But then Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are talking about." Just then, as he was speaking, the rooster crowed.

Then the Lord turned and gave Peter a [penetrating] glance. And Peter remembered the words of the Lord, how He had said to him, "You will deny [knowing] me three times before the rooster crows today."

Then Peter went out and cried bitterly.

But Peter got up and ran to the grave site. He stooped down [i.e., because of the low opening in the cave-like tomb], looked in and saw the linen cloths [lying there] by themselves. Then he went home, puzzled over what had happened.}}

Then some of our companions [i.e., Peter and John. See John 20:2-9] went to the grave site and found things just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus [either]."

The apostles [or, some think the two men] were saying, "The Lord truly has risen and has appeared to Simon [i.e., Peter]."

One of the two men who had listened to John and had become a follower of Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

So, Andrew brought Simon Peter to Jesus. [And when] Jesus saw him, He said [to him], "You are Simon, the son of John [Note: Peter's father is called Jonah in Matt. 16:17]; you will be called Cephas (which means Peter [i.e., "a stone." See Matt. 16:18])."

[Then] on the next day He [i.e., Jesus, but some think it refers to Peter or Andrew] decided to travel into Galilee, [and there] He found Philip. Jesus said to Philip, "Become my follower."

Now Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew's and Peter's home town. [Note: This town was on the northwest shore of Lake Galilee, a few miles from Capernaum].

Then he asked them what the [exact] time was when his son began to get better. They said to him, "[It was] yesterday at seven o'clock in the morning that the fever left him." [Note: This would have been

[Then] one of His disciples, named Andrew, [who was] Simon Peter's brother, said to Him,

Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, who [else] could we go to? You have the message about never ending life.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet, [too]?"

Peter said to Him, "[No], you will never wash my feet." Jesus replied to him, "If I do not wash you, you will not be able to participate with me [i.e., as a disciple]."

Simon Peter [then] said to Him, "Lord, do not [just] wash my feet only, but my hands and head, too."

For Jesus knew who would betray Him; that is why He said, "Not every one of you is [spiritually] clean."

So, Simon Peter motioned [to John] and said, "Ask Jesus which one [of us] He is talking about."

Simon Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered, "You cannot follow me where I am going now, but you will [be able to] follow later."

Peter [then] said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow you [there] even now? I am willing to die for you."

So, Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it out and struck the head priest's slave, cutting off his right ear. Now the slave's name was Malchus.

Then Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword back in its sheath. Should I not drink the cup [i.e., of suffering] the Father has given me?"

Simon Peter followed along with another disciple. [Note: Some think this refers to the apostle John himself, but there is no strong evidence in favor of that conclusion]. Now that disciple was [well-] known to the head priest, so was able to enter his courtyard with Jesus

while Peter stood outside at the gate. So, the other disciple, who was [well-] known to the head priest, went outside and spoke to the girl gatekeeper, [who] then brought Peter inside [too].

So, the slave-girl gatekeeper asked Peter, "Are you not one of this man's disciples, too?" "[No], I am not," Peter replied.

Now the [head priest's] slaves and the [Temple] guards were standing around a charcoal fire they had made to warm themselves by, because it was cold. And Peter was also warming himself with them.

Now Simon Peter had been standing and warming himself [by the outdoor charcoal fire]. So, someone asked him, "Are you not one of His disciples, too?" Peter denied it, saying, "[No], I am not."

One of the head priest's slaves, who was a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, "Did I not see you in the orchard with him?"

So, Peter denied it again, and immediately the rooster crowed.

So, she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved [i.e., probably the apostle John], and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we do not know where they have put Him."

So, Peter and the other disciple left [hurriedly] and went to the grave site.

The two of them ran together, but the other disciple outran Peter and arrived at the grave site first.

Then Simon Peter, who had been following him, also arrived and went [straight] into the cave-like tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there.

Simon Peter; Thomas, called "The Twin;" Nathaniel from Cana in Galilee; the sons of Zebedee [i.e., James and John] and two other disciples of Jesus were [all] together [at the lake].

Simon Peter said to [the rest of] them, "I am going fishing." The others replied to him, "We will go with you, too." [So], they went out and got into their boat but did not catch anything that night.

