But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.” And he went out onto the porch.
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.
- BSB 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.
- 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.
- 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 14:29–31But Peter said to him, “Although all will be offended, yet I will not.”
- 2 Tim 2:12–13If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us.
- John 13:36–38Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you can’t follow now, but you will follow afterwards.”
- Matt 26:71–72When he had gone out onto the porch, someone else saw him, and said to those who were there, “This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
- Mark 14:72The rooster crowed the second time. Peter remembered the word, how that Jesus said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” When he thought about that, he wept.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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.