| 1 BC | Approximate time of the birth of Simon, son of Jonah, in the Galilean town of Bethsaida. |
|---|---|
| 25-27 AD | Simon marries and has children. His family, along with his mother in-law, settles in Capernaum. |
| 30 AD | Simon meets Jesus through the help of his brother Andrew who was a follower of John the Baptist. – John 1:40-41
While Peter and Andrew are fishing at the Sea of Galilee, Jesus sees them and asks them to follow Him. – Matthew 4:18, Mark 1:16-18 Jesus visits Peter’s house and cure Peter’s sick mother-in-law. – Matthew 8:14-15, Mark 1:29-31, Luke 4:38-39 Peter casts his net in the deep ocean after being told by Jesus to do so. He tells Jesus that they have tried all night to do so and without success. When he did as he was told, they caught a great number of fish. – Luke 5:4-7 Jesus add to the name of Simon, Peter (from the Greek word petros meaning rock or stone). – Mark 3:16, Luke 6:14, John 1:42 |
| 31-32 AD | Peter becomes one of the witnesses to a miracle Jesus performed, raising a little girl back from the dead. – Matthew 9:23-26, Mark 5:37-43, Luke 8:51-55
The apostles and Simon Peter see Jesus walking on water, Peter asks Jesus to command him to walk to Him. Peter tries to walk on water, but he failed. – Matthew 14:28-29, John 6:19-20 Simon Peter makes a pronouncement about the deity of Jesus. – Matthew 16:16, John 6:68-69 Jesus tell Peter that he will build his church on him. – Matthew 16:18 After Jesus proclaims that He will be killed and then rise on the third day, Peter rebukes Him. – Matthew 16:21-23, Mark 8:31-33 Peter, along with James and John, witness the transfiguration of Jesus and the appearance of Moses and Elijah on a mountain. – Matthew 17:1-3, Mark 9:2-3, Luke 9:29-32 |
| 33 AD | Jesus makes a prediction that Peter will deny Him three times before a rooster crows. – Matthew 26:34, Mark 14:30, Luke 22:34, John 13:38
Peter tells Jesus that he will never deny Him. – Matthew 26:35, Mark 14:31 Peter and the others were sleeping while Jesus was praying in The Garden of Gethsemane. – Matthew 26:40-46, Mark 14:37-42, Luke 22:45-46 When Jesus is arrested by the betrayal of Judas Iscariot, Peter takes his sword out and cuts off the ear of a servant. – Matthew 26:51, Mark 14:47, Luke 22:50, John 18:10 The prediction of Jesus comes true when Peter denies Him three times. – Matthew 26:69-75, Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:55-60, John 18:16-27 Peter and the other apostles receive word from Mary Magdalene that the body of Jesus is no longer there in the tomb. – Mark 16:10, Luke 24:9, John 20:1-2 Peter rushes to Jesus’s tomb to confirm the news. – Luke 24:12, John 20:3 Jesus appears to Peter before appearing to the other apostles. – Luke 24:34, 1 Corinthians 15:5 Jesus appears in front of the eleven apostles. – Mark 16:14, Luke 24:36, John 20:19 Jesus gives Peter and the other apostles the gift of the Holy Spirit. – Luke 24:49, John 20:21-23 While Peter and six others were fishing at the Sea of Galilee, Jesus appears and ask them if they have any fish. – John 21:4 Peter makes a confession of love towards the risen Jesus three times after meeting him on the shores of Galilee. – John 21:15-17 Peter and a large group of people gather at a mountain in Galilee to see Jesus. – Matthew 28:16, 1 Corinthians 15:6 |
| 33-48 AD | By default, Peter becomes the leader of the remaining disciples who had been with Jesus and tells them they should choose someone to replace Judas Iscariot, who had committed suicide. – Acts 1:16-26
Now filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter gives a message to the people in Jerusalem. – Acts 2:14-36 John, along with Peter, encounter a man who had never walked since birth, and Peter heals him and the man is able to walk. – Acts 3:6-8 One of the ruling parties of that time, the Sadducees, take John and Peter into custody. – Acts 4:3 Peter, John with him, are told by the Sadducees to stop telling people about Jesus. – Acts 4:18 Peter confronts a husband and wife regarding property they lied about. Both end up dead. – Acts 5:3-9 Peter and John are sent to Samaria to teach them about the word of God. – Acts 8:14 Peter travels to different places to teach and to encourage other believers in Jesus Christ. He also visited Lydda. – Acts 9:32 God uses Peter to bring a little girl back to life. – Acts 9:40 Cornelius, a Roman centurion, summons Peter to his house in Caesarea. Peter at that time was staying in Joppa. – Acts 10:1-6 For the first time, Peter realizes that God shows no partiality when it comes to those receiving His word. – Acts 10:34 Cornelius for the first time hears through the words of Peter about Jesus Christ. This the first account that the Gospel is also meant for non-Jewish people (Gentiles). – Acts 10:37-48 Jewish believers in Jerusalem argue with Peter for being in the company of non-Jews. – Acts 11:1-3 James, the brother of John, is killed by the sword by order of Herod, who intentionally wanted to cause trouble for the church. – Acts 12:1-2 When Herod realized that what he had done had made him popular with the Jews, he had Peter arrested and put in prison. – Acts 12:3 An angel of the Lord God takes Peter out of prison. – Acts 12:7-8 Paul confronts Peter’s behavior when he is in the presence of non-Jewish believers and Jewish believers. – Galatians 2:11 |
| 64 AD | Peter is crucifies up-side-down because he felt unworthy to die the same way as Jesus. |
Important Facts
Little is known what happens to Peter in the later portion in the book of Acts. Some scholars base what they know on writings of early historians that include Tertullan, Origen, and even Flavius Josephus. Little is written about his arrival in Rome. Paul on the other hand we have accounts, both biblical and historical, of his arrival and death in Rome. Chances are both men arrived and lived in the city around the same time under the rule of the Emperor Nero.
It has been said that the approximate time of death of Peter was during the time of of the Great Fire in Rome, when Nero blamed the Christians living in the city for the tragic event, this was in AD 64. The manner in which he died continues to be debated to this day. Tradition has it, based on late 1st, early 2nd century historic writings, that Peter was the first pope and that he died by crucifixion, upside down. According to those accounts, he did not consider himself worthy to die in the same manner as Jesus did.
Please remember, Peter was a Jew, not a Roman. Paul was a Roman by birth, a Jew by lineage. The one thing both men had in common was their passion and commitment to their calling to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. They both believed that their death brought them in the presence of God, immediately.