Jesus Walks on Water
Peter steps out of the boat
Two things you can tap
- A verse number shows the Bible’s exact words.
- An underlined word shows what it means.
Story
What happened?
Tap a verse number, like , to read the Bible’s exact words.
Who’s who and what came beforePeople, places, and the story so far. Open it anytime.
Scene Card
Cast
- Jesus: The one the Gospels present as the promised Messiah and the Son of God. He has spent the day healing and feeding a huge crowd.
- Peter: One of Jesus's closest followers. He was a fisherman on this lake before Jesus called him.
- The disciples: Jesus's closest followers. Some of them are fishermen who know this lake well.
Setting
- A fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee, a large lake in northern Israel. It is night, and the boat is far from land.
When
- The same evening and night that Jesus fed the 5,000, about 2,000 years ago.
Before the Story
Jesus had heard sad news. John the Baptist had been killed. Jesus went by boat to a quiet place to be alone (14:10-13).
The crowds followed him anyway. Jesus felt compassion for them and healed their sick (14:14).
Then Jesus fed them all. He took five loaves of bread and two fish. About 5,000 men ate, plus women and children (14:17-21). Our story Jesus Feeds the 5,000 tells it from John's Gospel.
Here's what you know that almost nobody in this story knows: At Jesus's baptism, a voice from heaven called him "My beloved Son" (3:17).
Map of the Story
| Scene | Verses | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sent ahead | 14:22-23 | Jesus sends the disciples off in the boat and goes up the mountain to pray |
| 2. Against the wind | 14:24 | The wind and waves fight the boat, far from land |
| 3. "It's a ghost!" | 14:25-27 | Jesus comes walking on the sea. The disciples cry out in fear |
| 4. Peter walks | 14:28-29 | Peter asks Jesus to call him, and walks on the water |
| 5. "Lord, save me!" | 14:30-31 | Peter sinks. Jesus catches him right away |
| 6. "Truly You are the Son of God" | 14:32-33 | The wind stops. The disciples worship Jesus |
Plain Retelling
Scene 1 of 6Sent Ahead
The disciples pushed the boat out onto the lake. Behind them, Jesus was sending the crowd home.
Jesus had made the disciples get into the boat right away. They were to cross ahead of him to the other side.
When the crowd was gone, Jesus went up on the mountain by himself. He went there to pray.
Evening came. Jesus was still there, alone. Earlier that day, Jesus had tried to get away to a quiet place (14:13). Now he was alone to pray.
Scene 2 of 6Against the Wind
By now the boat was far from land. The wind was blowing against it. Waves kept slamming into the boat and tossing it around.
Night went on. The disciples were still out on the dark water. Jesus was not in the boat with them.
Once before, in a storm on this same lake, Jesus had been asleep in the boat with them (8:24). This time, Jesus was not in the boat at all.
Scene 3 of 6"It's a Ghost!"
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus went out to them. He was walking on the sea.
Matthew calls this time "the fourth watch of the night." That means about 3 to 6 in the morning.
The disciples saw someone walking toward them on the water. They were terrified.
"It's a ghost!" they said (14:26). They cried out in fear.
But Jesus spoke to them at once. "Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid" (14:27).
"Take courage" means "be brave." Jesus did not wait for them to calm down first. He spoke to them while they were still afraid.
Scene 4 of 6Peter Walks
Peter answered Jesus. "Lord, if it is You... command me to come to You on the water" (14:28).
Peter started with "if." The Bible doesn't say what Peter was feeling. But he did not step out on his own. He asked Jesus to call him.
Jesus said one word. "Come" (14:29).
Peter climbed down out of the boat. He walked on the water. He came toward Jesus.
Scene 5 of 6"Lord, Save Me!"
Then Peter saw how strong the wind was. He was afraid. He began to sink.
He cried out, "Lord, save me!" (14:30).
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand. He took hold of Peter.
Then Jesus spoke. "You of little faith," He said, "why did you doubt?" (14:31).
This was a real correction. But Jesus said it after he had already caught Peter. Jesus did not wait for Peter to trust him more before saving Peter.
Scene 6 of 6"Truly You Are the Son of God"
Jesus and Peter climbed back into the boat. The wind died down.
The disciples in the boat worshiped Jesus. To worship means to give someone the highest honor. People often bowed down to do it.
They said, "Truly You are the Son of God!" (14:33).
That night began with the disciples crying out in fear. They thought they saw a ghost. It ended with them worshiping the one who came to them across the water. At Jesus's baptism, a voice from heaven had called him God's Son. Now the disciples said it too.
Meaning
What does it mean?
Read It
What Does This Mean?
| The text says | It means |
|---|---|
| "He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray" (14:23) | Jesus prayed. After a long, sad, busy day, he made time to be alone with God. |
| "The fourth watch of the night" (14:25) | About 3 to 6 in the morning. The disciples had been out in the wind and waves for most of the night. |
| "Walking on the sea" (14:25) | In the Old Testament, God is the one who "treads on the waves of the sea" (Job 9:8). Jesus does what only God can do. |
| "It is I" (14:27) | In Greek, these words are "I am." Many readers hear an echo of God's name here. God told Moses, "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14). Matthew does not stop to explain it. |
| "Come" (14:29) | Peter walked because Jesus called him. The power was in Jesus's word, not in Peter. |
| "Lord, save me!" (14:30) | One of the shortest prayers in the Bible. It was enough. |
| "You of little faith" (14:31) | Jesus said Peter's faith was small. He did not say it was gone. Jesus used the same words for the disciples in another storm (8:26). |
| "Truly You are the Son of God!" (14:33) | This is the first time in Matthew that the disciples call Jesus the Son of God. |
Back Then
The night was split into "watches." A watch was the time one guard stayed on duty. Israel first used three watches (Easton's Bible Dictionary). Under Roman rule, the night had four. The fourth watch ended at about 6 in the morning, so it ran from about 3 to 6 a.m. (Smith's Bible Dictionary)
The Sea of Galilee is really a lake. It is about 12½ miles long (Easton's Bible Dictionary). The boat was out on it from evening until almost morning.
