At a glance
| Name meaning | "a rock or stone" (Hitchcock's, for Peter / Greek Petros); the same sense as his Aramaic name Cephas (John 1:42). His original name Simon (=Simeon) means "hearing" (Easton's) |
| Era / period | 1st century AD; a Galilean fisherman active throughout Jesus's ministry and the first decades of the church (c. AD 27–67) |
| Role | Apostle; spokesman of the Twelve; leader of the Jerusalem church; first to preach at Pentecost and to open the gospel to the Gentiles |
| Key books | 1 Peter, 2 Peter (epistles bearing his name; 2 Peter's authorship debated); a major figure in all four Gospels and Acts 1–12 |
| One-line significance | The fisherman who confessed Jesus as the Christ (Matthew 16:16), denied him three times (Luke 22:54-62), was restored (John 21:15-17), and became the church's foremost early leader |
Who Peter was
Peter (id G4074G) is named in the people catalog under five forms: Peter (G4074G), Simon (G4613O), Simeon (G4826K), Cephas (G2786), and Bar-Jonah (G0920), 133 occurrences in all, among the most-referenced people in the NT. He was the son of John (or Jonah) and the brother of Andrew, who first brought him to Jesus (John 1:40-42). A fisherman from Bethsaida (John 1:44) who settled at Capernaum, he was married, Jesus heals his mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14; Mark 1:30; Luke 4:38), and Paul notes that Peter's wife accompanied him later (1 Corinthians 9:5).
His character is the most vividly drawn of the apostles: impulsive, bold, and uneven. Easton's calls him "the unreliable, changeful, self-confident man, ever swaying between rash courage and weak timidity" before Pentecost, and "the steadfast, trusted guide" after it. When he is examined by the Sanhedrin he and John appear as "unlearned" men (Acts 4:13).
It was Jesus who renamed him: "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (WEB), which the Gospel glosses as Peter (John 1:42), an Aramaic-to-Greek pair both meaning "rock." Notably, Jesus himself almost always addresses him as Simon (e.g. Luke 22:31; John 21:15-17).
Story arc (life, chronological + cited)
- Call, Andrew brings him to Jesus, who renames him Cephas/Peter (John 1:40-42); after a miraculous catch by the Sea of Galilee he leaves his nets, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord" (Luke 5:8-11).
- Inner circle, chosen among the Twelve (Matthew 10:2), he is one of the three (with James and John) admitted to the raising of Jairus's daughter (Mark 5:37), the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1), and Gethsemane (Matthew 26:37).
- Walking on water, steps out of the boat toward Jesus, then sinks in fear: "Lord, save me!" (Matthew 14:28-31).
- The Great Confession, at Caesarea Philippi, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God"; Jesus replies, "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly" and gives "the keys of the Kingdom" (Matthew 16:16-19). Moments later he rebukes Jesus over the passion and is rebuked back: "Get behind me, Satan!" (Matthew 16:22-23).
- The Denial, at the Last Supper Jesus foretells he will deny him; Peter protests loyalty (Luke 22:31-34). In Gethsemane he cuts off Malchus's ear (John 18:10); then, in the high priest's courtyard, he denies Jesus three times and weeps bitterly (Luke 22:54-62).
- Resurrection + restoration, he runs to the empty tomb (Luke 24:12; John 20:3-6); the risen Lord appears to him (Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5). By the Sea of Galilee Jesus asks him three times "Do you love me?" and recommissions him, "Feed my sheep", and foretells the death by which he would glorify God (John 21:15-19).
- Pentecost + the Jerusalem church, he proposes a replacement for Judas (Acts 1:15-26); on Pentecost he preaches and about three thousand are baptized (Acts 2:14-41). He heals at the temple gate (Acts 3:1-10) and defends the apostles before the council (Acts 4–Acts 5).
- The gospel to the Gentiles, after the vision at Joppa he goes to Cornelius the centurion and welcomes Gentiles into the church (Acts 10), defending the act at Jerusalem (Acts 11:1-18).
- Imprisonment + escape, Herod imprisons him; an angel frees him and he goes to the house of Mary (Acts 12:1-19).
- Jerusalem Council + Antioch, he speaks at the council on Gentile inclusion (Acts 15:7-11), but is later confronted by Paul at Antioch for withdrawing from Gentile table-fellowship (Galatians 2:11-14).
- Death, Jesus's words in John 21:18-19 point to martyrdom; Easton's places his death between AD 64 and 67. Later tradition (beyond Scripture) holds he was crucified at Rome.
