Peter (Biblical)

Peter, also called Simon, is one of Jesus' twelve disciples. He grows up as a fisherman's son in Capernaum alongside his friends James and John. Even as a boy he is restless, questioning why God lets the Romans oppress his people. When Jesus stands on the shore of Galilee and says "Follow me," the three friends leave everything and obey. Peter's devotion is fierce but imperfect. In the garden of Gethsemane he cuts off a guard's ear, which Jesus heals. That same night he denies his Master three times, just as Jesus foretold, and hides trembling in an alley. After the resurrection he becomes a bold leader of the early church. He preaches to the crowds at Pentecost, and when a man who has never walked stands up and leaps, he and John are arrested for it.