What Happened to Peter After Acts 12?

A Brief Biography of Peter's Life After the Bible Stops Following Him

The Apostle Peter plays a central role in the Gospel books and Acts until Acts 12. From that point on, Peter takes a backseat role in the story of the New Testament. So what happened to Peter at the end of his story?

In this brief article, I fill in the picture of Peter's life after Acts 12 to help complete the portrait of this apostle's life.

Peter: Married Missionary

According to Paul, Peter not only was married, but he also took his wife with him on his missionary journeys (1 Cor 9:5). When Peter left Jerusalem in Acts 12:17, he likely took his wife and family with him: "Then he departed and went to another place." Although Peter left Jerusalem as his regular residence, he could still return to the city as Acts 15 shows.

Although Galatians 2:7-9 indicates that Peter "had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised," nothing in this text should make us believe that he exclusively ministered to Jews. Acts 10 shows him sharing the Gospel with Gentiles, and his First Epistle also includes Gentiles in its audience.

Likely, Paul has in mind Peter's original call by Jesus—not that Peter would never preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. Acts 10 and then later Acts 15 show how long it took for Jewish believers like Peter to open their eyes to the importance of preaching the Gospel to Gentiles as well as Jews.

Peter: Apostle and Pillar

As the Spirit led the church into wider and wider circles, Peter made his way to Rome where he eventually died.

Historical records indicate that Peter ministered in Rome. Tertullian speaks of Peter ordaining Clement of Rome, speaking of "the Roman Church that Clement was ordained thereto by Peter" (Prescription §32). Irenaeus of Lyon (180 AD) also confirms Peter's presence in Rome, writing: "Matthew also issued a written Gospel among the Hebrews in their own dialect, while Peter and Paul were preaching at Rome and laying the foundations of the Church" (AH 3.1.1).

That Peter went to Rome matters. Peter was an apostle of the Lord and the recognized leader among the apostles. He stood as one of three pillars of the early church alongside James and John (Gal 2:9). His prominence is evident from Ignatius of Antioch's statement in 107 AD: "I do not command you as Peter and Paul did. They were apostles; I am a convict" (Rom 4:3).

Hence, his personal presence as a traveling missionary who ended up in Rome probably carried significant weight.

Peter: Author and Preacher in Rome

Through John Mark, Peter's testimony became the Gospel of Mark, written in Rome. Papias of Hierapolis (c. 120 AD) explains that "Mark, having become the interpreter of Peter, wrote down accurately whatever he remembered of the things said and done by the Lord." Irenaeus indicates Mark wrote after Peter's death, stating, "After their departure [i.e., the death of Peter and Paul], Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, also transmitted to us in writing what had been preached by Peter" (AH 3.1.1). Other church fathers, including Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, and Origen, similarly attribute Mark's Gospel to Peter's influence.

According to Acts 12:12, Peter had a close relationship with Mark's family, and 1 Peter 5:13 confirms that Mark accompanied Peter to Rome. As a preacher of the Gospel, Mark likely listened to Peter and ordered his testimony about Jesus into a coherent narrative, which we call the Gospel of Mark.

As an author, Peter's contributions extend beyond his influence on Mark's Gospel. He wrote his First Epistle in Rome, with Sylvanus likely serving as the letter carrier (1 Pet 5:12). Second Peter 3:1 references an earlier letter, presumably 1 Peter, suggesting Peter authored this second letter in Rome as well.

Peter's theology was influenced by his experiences with Jesus, which includes his vision of the transfiguration (2 Peter 1:16–21). Peter's theological perspective emerged from his direct experiences as a disciple. His witness of Christ's transfiguration, passion, and resurrection likely contributed to his well-developed trinitarian theology (1 Pet 1:2) and his distinctive view of suffering (1 Pet 5:1).

Peter: Living with a Death Sentence

Peter lived with the knowledge that he would die as a martyr, as Jesus had foretold: "but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go" (John 21:18–19).

Clement of Rome corroborates this prophecy about Peter's death in 1 Clement 5:1–7 (c. AD 95), which notes that "Peter, through unjust envy, endured not one or two but numerous labors, and thus, having given his testimony, departed to the place of glory due to him."

The awareness of his eventual martyrdom shaped Peter's life and preaching, as evidenced in his letters where he wrote, "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps" (1 Pet 2:21) and "rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed" (1 Pet 4:13).

Peter: Martyr under Nero

Peter died in Rome around 64–67 AD during Nero's persecution. Tertullian (c. 200 AD) describes Peter's death as a crucifixion: "At Rome Nero was the first who stained with blood the rising faith. Then is Peter girt by another, when he is made fast to the cross" (Scorpiace §15). Origen (c. 250 AD) adds the detail that Peter was "crucified head downward, for so he had asked to suffer" (EH 3.1.2), a detail later repeated by Eusebius (c. AD 325).