1. Acts 10:5 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

Why did Peter have so many names?

Acts 10:5 (ESV)

5 And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter.

Peter was originally known as Simon the son of John (John 1:42). When he first met with Jesus, Jesus gave him a new name, Cephas (see Galatians 2:11) which means Peter. Cephas is Aramaic for rock and Peter is Greek for rock. In reality then Peter had two names: Simon and Rock (Peter/Cephas).