Choosing the Twelve
He appointed twelve of them, whom He designated as apostles, to accompany Him, to be sent out to preach, Mark 3:14 · Berean Standard Bible
He appointed twelve of them—calling them apostles—to be His closest companions and to be sent out to preach.
Notice the order: first, be with Him; then, go out and preach. Jesus didn't send them to work for Him—He invited them to be with Him first. The mission flows from the relationship.
Mark describes Jesus formally establishing the twelve apostles and defining their purpose.
Before they preached a single sermon, they were called to be with Jesus. That's still the model: knowing Him comes first, and everything else flows from that.
Jesus appointed (epoiēsen, literally 'made/created') twelve, designating them apostles (apostolous, 'sent ones'), with a dual purpose: to be with Him (hina ōsin met' autou) and to be sent out (apostellē) to preach.
The number twelve symbolically corresponds to the twelve tribes of Israel, signaling the reconstitution of God's people. The dual purpose—companionship and mission—defined the apostolic calling as rooted in relationship before activity.
Mark describes Jesus' formal establishment of the Twelve, defining their role and purpose.
The order matters: first 'to be with Him,' then 'to be sent out.' Jesus prioritized relationship over activity, presence over performance. The apostles' effectiveness in mission would flow from their intimacy with Jesus.
12But He warned them sternly not to make Him known.
13Then Jesus went up on the mountain and called for those He wanted, and they came to Him.
14He appointed twelve of them, whom He designated as apostles, to accompany Him, to be sent out to preach,
15and to have authority to drive out demons.
16These are the twelve He appointed: Simon (whom He named Peter),
Read all of Mark 3 — A man with a withered hand, a crowd pressing in from every side, and twelve unlikely men called to change the world.
This page covers one. BibleKey does all 31,102 — tap any verse for its meaning, any word for its Hebrew or Greek root, and keep reading without leaving the chapter.
Not just the famous ones. BibleKey is free on iPhone and iPad.
Download on the App StoreFree on iPhone & iPad