Peter

43A woman there had been bleeding for twelve years. She had spent all her money on doctors. No one could make her well.

And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,

NoteBy the rules of that time, bleeding like hers made her unclean. She was not allowed to touch other people. That is why she came up quietly from behind.

44She came up behind Jesus and touched the edge of his coat. Right away the bleeding stopped.

Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.

NoteJewish men wore tassels on the corners of their coats. The tassels reminded them of God's rules. That is the "border" she touched.

45Jesus said, "Who touched me?" Everyone said it was not them. Peter and the others with him said, "Master, the crowd is pushing all around you."

And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

46Jesus said, "Someone did touch me. I felt power go out of me."

And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.

NoteIn the King James, "virtue" means power. It does not mean being good.

47The woman saw she could not stay hidden. She came shaking and fell down in front of him. In front of everyone, she told why she had touched him. She told how she got well at once.

And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.

48Jesus said to her, "Daughter, cheer up. Your faith has made you well. Go in peace."

And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

NoteCalling her "Daughter" was a kind, warm way to speak to her. "Go in peace" was a normal goodbye. It means, may you be well.

28About eight days after he said this, Jesus took Peter, John, and James with him. They went up a mountain to pray.

And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.

29While he was praying, his face changed and looked different. His clothes turned bright, shining white.

And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.

30Then two men were there, talking with him. They were Moses and Elijah.

And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:

NoteMoses lived long before Jesus. He led God's people out of Egypt, where they had been slaves. God gave him the laws his people lived by.

31They were shining with glory. They talked about how Jesus would soon leave this life. It would happen in Jerusalem.

Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.

NoteJerusalem was the most important city for God's people. The temple, God's house, was there.

32Peter and the men with him were very sleepy. When they woke up, they saw Jesus shining. They saw the two men standing with him.

But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.

33As the two men were leaving, Peter spoke up. He said, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us build three shelters. One for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." Peter did not know what he was saying.

And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.

NotePeter meant little huts made of branches. People built huts like that every year for a special holiday, and slept in them for a week.

34While Peter was still talking, a cloud came and covered them. They were afraid as the cloud closed around them.

While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.

NoteIn the old stories, a thick cloud came when God came close. The three men would have known those stories.

35A voice came out of the cloud. It said, "This is my Son, the one I love. Listen to him!"

And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

36When the voice stopped, Jesus was there alone. The three men kept this to themselves. In those days they told no one what they had seen.

And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.

31The Lord said, "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to shake all of you. He wants to shake you like a farmer shakes wheat."

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

NoteFarmers shook grain hard in a basket to shake out the dirt and bits. Jesus said Satan wanted to shake his friends that hard.

32"But I have prayed for you, that you will keep trusting me. When you come back, help your brothers be strong."

But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Note"Brothers" here means the other men who followed Jesus. They were like family to each other.

33Peter said to him, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to jail and even to death."

And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.

34Jesus said, "Peter, I tell you, the rooster will not crow today until you say three times that you don't know me."

And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

NoteRoosters crow when the sun starts to come up. So Jesus meant this would happen before morning.

54They took Jesus and led him to the high priest's house. Peter followed, but he stayed far behind.

Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest’s house. And Peter followed afar off.

55People made a fire in the middle of the yard and sat down together. Peter sat down with them.

And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.

NoteHouses there were built around an open yard in the middle. Peter sat by the fire in that yard.

56A servant girl saw him sitting in the firelight. She looked hard at him and said, "This man was with Jesus too."

But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.

NoteA servant girl worked in the house doing chores for the family.

57But Peter said it was not true. "Woman, I don't know him," he said.

And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.

58A little later someone else saw him and said, "You are one of them too." Peter said, "Sir, I am not."

And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.

59About an hour later another man said firmly, "This man really was with Jesus. He is from Galilee too."

And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean.

NoteGalilee was the part of the country Jesus came from. People from Galilee said their words with a different sound.

60Peter said, "Sir, I don't know what you are talking about." Right then, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.

And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.

61The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Peter remembered what the Lord had said. Jesus had told him, "Before the rooster crows, you will say three times that you don't know me."

And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

62Peter went outside and cried very hard.

And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

9They came back from the tomb. They told all of this to the eleven apostles and to everyone else.

And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.

NoteApostles were the friends Jesus chose to go with him. There had been twelve. Now only eleven were left.

10The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James. Other women were with them. They are the ones who told the apostles.

It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.

