Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Jesus said to him, “Most certainly I tell you that tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”
- KJV Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
- BSB “Truly I tell you,” Jesus declared, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
- NKJV Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
- NASB Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
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
Jesus tells Peter he will deny Him three times before the rooster crows. He foretells the very failure Peter denies is possible.
Overview
Jesus answers Peter's boast with precise foreknowledge of his threefold denial that same night. The prediction underscores Jesus's divine insight and the frailty of even the most devoted disciple. It also sets the stage for grace, since the one who would fall so badly would later be restored and used mightily.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- John 13:38Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for me? Most certainly I tell you, the rooster won’t crow until you have denied me three times.
- Luke 22:34He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will by no means crow today until you deny that you know me three times.”
- Matt 26:75Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” He went out and wept bitterly.
- Mark 14:30–31Jesus said to him, “Most certainly I tell you, that you today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 26:34 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.