But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Parallel translations
- WEB But when he saw that the wind was strong, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
- KJV But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
- NKJV But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
- NASB But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and when he began to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
- NLT But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Seeing the wind, Peter grows afraid, begins to sink, and cries, 'Lord, save me!' When faith looks at the storm instead of Christ, it falters.
Overview
Distracted by the strong wind, Peter is overcome by fear and starts to sink, crying out for rescue. His shift of focus from Jesus to the danger illustrates how doubt undermines faith. Yet his desperate cry to the Lord shows that even faltering faith rightly turns to Christ for salvation, and his prayer is one every believer can echo.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Lam 3:54–57The waters flowed over my head, and I thought I was going to die.
- 2 Tim 4:16–17At my first defense, no one stood with me, but everyone deserted me. May it not be charged against them.
- Mark 14:38Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
- Matt 8:24–25Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was engulfed by the waves; but Jesus was sleeping.
- Luke 22:54–61Then they seized Jesus, led Him away, and took Him into the house of the high priest. And Peter followed at a distance.
- Ps 69:1–2For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of David. Save me, O God, for the waters are up to my neck.
- Jonah 2:2–7saying: “In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered me. From the belly of Sheol I called for help, and You heard my voice.
- Ps 3:7Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.
- Ps 116:3–4The ropes of death entangled me; the anguish of Sheol overcame me; I was confronted by trouble and sorrow.
- Ps 107:27–30They reeled and staggered like drunkards, and all their skill was useless.
- Mark 14:66–72While Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the servant girls of the high priest came down
- 2 Cor 12:7–10or because of these surpassingly great revelations. So to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
- 2 Kgs 6:15When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early in the morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. So he asked Elisha, “Oh, my master, what are we to do?”
- John 18:25–27Simon Peter was still standing and warming himself. So they asked him, “Aren’t you also one of His disciples?” He denied it and said, “I am not.”
- Matt 26:69–75Meanwhile, Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came up to him. “You also were with Jesus the Galilean,” she said.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 14:30 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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