NoteMagdalene means she came from a town called Magdala.

11But the apostles thought it was silly talk. They did not believe the women.

And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

NoteBack then many people did not trust a woman's word. That is one reason the men found this hard to believe.

12Then Peter got up and ran to the tomb. He bent down and saw only the linen cloths lying there. He went away, wondering what had happened.

Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

NoteLinen is a kind of cloth. A dead body was wrapped in it for burial.

35The next day John was standing there again with two of his followers.

Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;

NoteA disciple is a follower. He stays with a teacher and learns from him every day.

36He saw Jesus walking by. He said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

37The two followers heard him say it. So they went and followed Jesus.

And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

38Jesus turned around and saw them following him. He asked, "What are you looking for?" They said, "Rabbi, where are you staying?" Rabbi means teacher.

Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?

NoteRabbi is a Hebrew word. Students walked with their rabbi and learned by watching him.

39Jesus said, "Come and see." So they went and saw where he was staying. They spent the rest of the day with him. It was about the tenth hour.

He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.

NoteThey counted hours from when the sun came up. The tenth hour was about four in the afternoon.

40One of the two men who heard John and followed Jesus was Andrew. He was Simon Peter's brother.

One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.

41The first thing Andrew did was find his brother Simon. He said, "We have found the Messiah!" Messiah means the Christ, the king God promised.

He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

NoteMessiah is the Hebrew word and Christ is the Greek word. Both mean the same thing: the one God chose.

42Andrew brought Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon, the son of Jona. You will be called Cephas." Cephas means a stone.

And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

NoteCephas means rock in the language Jesus spoke. In Greek that word is Peter. So Simon got a new name from Jesus.

66After that, many of his followers turned back. They stopped walking with him.

From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

67So Jesus said to the twelve, his twelve closest followers, "Do you want to leave too?"

Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

Note"The twelve" were twelve men Jesus chose to stay with him all the time.

68Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, who else could we go to? You have the words that give life that never ends.

Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

69We believe, and we are sure, that you are the Christ, the one God promised to send. You are the Son of the living God."

And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

Note"Christ" is not a last name. It means "the chosen one." God had promised to send him.

70Jesus answered them, "I chose you twelve, didn't I? Yet one of you is a devil."

Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

Note"Devil" here means an enemy, someone working against Jesus.

71He was talking about Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. Judas was one of the twelve. He was the one who would later hand Jesus over.

He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

Note"Iscariot" probably means "the man from Kerioth." Kerioth was a town. The name told people which Judas this was.

1The Passover feast was almost here. Jesus knew it was time for him to leave this world. He was going back to God, his Father. He loved his friends who were in the world. He loved them all the way to the end.

Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

NotePassover was a special holiday meal. Jewish families ate it every year. It helped them remember how God rescued them from Egypt long ago.

2They were eating supper. The devil had already put an idea into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. The idea was to hand Jesus over.

And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;

NoteJudas Iscariot was one of Jesus' twelve closest friends. To hand Jesus over meant to help his enemies catch him. The heart meant the place inside where a person thinks and chooses.

3Jesus knew that his Father had put everything in his hands. He knew he had come from God. He knew he was going back to God.

Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

Note"Put everything in his hands" is an old way of saying God gave him power over everything.

4So Jesus got up from the meal. He took off his outer coat. He picked up a towel and tied it around his waist.

He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

NotePeople wore a long robe with a looser coat over it. Jesus took off the coat on top, the way a servant would.

5Then he poured water into a bowl. He began to wash his friends' feet. He dried them with the towel tied around him.

After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

NoteRoads were dusty and people wore sandals. Feet got dirty on every walk. A servant usually washed the guests' feet before a meal. That is why Peter was so surprised.

6He came to Simon Peter. Peter said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"

Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

Note"Lord" was a polite word for a master, someone who is in charge.

7Jesus answered him, "You do not understand what I am doing now. But later you will understand."

Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

8Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet!" Jesus answered, "If I do not wash you, then you have no part with me."

Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

NoteHaving "no part" with someone meant not belonging with them at all.

9Simon Peter said to him, "Then, Lord, do not wash only my feet. Wash my hands and my head too!"

Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

10Jesus said to him, "A person who has had a bath is already clean. He only needs to wash his feet. And you are clean, but not all of you are."

Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

NotePeople took a bath at home before going out to dinner. Then their feet got dusty again on the walk there.

11Jesus knew who was going to hand him over. That is why he said, "Not all of you are clean."

For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.