A disciple of Jesus included in all four lists of the 12 apostles (Matthew 10:2–4; Mark 3:16–19; Luke 6:14–16; Acts 1:13). However, he is not mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament, and nothing specific is said about him in these lists. The name "Bartholomew" means "son of Tolmai," which suggests he might have also had another name.
In the lists in Matthew, Mark, and Luke (the synoptic Gospels), Bartholomew is listed right after Philip. This has led some to speculate that he might be the Nathanael mentioned in John’s Gospel (John 1:45–50). This Nathanael was brought to Jesus by Philip and appears to be linked with some of the disciples (John 21:2). The Gospel of John may have referred to the apostle Bartholomew by another name. However, we do not know if John meant that Nathanael was one of the twelve apostles when he wrote about him.
An early church historian named Eusebius recorded a tradition that Pantaenus, the first leader of the catechetical school (for teaching Christian beliefs) in Alexandria around AD 180, traveled to India and found Christians there who knew the Gospel of Matthew in Hebrew letters. Eusebius suggested that Bartholomew had preached to them and left them the Gospel of Matthew. Other traditions say that Bartholomew worked alongside Philip and Thomas in spreading Christianity and was martyred in Armenia.
Several writings have been falsely attributed to Bartholomew. Jerome, a writer from the fourth century, mentioned a Gospel of Bartholomew, and a few other sources also refer to it. There are also mentions of the Questions of Bartholomew, the Book of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ by Bartholomew, and other texts like the Acts of Bartholomew and the Apocalypse of Bartholomew. However, none of these writings are considered genuine.