The list of names isn't just a headcount; it's a deliberate reintroduction of the core group after their scattering during Jesus' arrest. Luke meticulously recounts them here, not just to establish their presence, but to emphasize their restored unity and readiness to lead, showing they’ve returned to their post after their moment of weakness.
And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The disciples have just witnessed Jesus ascend into heaven, and now they've returned to Jerusalem, gathering in a specific "upper room." This wasn't just a random room, but likely a place where they were lodging together, possibly even the same one where they shared the Last Supper with Jesus. Here, the eleven apostles, along with others, are united in prayer, waiting for the promised Holy Spirit.
After Jesus ascended, the disciples didn't scatter in fear. Instead, they gathered in a specific kind of room. What made this 'upper room' so significant?
The 'upper room' ( huperōon in Greek) was more than just a spare bedroom. These rooms were often located on the top floor of a house, offering a sense of privacy and seclusion.
Luke lists the names of the apostles present. Why this detailed enumeration right after Jesus' ascension, and what does it reveal about these men?
The listing of the apostles' names in Acts 1:13 is not just a roster; it's a purposeful declaration.
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Understand the original words
hyperōon · Greek Noun
A room on an upper floor of a house, frequently used in the New Testament for intimate prayer and communal gathering. It symbolizes a place set apart from the public eye for spiritual preparation and seeking God.
homothumadon · Greek Adverb
Literally 'with one mind' or 'with one passion.' In the New Testament, it describes the unity of the early church in purpose, conviction, and spirit, especially during corporate prayer and seeking the Holy Spirit.
proseuchē · Greek Noun
The act of talking to God, central to the Christian life as a means of communion, petition, and aligning one's will with God's. It is the primary way the believer expresses dependence on Him.
c. 30 AD
Ascension of Jesus
Jesus ascends into heaven after His resurrection, instructing His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit.
c. 30 AD
Return to Jerusalem
The disciples return to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, a journey of about two-thirds of a mile, and gather together.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Gathering in the Upper Room
The eleven apostles, along with other followers including Mary the mother of Jesus, gather in a rented upper room, a common meeting place for prayer and fellowship.
c. 30 AD
Waiting for the Holy Spirit
The group stays together in prayer and supplication, awaiting the promised coming of the Holy Spirit, which would empower them for their mission.
c. 30 AD
Pentecost
Ten days after the ascension, the Holy Spirit descends upon the gathered believers in the upper room, empowering them to speak in other tongues and marking the birth of the Church.
This passage describes the 'large upper room' where Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with His disciples, suggesting a continuity of sacred space and fellowship for Jesus' followers after His ascension.
John 13:23This verse mentions 'the disciple whom Jesus loved' leaning on Jesus' breast at the Last Supper, which took place in an upper room, highlighting the intimacy and unique roles some disciples held even then.
Acts 4:23Following their arrest, Peter and John return to 'their own company' after being released, reinforcing the idea of a close-knit group that gathered together in a specific place for support and prayer.
Acts 4:31After praying together in a place where they were gathered, the text states that the place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, showing the potent results of unified prayer in a shared space.
Romans 15:5-6Paul calls for unity among believers, praying that they may glorify God with 'one accord,' mirroring the unified gathering of the disciples in the upper room in Acts 1.
vincentActs 1:13: "And 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."
An upper room (τὸ ὑπερῷον)With the article, denoting some well-known place of resort. It was the name given to the room directly under the flat roof. Such rooms were often set apart as halls for meetings. In such an apartment Paul delivered…
jfbActs 1:12-26: "Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey."
Ac 1:12-26. Return of the Eleven to Jerusalem—Proceedings in the Upper Room till Pentecost.12-14. a sabbath day's journey—about two thousand cubits.
The list of names isn't just a headcount; it's a deliberate reintroduction of the core group after their scattering during Jesus' arrest. Luke meticulously recounts them here, not just to establish their presence, but to emphasize their restored unity and readiness to lead, showing they’ve returned to their post after their moment of weakness.
The disciples have just witnessed Jesus ascend into heaven, and now they've returned to Jerusalem, gathering in a specific "upper room." This wasn't just a random room, but likely a place where they were lodging together, possibly even the same one where they shared the Last Supper with Jesus. Here, the eleven apostles, along with others, are united in prayer, waiting for the promised Holy Spirit.
The disciples have just witnessed Jesus ascend into heaven, and now they've returned to Jerusalem, gathering in a specific "upper room." This wasn't just a random room, but likely a place where they were lodging together, possibly even the same one where they shared the Last Supper with Jesus. Here, the eleven apostles, along with others, are united in prayer, waiting for the promised Holy Spirit.
"And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.…" — The list of names isn't just a headcount; it's a deliberate reintroduction of the core group after their scattering during Jesus' arrest. Luke meticulously recounts them here, not just to establish t…
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Last reviewed October 2026
