Pe·ter /ˈpitɚ/ 名詞
 1 Peter 伯多祿前書。
 2 Peter 伯多祿後書。


 Pe·ter /ˈpitɚ/ 名詞
 男子名 (彼得)。


 pe·ter /ˈpitɚ/ 不及物動詞
 逐漸枯竭 (水流、礦脈等)。


 Pe·ter prop. n. A common baptismal name for a man.  The name of one of the twelve apostles of Christ.
 Peter boat, a fishing boat, sharp at both ends, originally of the Baltic Sea, but now common in certain English rivers.
 Peter Funk, the auctioneer in a mock auction. [Cant, U.S.]
 Peter pence, or Peter's pence. (a) An annual tax or tribute, formerly paid by the English people to the pope, being a penny for every house, payable on Lammas or St. Peter's day; -- called also Rome scot, and hearth money. (b) In modern times, a voluntary contribution made by Roman Catholics to the private purse of the pope.
 Peter's fish Zool., a haddock; -- so called because the black spots, one on each side, behind the gills, are traditionally said to have been caused by the fingers of St. Peter, when he caught the fish to pay the tribute.  The name is applied, also, to other fishes having similar spots.


 Pet·er v. i. [imp. & p. p. Petered p. pr. & vb. n. Petering.]  To become depleted; to run out; to fail; -- used generally with out; as, that mine has petered out. [Slang, U.S.]

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 Peter
      n 1: disciple of Jesus and leader of the apostles; regarded by
           Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope
           [syn: Simon Peter, Saint Peter, St. Peter, {Saint
           Peter the Apostle, St. Peter the Apostle]
      2: obscene terms for penis [syn: cock, prick, dick, shaft,
          pecker, tool, putz]


 Peter
    originally called Simon (=Simeon ,i.e., "hearing"), a very
    common Jewish name in the New Testament. He was the son of Jona
    (Matt. 16:17). His mother is nowhere named in Scripture. He had
    a younger brother called Andrew, who first brought him to Jesus
    (John 1:40-42). His native town was Bethsaida, on the western
    coast of the Sea of Galilee, to which also Philip belonged. Here
    he was brought up by the shores of the Sea of Galilee, and was
    trained to the occupation of a fisher. His father had probably
    died while he was still young, and he and his brother were
    brought up under the care of Zebedee and his wife Salome (Matt.
    27:56; Mark 15:40; 16:1). There the four youths, Simon, Andrew,
    James, and John, spent their boyhood and early manhood in
    constant fellowship. Simon and his brother doubtless enjoyed all
    the advantages of a religious training, and were early
    instructed in an acquaintance with the Scriptures and with the
    great prophecies regarding the coming of the Messiah. They did
    not probably enjoy, however, any special training in the study
    of the law under any of the rabbis. When Peter appeared before
    the Sanhedrin, he looked like an "unlearned man" (Acts 4:13).

      "Simon was a Galilean, and he was that out and out...The
    Galileans had a marked character of their own. They had a
    reputation for an independence and energy which often ran out
    into turbulence. They were at the same time of a franker and
    more transparent disposition than their brethren in the south.
    In all these respects, in bluntness, impetuosity, headiness, and
    simplicity, Simon was a genuine Galilean. They spoke a peculiar
    dialect. They had a difficulty with the guttural sounds and some
    others, and their pronunciation was reckoned harsh in Judea. The
    Galilean accent stuck to Simon all through his career. It
    betrayed him as a follower of Christ when he stood within the
    judgment-hall (Mark 14:70). It betrayed his own nationality and
    that of those conjoined with him on the day of Pentecost (Acts
    2:7)." It would seem that Simon was married before he became an
    apostle. His wife's mother is referred to (Matt. 8:14; Mark
    1:30; Luke 4:38). He was in all probability accompanied by his
    wife on his missionary journeys (1 Cor. 9:5; comp. 1 Pet. 5:13).

