He is the most prominent of the 12. He is always listed first in the lists. We also know more about Peter than the other 12. His Aramaic name was Simeon (Acts 15:14 and in IIPet. 1:1 this is what he calls himself. Simon is the gentile form). Jesus later gave him the name Peter (the Greek form) or Cephas (the Aramaic) meaning Rock. Peter was brought to Christ by his brother, Andrew, who also became one of the 12. His father was John (Jn. 1:42.) The family was in the fish business. Tradition says they marketed sun-dried fish in Jerusalem. Peter was from Bethsaida, but also lived in Capernaum. He was married and took his wife with him on missionary journeys (ICor. 9:5). He wrote the two Epistles which bare his name, and may have had much input into Mark's gospel, as he was a close friend to John Mark. (Note: If his name means Rock and his father's name was John then in English, Peter's full name was Rock Johnson!!).

Ministry: He was the spokesman for the 12, and one of the inner circle. Peter is the first Apostle to associate with the gentile mission, though he was largely an apostle to his own people. He was imprisoned for his faith, and upon his release he traveled outside of Palestine. Where exactly is difficult to determine. According to the epistle of I Clement, Peter died in Rome with Paul during the Neronian persecution. A 2nd Century source says he was crucified upside down.