Tribe of Levi, was born in Cyprus of wealthy parents. He is said to have studied under Gamaliel with Saul of Tarsus, who was to become Paul the apostle. Originally named Joseph, he was called Barnabas by the apostles because he had a rare gift of comforting people’s hearts. He sought out Paul when everyone else was afraid of him, bringing him to the apostles. It was Barnabas whom the apostles first sent to Antioch with Paul. Their long association was broken only when Barnabas was determined to take his cousin Mark, whom Paul did not trust just then, on a missionary journey. The three were later reconciled. Many ancient accounts say Barnabas was the first to preach in Rome and in Milan, but he was martyred in Cyprus, then buried by Mark at the western gate of the city of Salamis.” Orthodox Study Bible Reference to in ; ; ; ; ;
  15. Caesar, bishop of Dyrrhachium
  16. Carpus, bishop of Berroia, first bishop of Antioch after St.Peter. He wrote several compositions. At the age of sixty-six, under the Emperor Nero, he was martyred. Reference to in Philippians 4:2
  17. Fortunatus. Reference to in
  18. Gaius, bishop of Ephesus. Reference to in ; ; ; ;
  19. Hermas, bishop in Philipopoulis. He wrote The Shepherd of Hermas. He died a martyr. Reference to in
  20. Hermes, bishop of Dalmatia. Reference to in
  21. Herodion, a relative of the Apostle Paul, bishop of Neoparthia. He was beheaded in Rome. Reference to in
  22. James, brother of the Lord. James was the Patriarch of Jerusalem. Reference to in ; ; ; ; Epistle of James
  23. Jason, bishop of Tarsus. Traveling with Sosipater to Corfu, the two were able, after an attempt made at their lives by the king of Corfu, to convert his majesty. Reference to in
  24. Justus, brother to the Lord and bishop of Eleutheropolis. He was the half-brother of Christ through Joseph's previous marriage to Salome. He died a martyr. Reference to in ; ;
  25. Linus, bishop of Rome. Reference to in 2 Timothy 4:21
  26. Lucius, bishop of Laodicea. Reference to in ;
  27. Luke the Evangelist. He is the author of the Gospel of Luke, and the founder of Iconography. Reference to in ; ;
  28. Mark the Evangelist. He wrote the Gospel of Mark. He also founded the Church of Alexandria, serving as its first bishop. Reference to in, ; ; ; ; ;
  29. Mark
  30. Narcissus, ordained by the Apostle Philip as bishop of Athens, Greece. Reference to in
  31. Nicanor, one of the original seven deacons. He was martyred on the same day as the Promartyr Stephen. Reference to in
  32. Olympas, beheaded with St. Peter under Nero. Reference to in
  33. Onesimus. Onesimus preached the Gospel in many cities. He was made bishop of Ephesus, and later bishop of Byzantium. He was martyred under the Emperor Trajan. Reference to in ;
  34. Onesiphorus, bishop of Colophon, and later of Corinth. He died a martyr in Parium. Reference to in 2 Timothy 1:16; 4:19
  35. Parmenas, one of the original seven deacons. He preached throughout Asia Minor, and later settled in Macedonia. He was a bishop of Soli. He died a martyr in Macedonia. Reference to in
  36. Patrobus, bishop of Neapolis. Reference to in
  37. Philemon. He, with his wife Apphia, and the apostle Archippus, were martyred by pagans during a pagan feast. Reference to in Philemon 1
  38. Philip the Deacon. He was born in Palestine, and later preached throughout its adjoining lands. In Acts, he converts a eunuch of Candace, queen of Ethiopia, to Christ. He was later made bishop by the apostles at Jerusalem, who also sent him to Asia Minor. Reference to in ; ;
  39. Philologus, ordained bishop of Sinope by the Apostle Andrew. Reference to in
  40. Phlegon, bishop of Marathon, in Thrace. Reference to in
  41. Prochorus, one of the original seven deacons. He was made bishop of Nicomedia by St. Peter. He was later banished with the Apostle John to the Island of Patmos. In Antioch, he died a martyr. Reference to in
  42. Pudens. He was an esteemed member of the Roman Senate, then received Sts. Peter and Paul into his home, and was converted to Christ by them. He was martyred under Nero. Reference to in
  43. Quadratus, bishop of Athens. He was author of the Apologia''. He was stoned, but survived. Soon-after, he died of starvation in prison.
