But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.
Parallel translations
- WEB Peter had followed him from a distance, until he came into the court of the high priest. He was sitting with the officers, and warming himself in the light of the fire.
- KJV And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.
- BSB Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the officers and warmed himself by the fire.
- NASB And Peter had followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the officers and warming himself at the fire.
- NLT Meanwhile, Peter followed him at a distance and went right into the high priest’s courtyard. There he sat with the guards, warming himself by the fire.
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
Peter follows at a distance into the courtyard and sits with the guards. His half-hearted nearness sets the stage for his denials.
Overview
Peter's following from afar shows both lingering love and fearful distance. By warming himself among Jesus' enemies he places himself in the path of temptation. Mark interweaves Peter's failure with Jesus' faithful confession, sharpening the contrast between them.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- John 18:18Now the servants and the officers were standing there, having made a fire of coals, for it was cold. They were warming themselves. Peter was with them, standing and warming himself.
- Matt 26:3Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas.
- John 18:25Now 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.”
- John 18:15–16Simon Peter followed Jesus, as did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and entered in with Jesus into the court of the high priest;
- Mark 14:67–68and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him, and said, “You were also with the Nazarene, Jesus!”
- 1 Kgs 19:9He came to a cave there, and camped there; and behold, Yahweh’s word came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
- 1 Kgs 19:13When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle, went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. Behold, a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
- 1 Sam 13:7Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
- Matt 26:58But Peter followed him from a distance, to the court of the high priest, and entered in and sat with the officers, to see the end.
- Luke 22:44Being in agony he prayed more earnestly. His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.
- Mark 14:38Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
- Mark 14:29–31But Peter said to him, “Although all will be offended, yet I will not.”
- Luke 22:55–56When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard, and had sat down together, Peter sat among them.
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 14:54 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.