But he denied it. “I do not know or even understand what you are talking about,” he said. Then he went out to the gateway, and the rooster crowed.
Parallel translations
- WEB But he denied it, saying, “I neither know, nor understand what you are saying.” He went out on the porch, and the rooster crowed.
- KJV But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.
- NKJV But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are saying.” And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.
- NASB But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.” And he went out onto the porch.
- NLT But Peter denied it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, and he went out into the entryway. Just then, a rooster crowed.
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 denies knowing Jesus and withdraws as the rooster crows. His first denial begins to fulfill Jesus' prediction.
Overview
Peter pretends ignorance and moves away to avoid further questioning. The crowing rooster signals that Jesus' word is being fulfilled exactly. His denial shows that even sincere disciples fail apart from grace, and it prepares for his sorrowful repentance.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Mark 14:29–31Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I never will.”
- 2 Tim 2:12–13if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will also deny us;
- John 13:36–38“Lord, where are You going?” Simon Peter asked. Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now, but you will follow later.”
- Matt 26:71–72When Peter had gone out to the gateway, another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
- Mark 14:72And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And he broke down and wept.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 14:68 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.