The Amazing Story of Peter: From Fisherman to Fishers of Men

Hi there! I'm going to tell you one of my favorite Bible stories about a man named Peter - The Amazing Story of Peter: From Fisherman to Fishers of Men. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to leave everything you know to follow someone special? Well, that's exactly what happened to a fisherman who became one of Jesus' closest friends!

Who Was Peter Before He Met Jesus?

Before Peter met Jesus, his name was actually Simon. He lived by a big lake called the Sea of Galilee with his brother Andrew. Every day, Simon would wake up early, grab his fishing nets, and sail out on his boat to catch fish. He was really good at his job - his hands were strong from pulling heavy nets, and he knew exactly where the fish liked to hide.

Simon was the kind of person who said what he thought, even when it got him in trouble. He was brave, but sometimes he acted before thinking things through. Little did he know that his whole life was about to change!

Want to read more amazing Bible stories? Check out David and Goliath or Daniel and the Lions' Den!

The Day Everything Changed: Jesus Calls the Fishermen

Picture this: Simon and Andrew had been fishing all night long, and their nets were completely empty. Not even one tiny fish! They were tired, frustrated, and ready to go home when a man walked up to them on the shore.

This man was Jesus, and He asked to borrow their boat so He could teach the people who were crowding around Him. Simon probably thought, "Why not? We're not catching any fish anyway!"

After Jesus finished teaching, He said something that must have sounded crazy to these experienced fishermen: "Go out to the deep water and let down your nets for a catch" (Luke 5:4).

Simon could have said, "No way! We've been fishing all night!" Instead, he said, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets" (Luke 5:5).

What happened next was absolutely incredible! Their nets became so full of fish that they started breaking! They had to call their friends James and John to help them, and even then, both boats were so heavy with fish they almost sank!

Simon fell on his knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" (Luke 5:8). But Jesus said, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will fish for people" (Luke 5:10).

And just like that, Simon, Andrew, James, and John left everything - their boats, their nets, their fishing business - and followed Jesus.

Learn about more of Jesus' amazing miracles in Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand!

Why Did Jesus Call Him "Peter"?

You might be wondering why I keep switching between calling him Simon and Peter. Well, Jesus gave Simon a new name!

Jesus called him "Cephas," which means "rock" or "stone" in Aramaic. In Greek, this became "Peter." Now, this is pretty funny when you think about it, because Peter wasn't always rock-steady. He was more like… well, sometimes he was solid as a rock, and sometimes he was as wobbly as jello!

But Jesus saw something special in him. He saw that even though Peter made mistakes, he had a heart that truly loved God and would become strong and dependable.

Discover more about names and their meanings in Christian Boy Names A to Z!

Peter's Most Famous Adventure: Walking on Water

Here's one of the coolest stories about Peter! One night, the disciples were in their boat crossing the Sea of Galilee when a big storm came up. The waves were huge, and they were struggling to row against the wind.

Suddenly, they saw someone walking toward them… on top of the water! At first, they thought it was a ghost and were terrified. But it was Jesus!

"Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid," Jesus called out (Matthew 14:27).

Now, here's where Peter's bold personality really shows. He said, "Lord, if it's you, tell me to come to you on the water" (Matthew 14:28).

Jesus said, "Come."

So Peter stepped out of the boat and started walking on water! Can you imagine? One step, two steps, three steps - he was actually doing it! He was walking on the lake just like Jesus!

But then Peter looked around at the big waves and got scared. The moment he stopped trusting and started worrying, he began to sink. "Lord, save me!" he cried (Matthew 14:30).

Jesus immediately reached out and caught him. "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" He asked (Matthew 14:31).

Even though Peter sank, he was the only disciple brave enough to get out of the boat and try! That's what made Peter special - he wasn't perfect, but he was willing to take big steps of faith.

Read about more amazing water stories in Jesus Calms the Storm!

Peter's Big Confession

One day, Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do people say I am?" They told Him that some people thought He was a prophet or a teacher.

Then Jesus asked, "But what about you? Who do you say I am?" (Matthew 16:15).

Peter spoke up right away: "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16).

Jesus was so pleased with Peter's answer! He said, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church" (Matthew 16:17-18).

This was a huge moment! Peter understood something really important about who Jesus was, and Jesus said He would build His church on this truth.

Peter's Biggest Mistake

Even though Peter loved Jesus very much, he made a really big mistake. When Jesus was arrested, Peter got scared and did something he never thought he would do.

Three different times that night, people asked Peter if he knew Jesus. And three times, Peter said, "No, I don't know him" (goo).

Remember, this was the same Peter who had walked on water and declared that Jesus was the Son of God! But when he got frightened, he denied even knowing his best friend.

Right after the third time Peter said this, a rooster crowed. Jesus had told Peter this would happen, and suddenly Peter remembered. He ran away and cried and cried because he felt so bad about what he had done.

