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Peter’s Denials

66 Now[a] while Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the high priest’s slave girls[b] came by. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked directly at him and said, “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus.” 68 But he denied it:[c] “I don’t even understand what you’re talking about!”[d] Then[e] he went out to the gateway, and a rooster crowed.[f] 69 When the slave girl saw him, she began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” 70 But he denied it again. A short time later the bystanders again said to Peter, “You must be[g] one of them, because you are also a Galilean.” 71 Then he began to curse, and he swore with an oath, “I do not know this man you are talking about!” 72 Immediately a rooster[h] crowed a second time. Then[i] Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him: “Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.[j]

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 14:66 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
  2. Mark 14:66 tn The Greek term here is παιδίσκη (paidiskē), referring to a slave girl or slave woman.
  3. Mark 14:68 tn Grk “he denied it, saying.” The participle λέγων (legōn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
  4. Mark 14:68 tn Grk “I do not know or understand what you are saying.” In the translation this is taken as a hendiadys (a figure of speech where two terms express a single meaning, usually for emphatic reasons).
  5. Mark 14:68 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
  6. Mark 14:68 tc Several significant witnesses (א B L W Ψ* 579 892) lack the words “and a rooster crowed.” The fact that such good and early Alexandrian witnesses lack these words makes this textual problem difficult to decide, especially because the words receive support from other witnesses, some of which are fairly decent (A C D Θ Ψc 067 ƒ1,13 33 [1424] M lat). The omission could have been intentional on the part of some Alexandrian scribes who wished to bring this text in line with the other Gospel accounts that only mention a rooster crowing once (Matt 26:74; Luke 22:60; John 18:27). The insertion could be an attempt to make the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy in 14:30 more explicit. Internally, the words “and a rooster crowed” fit Mark’s Gospel here, not only in view of 14:30, “before a rooster crows twice,” but also in view of the mention of “a second time” in 14:72 (a reading which is much more textually secure). Nevertheless, a decision is difficult.tn A real rooster crowing is probably in view here (rather than the Roman trumpet call known as gallicinium), in part due to the fact that Mark mentions the rooster crowing twice. See the discussion at Matt 26:74.
  7. Mark 14:70 tn Grk “Truly you are.”
  8. Mark 14:72 tn This occurrence of the word ἀλέκτωρ (alektōr, “rooster”) is anarthrous and consequently may not point back explicitly to the rooster which had crowed previously in v. 68. The reason for the anarthrous construction is most likely to indicate generically that some rooster crowed. Further, the translation of ἀλέκτωρ as an indefinite noun retains the subtlety of the Greek in only hinting at the Lord’s prediction v. 30. See also NAB, TEV, NASB.
  9. Mark 14:72 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
  10. Mark 14:72 tn Grk “he wept deeply.”

66 And kai while Peter Petros was eimi · ho below katō in en the ho courtyard aulē, one heis of the ho maid paidiskē servants of the ho high archiereus priest came by erchomai, 67 and kai seeing · ho Peter Petros warming thermainō himself , she looked emblepō closely at him autos and said legō, “ You sy also kai were eimi with meta the ho Nazarene Nazarēnos, · ho Jesus Iēsous.” 68 But de he ho denied arneomai it, saying legō, “ I neither oute know oida nor oute understand epistamai what tis you sy are saying legō.” And kai he went exerchomai out exō into eis the ho exterior court proaulion, and kai a rooster alektōr crowed phōneō. 69 And kai the ho maid servant paidiskē, seeing him autos, began archō again palin to say legō to those ho who were standing paristēmi around , “ This houtos man is eimi one of ek them autos.” 70 But de again palin he ho denied arneomai it. And kai after meta a little mikros while again palin those ho standing paristēmi around said legō to ho Peter Petros, “ Surely alēthōs you are eimi one of ek them autos, for gar you eimi also kai are eimi a Galilean Galilaios.” 71 Then de Peter ho began archō to call down curses anathematizō on himself and kai to swear omnyō, “ I do not ou know oida · ho this houtos man anthrōpos of whom hos you speak legō!” 72 And kai immediately the rooster alektōr crowed phōneō a second time ek. Then kai Peter Petros remembered anamimnēskō · ho the ho word rhēma that hōs Jesus Iēsous had said legō to him autos, · ho Before prin the rooster alektōr crows phōneō twice dis, you will deny aparneomai me egō three tris times .” And kai upon reflection epiballō, he broke klaiō into tears .

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