Knowing The Word in Matthew 26:69-75

Peter Denies Jesus

[The scene turns from Jesus, who stood firm, to Peter, who will not.]

69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean [a derogatory expression].” [Can Peter stand up against a girl?] 70 But he denied it [first denial] before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” 71 And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 And again he denied it [second] with an oath: “I do not know the man.” 73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” 74 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself [such as “I’ll be damned if I know him as the Messiah,” which also puts a curse on Jesus] and to swear, “I do not know the man [third].” And immediately the rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly. [Matthew will not mention Peter by name again.]