Limitless Word
And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;
Luke 6:13 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB When it was day, he called his disciples, and from them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles:
  • BSB When daylight came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated as apostles:
  • NKJV And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles:
  • NASB And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles:
  • NLT At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. Here are their names:

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

At daybreak Jesus chooses twelve apostles from among his disciples. He establishes the foundational leaders of his church.

Overview

From the wider body of disciples, Jesus selects twelve and names them apostles, meaning 'sent ones.' The number twelve evokes the tribes of Israel, signaling the formation of a renewed people of God. These men will be witnesses of his resurrection and the foundation of the church's mission.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 16

  • Mark 3:13–19And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him.
  • Rev 21:14And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
  • Matt 9:36But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
  • Mark 6:7And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;
  • Mark 6:30And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.
  • Luke 9:1–2Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
  • Eph 2:20And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
  • Eph 4:11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
  • Rev 18:20Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
  • 2 Pet 3:2That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
  • Luke 11:49Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:
  • Rev 12:1And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
  • Acts 1:13And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.
  • Matt 19:28And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
  • Luke 22:30That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
  • Heb 3:1Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (4)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Luke videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Luke 6:13YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on LukeMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.

How Luke 6:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.