  44. Quartus, bishop of Beirut. Reference to in
  45. Rufus, bishop of Thebes, Greece. Reference to in ;
  46. Silas, bishop of Corinth. Reference to in ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
  47. Simeon, son of Cleopas. “Simeon, son of Cleopas, succeeded James as bishop of Jerusalem.” Orthodox Study Bible. He was martyred through torture and crucifixion, at the age of one-hundred. Reference to in ;
  48. Sosipater, ordained bishop of Iconium by the Apostle Paul, his relative. With St. Jason, he converted the king of Corfu. Reference to in
  49. Sosthenes. “… became bishop of Caesarea.” Orthodox Study Bible Reference to in
  50. Stachys, ordained by St. Andrew to be bishop of Byzantium. Reference to in
  51. Stephen the Promartyr and Archdeacon. Reference to in ; ; ;
  52. Tertius, bishop of Iconium. He wrote down St. Paul's letter to the Romans. He died a martyr. Reference to in
  53. Thaddaeus. He was baptized by John the Baptist. He later preached, and founded a Church in Beirut. Reference to in ;
  54. Timon, one of the original seven deacons, and later bishop of Bostra. He was thrown into a furnace, but emerged unharmed. Reference to in
  55. Timothy. He accompanied St. Paul often, and both 1 and 2 Timothy are addressed to him. He was ordained bishop of Ephesus by St. Paul. He died a martyr. Reference to in ;, ; ; ; ; ; 1 and 2 Timothy
  56. Titus. “Among the more prominent of the seventy was the apostle Titus, whom Paul called his brother and his son. Born in Crete, Titus was educated in Greek philosophy, but after reading the prophet Isaiah he began to doubt the value of all he had been taught. Hearing the news of the coming of Jesus Christ, he joined some others from Crete who were going to Jerusalem to see for themselves. After hearing Jesus speak and seeing His works, the young Titus joined those who followed Him. Baptized by the apostle Paul, he worked with and served the great apostle of the gentiles, traveling with him until Paul sent him to Crete, making him bishop of that city. It is said that Titus was in Rome at the time of the beheading of St. Paul and that he buried the body of his spiritual father before returning home. Back in Crete, he converted and baptized many people, governing the Church on that island until he entered into rest at the age of ninety-four.” Orthodox Study Bible Reference to in ; ; ; ; ; Epistle to Titus
  57. Trophimus, disciple of St. Paul, and martyred under Nero. Reference to in ; ;
  58. Tychicus. “… succeeded him in that city.” Orthodox Study Bible. He delivered St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians and Colossians. Reference to in ; ; ; ;
  59. Urbanus, ordained by the Apostle Andrew as bishop of Macedonia. He died a martyr. Reference to in
  60. Zenas, bishop of Diospolis, in Palestine. Reference to in Titus 3:13
Additional names:
  1. Alphaeus, father of the apostles James and Matthew.
  2. Apphia, wife of the Apostle Philemon. The Church had gathered in her home for liturgy, while pagans who had been celebrating a pagan feast broke in and raided her home. They took Apphia, Philemon, and Archippus to be killed. She suffered martyrdom, and is commemorated by the Church on February 19.
  3. Junia, accompanied Andronicus in preaching all over Pannonia. She was a relative to the Apostle Paul, and a martyr.
  4. Silvan, bishop of Thessaloniki, Greece. Reference to in ;
  5. Zacchaeus, appointed by St. Peter to be bishop of Caesarea, referred to in
In some accounts of the life of the legendary Saint Mantius of Évora, he is regarded as one of the disciples, having witnessed the Last Supper and Pentecost.

Manuscripts of the New Testament with lists