So, that disciple whom Jesus loved [i.e., probably the apostle John] said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard it was the Lord, he wrapped his outer robe around him, (for he [had taken it off and] was wearing only his underclothing) and jumped into the lake.

Then Simon Peter boarded [the boat] and dragged the net full of large fish to shore. And even though there were one hundred fifty-three [fish], the net did not tear from such a large number.

So, after they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you really love me more than these [other disciples do]?" Peter answered Him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." [Note: Since two different Greek words for "love" are used in this conversation, some scholars see a distinction in their meaning. See Butler, Vol. II, pp. 453-457 for a discussion of these views]. Jesus replied to him, "[Then] feed my lambs."

Jesus asked him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you [really] love me?" Peter answered Him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus replied to him, "[Then] take care of my sheep."

Then Jesus asked him a third time, "Simon, son of John, do you [truly] love me?" Peter was sad because Jesus had asked him a third time, "Do you [even] love me?" So, he said to Jesus, "Lord, you know all things. You [surely] know that I love you." Jesus replied to him, "[Then] feed my sheep.

Truly, truly, I tell you [Peter], when you were young you used to fasten your belt around you [i.e., to get ready] and travel wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you up and take you [away] to where you do not want to go."

Now Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death Peter would experience in honoring God. [Note: Some see the "stretching out your hands," verse 18, as a reference to crucifixion]. And after saying this, Jesus said to him, "Be my follower."

Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved [i.e., probably the apostle John] following [along behind him]. This was the same disciple who had leaned over close to Jesus at the [Passover] meal and asked Him, "Lord, who is it that will turn you over [to the Jewish authorities]?"

[When] Peter saw this disciple, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what will happen to this man?"

Upon arriving at the house where they were staying, they went upstairs. [Those present were]: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James, the son of Alpheus, Simon the Zealous [one] and Judas, the son of James. [Note: Judas Iscariot, the twelfth apostle, had already committed suicide].

And during this time Peter stood up to speak to a gathering of about one hundred twenty persons.

But Peter [responded by] standing up with the eleven [other] apostles and, lifting up his voice, began to speak. He said, "People of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, listen to what I am saying so you will understand this situation.

Now when the people heard this message [of Peter and the other apostles, See verse 14], they were convicted [of its truth] in their hearts and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do [about our condemned condition]?"

And Peter replied, "Every one of you must repent [i.e., change your hearts and lives] and be immersed in the name of Jesus Christ [i.e., by His authority] so that your sins will be forgiven [by God] and then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit [to live in your hearts].

So, Peter testified and urged the crowd with many additional words, saying, "Save yourselves from [the condemnation coming on] this sinful generation [by responding to this message]."

Then those who responded [by faith] to the words [spoken by Peter and the apostles] were immersed, and about three thousand persons were added to them [i.e., the apostles] on that day.

Now Peter and John were going to the Temple at three o'clock one afternoon [Note: Jewish time calculations are employed here], during the regular [Jewish] prayer hour.

When he saw Peter and John about to enter the Temple he asked them [also] for money.

Peter looked directly at the man and, together with John, said [to him], "Look [at me]."

But instead, Peter said, "I do not have any money [i.e., silver or gold], but I will give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus from Nazareth [i.e., by His authority], get up and walk."

And Peter took him by his right hand and lifted him up. Immediately the man's feet and ankles became strong [enough to walk on].

He [then] jumped up, stood on his feet and began to walk. And [as] he entered the Temple with Peter and John he was able to walk and [even] jump, while praising God [for his complete healing].

And as this [former] crippled man stayed close beside Peter and John, all the people rushed toward them at "Solomon's Portico" [Note: This was a large covered area, with rows of columns, on the side of the Temple enclosure], completely astonished [at what had happened].

And when Peter saw [the crowd assembling] he gave this explanation: "Men of Israel, why are you so shocked at [what happened to] this man? And why are you gazing at us, as though it were by our power or godly qualities that we caused him to walk?

So, these [Jewish] leaders arrested Peter and John and put them in jail until the next day because it was [already] evening.

And when these men had Peter and John brought before them, they asked, "By whose authority or in what name have you done this thing [i.e., healed the crippled man]?"