Learn about forgiveness in these Bible Stories About Forgiveness!

Jesus Gives Peter a Second Chance

After Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, Peter felt terrible about denying Him. But Jesus didn't stay angry with Peter. Instead, He gave him a beautiful second chance.

Jesus appeared to the disciples while they were fishing (back to their old job!). After they ate breakfast together on the beach, Jesus asked Peter three questions - one for each time Peter had denied Him:

"Simon, do you love me?" Jesus asked.
"Yes, Lord, you know that I love you," Peter answered.
"Feed my lambs," Jesus said.

Jesus asked the same question two more times, and each time Peter said yes, and Jesus told him to take care of His sheep (which meant taking care of people who believed in Jesus).

This was Jesus' way of saying, "Peter, I forgive you, and I still have important work for you to do."

Read about Jesus appearing to His disciples in Jesus Appears to Peter!

Peter Becomes a Leader

After Jesus went back to heaven, Peter became one of the most important leaders of the early church. Remember that scared fisherman who denied knowing Jesus? He became bold and brave!

On the day of Pentecost, Peter stood up in front of thousands of people and preached about Jesus. Three thousand people decided to follow Jesus that day because of Peter's message!

Peter also performed amazing miracles. He healed a man who couldn't walk (Acts 3:1-10), and even his shadow healed people as he walked by (Acts 5:15)!

But Peter's most important job was helping people understand that Jesus came for everyone - not just certain groups of people. He learned that God's love was for people from every country and background.

Discover more about early church leaders in Paul and Silas in Prison!

How Did Peter's Story End?

Peter spent the rest of his life telling people about Jesus. He traveled to many places, started churches, and wrote two books of the Bible (1 Peter and 2 Peter).

According to early church history, Peter was eventually killed for his faith in Jesus. But unlike when he denied Jesus years earlier, this time Peter stayed brave and faithful to the end.

Some stories say that when they were going to crucify him, Peter asked to be hung upside down because he didn't feel worthy to die the same way Jesus had died.

Learn about more brave Bible characters in Stories of Courage in the Bible!

What Peter Teaches Us Today

Peter's story shows us some really important things:

It's Okay to Make Mistakes: Peter made big mistakes, but Jesus still loved him and used him to do amazing things.

God Can Use Anyone: Peter was just a regular fisherman, but God used him to change the world.

Faith Means Taking Steps: When Peter walked on water, he had to step out of the boat first. Sometimes following God means doing things that seem scary.

Second Chances Are Real: Even after Peter denied Jesus, he got another chance to serve Him.

Growth Takes Time: Peter didn't become a perfect leader overnight. He grew and learned throughout his life.

Find more inspiring lessons in Bible Stories with Moral Lessons for Children!

Fun Facts About Peter

• Peter was probably married because the Bible mentions Jesus healing his mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14)
• His brother Andrew was the one who first brought him to meet Jesus (John 1:40-42)
• Peter, James, and John were Jesus' closest friends and got to see special moments like the Transfiguration
• Peter was the first disciple to enter Jesus' empty tomb on Easter morning (John 20:6)

Peter in the Bible: Where to Find His Story

You can read about Peter throughout the New Testament, but here are some key places:

• His calling: Matthew 4:18-22, Luke 5:1-11
• Walking on water: Matthew 14:22-33
• His confession: Matthew 16:13-20
• His denial: Luke 22:54-62
• His restoration: John 21:15-19
• His leadership: Acts 2-5, Acts 10

Want to explore more Bible characters? Check out Who Was Isaiah in the Bible or The Story of Samuel!

Questions to Think About

1. If Jesus called you to follow Him like He called Peter, what would you have to leave behind?
2. Peter sometimes acted before thinking. Can you think of a time when that got you in trouble? What did you learn?
3. How do you think Peter felt when he realized he had denied Jesus? How do you think he felt when Jesus forgave him?
4. What's the bravest thing Peter did in his story?
5. If you could ask Peter one question, what would it be?

Explore more questions in our Bible Trivia Questions for Kids!

The Big Picture

Peter's story is really a story about how God can change anyone's life. He went from being an impulsive fisherman to becoming one of the apostle's that helped start the Christian church. His life shows us that God doesn't just use perfect people - He uses people who are willing to learn, grow, and follow Him, even when they mess up.

The next time you make a mistake or feel like you're not good enough for God to use you, remember Peter. Remember that the same Jesus who gave Peter a second chance is ready to give you one too.

Just like Peter learned to be a "fisher of men" instead of a fisher of fish, God has special plans for your life too. You might not know what those plans are yet, but if you're willing to follow Jesus like Peter did, you'll discover them along the way!

Continue exploring amazing Bible stories with Noah and the Flood or Moses and the Burning Bush!

Want to learn more Bible stories? Check out our Short Bible Stories for Children or try some Bible Study Activities for Preschoolers to make learning even more fun!