Mark 14:66-72·~1 min

Peter Denies Jesus

Peter stays in the courtyard while a servant girl identifies him as one who was with Jesus. He denies knowing Jesus, denies again when the charge is repeated, then curses and swears, and the second rooster crow brings his collapse into tears.

W⁶⁶hile Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the servant girls of the high priest came down ⁶⁷and saw him warming himself there. She looked at Peter and said, “You also were with Jesus the Nazarene.” ⁶⁸But 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. ⁶⁹There the servant girl saw him and again said to those standing nearby, “This man is one of them.” ⁷⁰But he denied it again. ⁷¹But he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak!” ⁷²And immediately the rooster crowed a second time.

Section summaryIn the courtyard below, Peter is recognized as one who was with Jesus, and he denies it. The charge is repeated, and Peter denies again, then curses and swears that he does not know the man. The rooster crow follows at once, and Peter breaks into tears.

Role in the chapterThis closing movement turns proximity into denial and ends the chapter in grief.