Bible Strands
Matthew 14:31
Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter. “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Jesus speaks to Peter, who has just begun to sink in the sea after walking toward Him on the water. The moment is the instant between Peter's cry "Lord, save me!" and his rescue.
The words — ἐπελᾶβετο (epelabeto), "took hold," is middle voice, marking a deliberate personal grasp rather than a generic act of saving. εὐθὺς (euthēōs), "immediately," fixes the response at zero delay.
The thread — The hand extended in rescue echoes Psalm 138:7 ("You extend Your hand"), and the rebuke of doubt parallels James 1:6, where the doubter is "like a wave of the sea."
Why it lands — The question "why did you doubt?" is not a theological puzzle but a diagnostic: it asks the reader to identify the exact moment their own grip on the situation slipped from trust to fear.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
Cross-references
- James 1:6 But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
- Psalms 138:7 If I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve me from the anger of my foes; You extend Your hand, and Your right hand saves me.
- Genesis 22:14 And Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. So to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”
- Matthew 8:26 “You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm.
- Matthew 17:20 “Because you have so little faith,” He answered. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
- Luke 22:31 Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you like wheat.
- Mark 5:41 Taking her by the hand, Jesus said, “Talitha koum!” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”
- Isaiah 63:12 who sent His glorious arm to lead them by the right hand of Moses, who divided the waters before them to gain for Himself everlasting renown,
- Matthew 6:30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
- Matthew 16:8 Aware of their conversation, Jesus said, “You of little faith, why are you debating among yourselves about having no bread?