      He appears to have been settled at Capernaum when Christ
    entered on his public ministry, and may have reached beyond the
    age of thirty. His house was large enough to give a home to his
    brother Andrew, his wife's mother, and also to Christ, who seems
    to have lived with him (Mark 1:29, 36; 2:1), as well as to his
    own family. It was apparently two stories high (2:4).

      At Bethabara (R.V., John 1:28, "Bethany"), beyond Jordan, John
    the Baptist had borne testimony concerning Jesus as the "Lamb of
    God" (John 1:29-36). Andrew and John hearing it, followed Jesus,
    and abode with him where he was. They were convinced, by his
    gracious words and by the authority with which he spoke, that he
    was the Messiah (Luke 4:22; Matt. 7:29); and Andrew went forth
    and found Simon and brought him to Jesus (John 1:41).

      Jesus at once recognized Simon, and declared that hereafter he
    would be called Cephas, an Aramaic name corresponding to the
    Greek Petros, which means "a mass of rock detached from the
    living rock." The Aramaic name does not occur again, but the
    name Peter gradually displaces the old name Simon, though our
    Lord himself always uses the name Simon when addressing him
    (Matt. 17:25; Mark 14:37; Luke 22:31, comp. 21:15-17). We are
    not told what impression the first interview with Jesus produced
    on the mind of Simon. When we next meet him it is by the Sea of
    Galilee (Matt. 4:18-22). There the four (Simon and Andrew, James
    and John) had had an unsuccessful night's fishing. Jesus
    appeared suddenly, and entering into Simon's boat, bade him
    launch forth and let down the nets. He did so, and enclosed a
    great multitude of fishes. This was plainly a miracle wrought
    before Simon's eyes. The awe-stricken disciple cast himself at
    the feet of Jesus, crying, "Depart from me; for I am a sinful
    man, O Lord" (Luke 5:8). Jesus addressed him with the assuring
    words, "Fear not," and announced to him his life's work. Simon
    responded at once to the call to become a disciple, and after
    this we find him in constant attendance on our Lord.

      He is next called into the rank of the apostleship, and
    becomes a "fisher of men" (Matt. 4:19) in the stormy seas of the
    world of human life (Matt. 10:2-4; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:13-16),
    and takes a more and more prominent part in all the leading
    events of our Lord's life. It is he who utters that notable
    profession of faith at Capernaum (John 6:66-69), and again at
    Caesarea Philippi (Matt. 16:13-20; Mark 8:27-30; Luke 9:18-20).
    This profession at Caesarea was one of supreme importance, and
    our Lord in response used these memorable words: "Thou art
    Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church."

      "From that time forth" Jesus began to speak of his sufferings.
    For this Peter rebuked him. But our Lord in return rebuked
    Peter, speaking to him in sterner words than he ever used to any
    other of his disciples (Matt. 16:21-23; Mark 8:31-33). At the
    close of his brief sojourn at Caesarea our Lord took Peter and
    James and John with him into "an high mountain apart," and was
    transfigured before them. Peter on that occasion, under the
    impression the scene produced on his mind, exclaimed, "Lord, it
    is good for us to be here: let us make three tabernacles" (Matt.
    17:1-9).

      On his return to Capernaum the collectors of the temple tax (a
    didrachma, half a sacred shekel), which every Israelite of
    twenty years old and upwards had to pay (Ex. 30:15), came to
    Peter and reminded him that Jesus had not paid it (Matt.
    17:24-27). Our Lord instructed Peter to go and catch a fish in
    the lake and take from its mouth the exact amount needed for the
    tax, viz., a stater, or two half-shekels. "That take," said our
    Lord, "and give unto them for me and thee."