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, addressed them, saying, "Rulers and elders of the people,

Now when these men saw how boldly Peter and John spoke, and perceived that they were uneducated and [even] ignorant men, they were quite surprised; then they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

And when they saw the healed man standing there with Peter and John, there was nothing they could say [to refute the obvious miracle].

But when the Council [of Jewish leaders] made Peter and John leave [the meeting], they discussed the matter among themselves,

And so they called Peter and John in and warned them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus [anymore].

But Peter and John replied, "You decide whether it is right before God to listen to you men or to Him;

So, after Peter and John were released, they went [back to the other disciples] and reported everything the leading priests and elders [of the Jews] had said to them.

But Peter said to Ananias, "Why has Satan filled your heart [causing you] to deceive the Holy Spirit by keeping back part of the selling price of the land [while representing it as the full price]?

And Peter said to her, "Tell me, did you sell the land for such and such a price?" She answered, "Yes, we did."

Then Peter said to her, "Why did you agree together [with your husband] to put the Holy Spirit of the Lord to the test? Look, the ones who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out [to bury you, too]."

[One of the miracles performed was that] sick people were even carried into the streets on beds and couches so that, as he passed them, Peter's shadow would fall on someone [in hope of it producing a miraculous healing].

But Peter and the apostles answered them, "We must obey God instead of [you] men [in this situation].

Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had responded to the message of God, they sent Peter and John to them.

But Peter said to him, "You and your money will both be destroyed for thinking you could buy the gift from God with money.

For I can see that your life is as bitter gall [i.e., very evil] and you are enslaved by [your] sins."

When Peter and John had testified [regarding the truth] and had proclaimed the message of God [to the people] they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the good news [about Jesus] in many Samaritan villages [on their way back].

Then after that, Peter traveled throughout the entire region until he came down to visit God's holy people who lived in Lydda. [Note: This was a town on the west coast of Palestine].

Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ is healing you, so get up and make your bed." And immediately he got up [out of his bed, completely healed].

And since Lydda was very close to Joppa, the disciples [at Joppa], hearing that Peter was at Lydda [See verse 32], sent two men there to urge him, "Do not delay your coming [here] to us."

So, Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived they took him to the upstairs room [where Dorcas' body lay]. All the widows [i.e., her friends] stood near Peter, crying and showing [him] the coats and [other] clothing which Dorcas had made when she was alive.

Then Peter asked them all to leave [the room]; he knelt down and prayed over her body, saying, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

Peter then reached out his hand and raised her up; he called the saints [i.e., God's holy people] and the widows [back into the room] and presented her [to them] alive.

And Peter lived for some time in Joppa with Simon, who was an [animal hide] tanner.

And now send men to Joppa to get Simon Peter;

As they were traveling the next day, and were coming close to the city [of Joppa], Peter went up about noontime [Note: Or

A voice then directed Peter with the words, "Get up; kill and eat [one of] them."

But Peter answered, "No, Lord, I cannot. I have never eaten any such ordinary or [ceremonially] unfit creatures."

Now while Peter was much perplexed over the meaning of this vision, the men sent by Cornelius, having learned where Simon [the tanner] lived, arrived at the gate [of his house],

and asked if Simon Peter were staying there.

While Peter was thinking about [the meaning of] the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, "Look, there are three men [here] looking for you.

So, Peter went down to the men and said, "I am the one you are looking for. Why have you come here?"

So, Peter invited them to stay [for the night]. The next day Peter got up and went with the men, [who were] accompanied by certain [Christian] brothers from Joppa.

When Peter entered [the house] Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet [and attempted] to worship him.

But Peter lifted him up, saying, "I am just a man, myself."

As they talked, Peter went into the house and found many people gathered together [there].

Therefore, send [men] to Joppa and ask for Simon Peter to come to you. He is staying at the house of Simon, a tanner [of animal hides] who lives close to the [Mediterranean] sea.'

Then Peter began to speak. He said, "I perceive that God truly does not show favoritism toward anyone,

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit descended upon all those who were listening to this message [i.e., Cornelius and his household].

And the believers of Jewish descent, who had come with Peter, were amazed [when they saw] that the gift of the Holy Spirit had [now] been poured out on the Gentiles also.