Role & significance
Peter is the leading figure of the apostolic band and of the church's first decade. He is consistently named first in the lists of the Twelve (Matthew 10:2), acts as their spokesman, and in Acts 1–12 is the church's principal preacher and decision-maker, at Pentecost, at the temple, before the Sanhedrin, and in the watershed admission of Cornelius. His confession at Caesarea Philippi is the synoptic gospels' turning point. Two NT letters bear his name, written to encourage believers under persecution. After Acts 12 the narrative spotlight shifts to Paul, and Peter appears only at the Jerusalem Council and in Galatians.
Key relationships
| Person | Relationship | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jesus | Master who called, renamed, rebuked, and restored him | John 1:42; Matthew 16:18; John 21:15-17 |
| Andrew | Brother; brought him to Jesus | John 1:40-41 |
| John (son of Zebedee) | Closest co-apostle; together at the tomb and in early Acts | John 20:2-8; Acts 3:1 |
| James + John | Fellow members of the inner three | Matthew 17:1; Mark 5:37 |
| His wife + mother-in-law | Married; Jesus heals his mother-in-law | Matthew 8:14; 1 Corinthians 9:5 |
| John / Jonah | His father | John 21:15; Matthew 16:17 |
| Cornelius | The Gentile centurion he baptizes | Acts 10:1-48 |
| Paul | Fellow apostle; visited by Paul, later in open disagreement at Antioch | Galatians 1:18; Galatians 2:11-14 |
Key places
| Place | Significance | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Bethsaida | His home town | John 1:44 |
| Capernaum | Where he settled; his house hosted Jesus | Mark 1:29 |
| Sea of Galilee | His fishing trade; call and restoration | Luke 5:1-11; John 21:1-19 |
| Caesarea Philippi | Site of the Great Confession | Matthew 16:13-20 |
| Jerusalem | Pentecost; leadership of the early church | Acts 2:14; Acts 15:7 |
| Joppa + Caesarea | The Cornelius episode opening the church to Gentiles | Acts 10 |
Key passages
| Passage | What happens |
|---|---|
| John 1:40-42 | Andrew brings Simon to Jesus, who renames him Cephas/Peter |
| Matthew 16:13-20 | The Great Confession; "on this rock" and "the keys of the Kingdom" |
| Luke 22:54-62 | Peter denies Jesus three times and weeps bitterly |
| John 21:15-19 | The threefold "Do you love me?"; "Feed my sheep"; his death foretold |
| Acts 2:14-41 | The Pentecost sermon; about three thousand baptized |
| Acts 10:1-48 | The household of Cornelius; the gospel opened to the Gentiles |
| Galatians 2:11-14 | Paul confronts Peter at Antioch over Gentile table-fellowship |
Contested / interpretive points
"On this rock I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18). The Greek wordplay, Petros ("rock-piece") and petra ("bedrock"), is the center of a long denominational divide. This reference's encounter file lays out three traditional readings, presented neutrally:
| View | Position | Held by (tradition / school) |
|---|---|---|
| The rock = Peter himself | Peter (and, for Rome, his successors) is the foundation; the grammatical gender difference is convention | Roman Catholic + Eastern Orthodox + many Anglican |
| The rock = Peter's confession | The church is built on the confession "You are the Christ," not on Peter as a person | Most Reformed + many evangelical |
| The rock = Christ himself | The rock is Christ, on whom the confession rests (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:4; Ephesians 2:20) | Some Reformed, especially Calvin |
Authorship of 1 and 2 Peter. Both letters claim Peter; scholarship divides chiefly over 2 Peter.
| View | Position | Held by (tradition / school) |
|---|---|---|
| Petrine authorship of both | Peter wrote both letters (1 Peter possibly via Silvanus, 1 Peter 5:12) | Traditional view; most confessional / conservative scholarship |
| 1 Peter genuine, 2 Peter doubted | 1 Peter is widely accepted; 2 Peter is the most-disputed letter in the NT and is often dated later | Mainstream critical scholarship; 2 Peter was also questioned by some in the early church |
Was Peter ever at Rome? The NT does not place him there (1 Peter's "Babylon," 1 Peter 5:13, is read by some as literal, by many as a cipher for Rome). Easton's notes "no satisfactory evidence that he was ever at Rome," while a strong later tradition holds he died there. This reference states the texts and the tradition without resolving the question.
This reference presents the plainly narrated facts (call, confession, denial, restoration, Pentecost, Cornelius) and lays the interpretive questions side by side, endorsing none.