      As the end was drawing nigh, our Lord sent Peter and John
    (Luke 22:7-13) into the city to prepare a place where he should
    keep the feast with his disciples. There he was forewarned of
    the fearful sin into which he afterwards fell (22:31-34). He
    accompanied our Lord from the guest-chamber to the garden of
    Gethsemane (Luke 22:39-46), which he and the other two who had
    been witnesses of the transfiguration were permitted to enter
    with our Lord, while the rest were left without. Here he passed
    through a strange experience. Under a sudden impulse he cut off
    the ear of Malchus (47-51), one of the band that had come forth
    to take Jesus. Then follow the scenes of the judgment-hall
    (54-61) and his bitter grief (62).

      He is found in John's company early on the morning of the
    resurrection. He boldly entered into the empty grave (John
    20:1-10), and saw the "linen clothes laid by themselves" (Luke
    24:9-12). To him, the first of the apostles, our risen Lord
    revealed himself, thus conferring on him a signal honour, and
    showing how fully he was restored to his favour (Luke 24:34; 1
    Cor. 15:5). We next read of our Lord's singular interview with
    Peter on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, where he thrice asked
    him, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?" (John 21:1-19). (See LOVE.)

      After this scene at the lake we hear nothing of Peter till he
    again appears with the others at the ascension (Acts 1:15-26).
    It was he who proposed that the vacancy caused by the apostasy
    of Judas should be filled up. He is prominent on the day of
    Pentecost (2:14-40). The events of that day "completed the
    change in Peter himself which the painful discipline of his fall
    and all the lengthened process of previous training had been
    slowly making. He is now no more the unreliable, changeful,
    self-confident man, ever swaying between rash courage and weak
    timidity, but the stead-fast, trusted guide and director of the
    fellowship of believers, the intrepid preacher of Christ in
    Jerusalem and abroad. And now that he is become Cephas indeed,
    we hear almost nothing of the name Simon (only in Acts 10:5, 32;
    15:14), and he is known to us finally as Peter."

      After the miracle at the temple gate (Acts 3) persecution
    arose against the Christians, and Peter was cast into prison. He
    boldly defended himself and his companions at the bar of the
    council (4:19, 20). A fresh outburst of violence against the
    Christians (5:17-21) led to the whole body of the apostles being
    cast into prison; but during the night they were wonderfully
    delivered, and were found in the morning teaching in the temple.
    A second time Peter defended them before the council (Acts
    5:29-32), who, "when they had called the apostles and beaten
    them, let them go."

      The time had come for Peter to leave Jerusalem. After
    labouring for some time in Samaria, he returned to Jerusalem,
    and reported to the church there the results of his work (Acts
    8:14-25). Here he remained for a period, during which he met
    Paul for the first time since his conversion (9:26-30; Gal.
    1:18). Leaving Jerusalem again, he went forth on a missionary
    journey to Lydda and Joppa (Acts 9:32-43). He is next called on
    to open the door of the Christian church to the Gentiles by the
    admission of Cornelius of Caesarea (ch. 10).

      After remaining for some time at Caesarea, he returned to
    Jerusalem (Acts 11:1-18), where he defended his conduct with
    reference to the Gentiles. Next we hear of his being cast into
    prison by Herod Agrippa (12:1-19); but in the night an angel of
    the Lord opened the prison gates, and he went forth and found
    refuge in the house of Mary.

      He took part in the deliberations of the council in Jerusalem
    (Acts 15:1-31; Gal. 2:1-10) regarding the relation of the
    Gentiles to the church. This subject had awakened new interest
    at Antioch, and for its settlement was referred to the council
    of the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. Here Paul and Peter met
    again.

      We have no further mention of Peter in the Acts of the
    Apostles. He seems to have gone down to Antioch after the
    council at Jerusalem, and there to have been guilty of
    dissembling, for which he was severely reprimanded by Paul (Gal.
    2:11-16), who "rebuked him to his face."

      After this he appears to have carried the gospel to the east,
    and to have laboured for a while at Babylon, on the Euphrates (1
    Pet. 5:13). There is no satisfactory evidence that he was ever
    at Rome. Where or when he died is not certainly known. Probably
    he died between A.D. 64 and 67.



 Peter, a rock or stone