But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and when he began to sink, he cried out, saying, “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.
- BSB But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, cried out, “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!”
- 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 3:54–57Waters flowed over my head; I said, I am cut off.
- 2 Tim 4:16–17At my first defense, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them.
- Mark 14:38Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
- Matt 8:24–25Behold, a violent storm came up on the sea, so much that the boat was covered with the waves, but he was asleep.
- Luke 22:54–61They seized him, and led him away, and brought him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed from a distance.
- Ps 69:1–2For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Lilies.” By David. Save me, God, for the waters have come up to my neck!
- Jonah 2:2–7He said, “I called because of my affliction to Yahweh. He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried. You heard my voice.
- Ps 3:7Arise, Yahweh! Save me, my God! For you have struck all of my enemies on the cheek bone. You have broken the teeth of the wicked.
- Ps 116:3–4The cords of death surrounded me, the pains of Sheol got a hold of me. I found trouble and sorrow.
- Ps 107:27–30They reel back and forth, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.
- Mark 14:66–72As Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the maids of the high priest came,
- 2 Cor 12:7–10By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively.
- 2 Kgs 6:15When the servant of the man of God had risen early, and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was around the city. His servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”
- John 18:25–27Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said therefore to him, “You aren’t also one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.”
- Matt 26:69–75Now Peter was sitting outside in the court, and a maid came to him, saying, “You were also with Jesus, the Galilean!”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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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