John the Apostle (יוחנן "The LORD is merciful", Standard Hebrew Yoḥanan, Tiberian Hebrew Yôḥānān) was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. Christian tradition proclaims he is the same John who wrote the Gospel of John (known as John the Theologian and John the Evangelist) and that he also wrote the Book of Revelation (formally called Apocalypse of St. John the Divine) (John the Divine). The term "divine" is an old term for "theologian."

According to the New Testament account, John the Apostle was the son of Zebedee, and the brother of James. One tradition gives his mother's name as Salome. They originally were fishermen and fished with their father in the Lake of Genesareth. He was first a disciple of John the Baptist, and later one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is revered as a saint by most of Christianity. The Roman Catholic Church commemorates him on December 27 with a simple octave afterward; he is remembered in the liturgy on

John is traditionally held to be the author of five books of the New Testament, including the Gospel of John. However, almost all higher critical scholars place the writing of the final edition of John at some time in the late first or early second century. See Authorship of the Johannine works.

Catholic/Orthodox tradition says that he and the Virgin Mary moved to Ephesus, where both eventually died. Many Evangelical and other scholars question this, especially due to the advanced age which Mary would have reached by this time. Some believe, however, that there is support for the idea that John did go to Ephesus and from there wrote the three epistles tradition attributed to him. John was allegedly banished by the Roman authorities to the Greek island of Patmos, where some believe that he wrote the Book of Revelation. According to Tertullian (in The Prescription of Heretics) John was banished (presumably to Patmos) after being plunged into boiling oil in Rome and suffering nothing from it. Some believe his tomb

When John was old he trained Polycarp, later Bishop of Smyrna. This was important because Polycarp was able to carry John's message to another age.

According to Mormonism, John did not die, but was allowed to "tarry" until the Second Coming. This belief is interpreted from John 21:21-23 which reads: Peter seeing him (John) saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?(Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 28:6-7 reads ".. ye have desired the thing which John, my beloved, who was with me in my ministry, before that I was lifted up by the Jews, desired of me. Therefore, more blessed are ye, for ye shall never taste of death; but ye shall live to behold all the doings of the Father unto the children of men, even until all things shall be fulfilled according to the will of the Father, when I shall come in my glory with the powers of heaven." (This refers to the Three Nephites.) Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery claimed to have been visited by the resurrected Peter and James, and the tarrying John, in July of 1829, at which time the priesthood authority was restored to mankind.

In art, John as the presumed author of the Gospel is often depicted with an eagle, which symbolizes the height he rose in the first chapter of his gospel.

For more information on the author of the Gospel, see John the Evangelist.

For more information on the author of the Book of Revelation, see John of Patmos.

See also Authorship of the Johannine works