Who were the sons of Zebedee?

According to the Gospels, James and John were the sons of Zebedee. Matthew 4:21 records that after calling Peter and Andrew, Jesus saw two other brothers - James and John - in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Jesus called them, and they immediately left the boat and their father to follow Him.

James and John, along with Peter, formed an inner circle among the twelve disciples. They were present at key events such as the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1) and Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:33). Jesus gave them the nickname Boanerges, meaning "Sons of Thunder" (Mark 3:17), likely reflecting their bold temperaments.

The other pairs listed are not identified as sons of Zebedee. Peter and Andrew were brothers but were sons of Jonah (John 1:42). Matthew (also called Levi) and Thomas were both disciples but were unrelated. Judas and Simon appear among the twelve but are not described as Zebedee's sons anywhere in Scripture.