John the Apostle

John son of Zebedee, a Galilean fisherman and brother of James, was one of the Twelve and a member of Jesus's innermost circle alongside Peter and James. He is traditionally identified as the "beloved disciple" of the Fourth Gospel who reclined at Jesus's side at the Last Supper (John 13:23), stood at the cross (John 19:26), and outran Peter to the empty tomb (John 20:4). Jesus gave him and James the epithet Boanerges — "sons of thunder" (Mark 3:17) — indicating a vehemence that also showed in their request to call down fire on a Samaritan village (Luke 9:54).

After Pentecost, John was a pillar of the Jerusalem church alongside Peter and James the Lord's brother (Gal. 2:9). He is traditionally credited with the Fourth Gospel, three epistles, and Revelation, written during a long ministry at Ephesus that ended with his exile to Patmos under Domitian. He is the only one of the Twelve not to have died a martyr's death, living to extreme old age.