Fishing boats were wooden and open, with no roof. Peter and some of the other disciples had fished from boats like this for years (4:18-22).
Literal Reader Alert
Is it wrong to feel afraid? No. Fear is a feeling, not a sin. The disciples were alone on a dark lake in a strong wind. Peter was sinking. And Peter did the right thing: he cried out to Jesus. Jesus's words to Peter were a real correction. But Jesus said them after he had already caught Peter. Jesus was not pushing Peter away. He was calling Peter to trust him. Jesus himself was "sorrowful and deeply distressed" the night before he died (Matthew 26:37).
What if I feel anxious a lot? You are not alone, and you are not a bad Christian. Anxiety is real, and it is common. You can pray about it. Your prayer can be as short as Peter's: "Lord, save me." Talking to someone you trust helps too. If worry is making it hard to sleep, eat, or go to school, a doctor or counselor can help. Getting help is not a lack of faith. God often cares for us through other people. If you are in danger right now, call 911 or your local emergency number. In the United States, you can also call or text 988 any time, day or night. Outside the United States, findahelpline.com lists free helplines.
Should I try something dangerous to prove my faith? No. Peter stepped out because Jesus called him with the word "Come." This story is not a test for you to take. When Jesus was tempted to jump from the top of the temple, he said, "Do not put the Lord your God to the test" (Matthew 4:7). Faith is trusting Jesus, not proving yourself.
Why don't the other Gospels mention Peter's walk? Mark and John tell this story too (Mark 6:45-52, John 6:16-21). But only Matthew includes Peter walking on the water. The Bible doesn't say why.
How People Feel
| Who | Feeling | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The disciples | Struggling | The wind was against them most of the night (14:24-25) |
| The disciples | Terrified | They thought Jesus was a ghost (14:26) |
| Peter | Bold | He asked Jesus to call him out onto the water (14:28) |
| Peter | Afraid | He saw the strong wind and began to sink (14:30) |
| The disciples | Full of awe | Jesus came to them on the sea, and the wind died down (14:32-33) |
For you
What does it mean for me?
Your Turn
Where are you in this story right now? Tap one.
In the dark boat
The disciples were far from land, and the wind was against them. Jesus came to them while it was still dark. Jesus is with you in hard times too.
Sinking
Peter cried, "Lord, save me." Immediately Jesus took hold of him. You can pray those same words.
I doubt a lot
Jesus asked Peter, "Why did you doubt?" He asked it after Peter was already safe. Doubt did not make Jesus let go of Peter.
Not sure it's him
Peter said, "Lord, if it is You." Jesus did not scold him for the "if." He said, "Come."
It's really bad right now
Peter told Jesus the truth: he was sinking. You can tell Jesus too. Please also tell a trusted adult today. In the U.S., call or text 988 any time, day or night. If you are in danger, call 911 or your local emergency number. Outside the U.S., findahelpline.com lists free helplines.
You Might Have Heard
"If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat. Be brave, step out in faith, and do big things for God."
What's true: Peter's step was real trust. He went because Jesus said, "Come." God does sometimes call people to new and hard things.
What the story is mainly about: Jesus, not Peter's courage. Jesus came to his frightened disciples while it was still dark. He spoke to them before they were calm. Peter's brave step ended with him sinking. The story does not end there. It ends with Jesus's hand, and with everyone in the boat worshiping him. The disciples who stayed in the boat were not left out. Jesus came to them too.
Where Jesus is: On the water, coming toward the boat. Then reaching down to catch Peter. The disciples say who he is: the Son of God. At the cross, a Roman soldier says it too: "Truly this was the Son of God" (Matthew 27:54).
Good News
Peter's prayer was three words: "Lord, save me!" (14:30). Jesus did not wait. "Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter" (14:31).
Peter's faith was small. His faith did not hold him up. Jesus did. Faith is not something we make ourselves. The Bible calls it "the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8), and the Holy Spirit gives it.
God first spoke these words to Israel, and Christians hear them too: "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you" (Isaiah 43:2). In Baptism, Jesus takes hold of you with water and his word.
You are not held up by how strong your faith is. You are held by the hand of Jesus.
Big Idea
Jesus comes to frightened disciples at night and catches them when they sink, even when their faith is small.
If this story brings up big feelings, talk with someone you trust, like a parent, pastor, or counselor.
For leaders and parentsLuther, church readings, and notes for teaching.
From Luther
Martin Luther wrote about faith in the Small Catechism. He wrote, "I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him" (Third Article, Concordia Triglotta, 1921). He goes on to say that the Holy Spirit calls us by the Gospel and keeps us in the true faith. Peter's walk is a picture of this. Peter could not come to Jesus on the water by his own strength. He came because Jesus called him.
In Church
Many churches follow the Revised Common Lectionary. It reads Matthew 14:22-33 in August of Year A (Lectionary 19). That same Sunday, some churches hear God speak to Elijah on the mountain (1 Kings 19:9-18). Others hear the story of Joseph and his brothers (Genesis 37).
We quote Luther for what he got right about grace. He also wrote terrible things about Jewish people. Read our note on that.
Memorize
How do I keep it?
One line from this story to learn by heart. Practice a little now. It will come back later so it sticks.
Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.
How did that feel?