Jude the Apostle was a first-century missionary and one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. Born in Banias, he is frequently identified with Thaddeus or Lebbaeus to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot. While some traditions suggest he was the brother of Jesus, others identify him as the son of James or the author of the Epistle of Jude. He lived during the era of the early Christian movement and eventually died in Beirut.