It is uncertain what happened to Matthew. He ministered in Palestine, Ethiopia, Macedonia, and in the Euphrates Persian area. Some accounts say he died a natural death, whereas others say he was executed in Persia.
After many years of ministry Peter was crucified in Rome in 67 A.D.
Andrew was likely forced to leave Jerusalem and ministered in Galatia, and then the coast of the Black Sea. He passed into obscurity.
The Apostle James was beheaded by King Herod Agrippa in A.D. 44.
John fled Jerusalem to Ephesus, but he was arrested there and finally exiled and died alone on the Island of Patmos.
Philip, was also forced to leave Jerusalem. It is unclear what happened to him. Some tradition asserts he was murdered, others say he died in obscurity.
Judas, not Judas Iscariot, together with Simon the Zealot, were executed in Persia.
Bartholomew was executed while ministering in Armenia.
Thomas became a missionary to India. No one knows exactly what happened to him.
The record for others in addition to the disciples is equally compelling.
There is strong historical tradition that Barnabas went back to his homeland of Cyprus, and continued to preach the word. But on that Island a group who opposed him killed him.
After leaving his ministry in Corinth under turmoil, the great preacher Apollos couldn’t be compelled to return even by Paul (1 Cor 16). For some reason some of the Corinthians strongly objected to his preaching and divided the church over it.
For his preaching Paul was ridiculed, laughed at, beaten, stoned, left for dead. He was ultimately arrested not once but twice and finally beheaded in the capital city of Rome.
Jesus said: “Blessed are the persecuted on account of me, for your reward in heaven is great.”
