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Peter.

Simon Peter (renamed Cephas / Peter by Jesus, meaning "rock") is the first-named of the Twelve apostles. A Galilean fisherman called from his nets, he is impulsive, devoted, and famously inconsistent — confessing Christ on one page, denying him a few chapters later. After the Resurrection, he is restored by the risen Lord (John 21). On the day of Pentecost he preaches the inaugural sermon of the church (Acts 2), opens the door to Gentile inclusion through Cornelius (Acts 10), and writes two of the New Testament epistles. Tradition places his martyrdom in Rome under Nero.

Timeline

• Called from his fishing nets (Mark 1)
• Walked on water briefly (Matthew 14)
• Confessed Jesus as the Christ (Matthew 16)
• Denied Jesus three times (Mark 14)
• Restored by the risen Christ (John 21)
• Pentecost sermon (Acts 2)
• Vision at Joppa, ministered to Cornelius (Acts 10)
• Tradition places his martyrdom in Rome under Nero (~65 AD)

Key verses

• Matthew 16:16 →
• John 21:17 →
• Acts 2:38 →

Why Peter matters

Peter is the prototype apostle. Jesus's charge to him — "feed my sheep" (John 21) — is the basic shape of Christian pastoral ministry. The Pentecost sermon defines the gospel as the church will preach it. The Cornelius episode is the hinge that opens the church to the nations. Roman Catholic tradition reads Matthew 16:18 ("you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church") as the founding of the papacy; Protestant readings disagree but acknowledge his foundational role.

Related tools

• All 29 figuresThe full index
• Bible verse lookupAny reference, ESV
• Trivia categoryApostle