Peter was born in Bethsaida and was the son of a man named Johannes (John 1:42-44). Peter was in fact Simon and it changed later on when becoming a disciple (2 Peter 1:1). He also had two brothers, Andrew and Philip. Peter lived in Capharnaum in a house with his mother-in-law (Luke 4:38) before knowing Christ and at the beginning of the Gospel. Peter was married and was a fisherman in Lake Genesareth as the owner of his own boat (Luke 5:3). Simon is introduced to Jesus through his brother Andrew who was a follower of John the Baptist (John 1:40-41). When Jesus sees Andrew and Peter fishing in the Sea of Galilee, He asks for them to follow Him and they drop everything to do so (Matthew 4:18, Mark 1:16-18). Jesus travels to Peter's house and heals Peter's ill mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14-15). When Peter throws a net into the ocean under Jesus's request. He doubts that he will catch any fish because they have spent day and night and there was no success. But when Jesus tells Peter to do so, the net comes back with a large number of fish (Luke 5:4-7). Jesus tells Simon to add to the name of Simon, Peter (from the Greek word petros meaning rock or stone (Mark 3:16, Luke 6:14). .
Peter is the disciple of many firsts. He sees firsthand the miracle of Jesus raising a young girl back from the dead (Matthew 9:23-26 Luke 8:51-55). Peter and the other disciples then witness Jesus walking on water. Peter asks Christ to allow him to walk on water as well, but he ultimately fails because of doubt (Matthew 14:28-29). Peter is the first to make a statement regarding the deity of Jesus. He pronounces that Jesus is the Messiah (Matthew 16:16). Afterwards, Jesus tells Peter that he will build the church on him (Matthew 16:18). Afterwards, Jesus proclaims that He will be killed and then rise on the third day, Peter becomes very upset by this proclamation (Mark 8:31-33). Another important moment Peter witnesses as a disciple of Christ is the transfiguration of Jesus and the appearance of Moses and Elijah on a mountain along with James and John (Matthew 17:1-3, Mark 9:2-3).
