He appointed twelve of them, whom He designated as apostles, to accompany Him, to be sent out to preach,
Parallel translations
- WEB He appointed twelve, that they might be with him, and that he might send them out to preach,
- KJV And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,
- NKJV Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach,
- NASB And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach,
- NLT Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles. They were to accompany him, and he would send them out to preach,
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
Jesus appoints twelve to be with him and to be sent out to preach. It matters because it establishes the core of his new community and its mission.
Overview
The number twelve evokes the tribes of Israel, signaling that Jesus is forming a renewed people of God around himself. Their first calling is to be with him, and from that fellowship flows their being sent to proclaim. This twofold pattern, communion then commission, shapes all Christian discipleship and points to the apostolic foundation of the church.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Acts 1:8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
- John 15:16You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will remain—so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.
- Luke 9:1–6Then Jesus called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and power to cure diseases.
- Acts 1:24–25And they prayed, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen
- Luke 10:1–11After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of Him to every town and place He was about to visit.
- Gal 1:1Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead—
- Gal 1:15–20But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased
- Luke 24:47and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 3:14 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.