Denying His Best Friend — November 25 [Description]Overview of the Passages:These four Gospel accounts—Matthew 26:69-75, Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:54-65, and John 18:12-27—tell the story of Peter’s denial of Jesus, which took place during the night of Jesus’ arrest.After Jesus is taken into custody, Peter follows at a distance. While Jesus is being interrogated, Peter waits in the courtyard. Three times, people recognize him as a follower of Jesus, and three times, Peter denies it—even calling down curses and swearing he doesn’t know Jesus.Immediately after the third denial, a rooster crows, just as Jesus had predicted. Peter then realizes what he’s done, is overwhelmed with sorrow, and weeps bitterly. Luke uniquely notes that at that moment, Jesus turned and looked at Peter, a piercing and personal moment of conviction.These passages show:- Fear and pressure can cause even the boldest believers to stumble.- Jesus’ prophecy is fulfilled, proving His divine foreknowledge.- Peter’s failure is not the end of his story—it’s the start of repentance and restoration (which later comes in John 21).

Bible discovery

Matthew 26:69-75365D 329.1

69 Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.”365D 329.2

70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.”365D 329.3

71 And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.”365D 329.4

72 But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!”365D 329.5

73 And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.”365D 329.6

74 Then he began to ^{[o]call down curses} curse and ^{[p]Swear oaths} swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed.365D 329.7

75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.365D 329.8

Mark 14:66-72365D 329.9

66 Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came.365D 329.10

67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with Jesus of Nazareth.”365D 329.11

68 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.365D 329.12

69 And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, “This is one of them.”365D 329.13

70 But he denied it again. And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, “Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, ^{[m]NU omits the rest of v. 70.} and your ^[n]accent speech shows it. ”365D 329.14

71 Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this Man of whom you speak!”365D 329.15

72 A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And when he thought about it, he wept.365D 329.16

Luke 22:54-65365D 329.17

54 Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance.365D 329.18

55 Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.365D 329.19

56 And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.”365D 329.20

57 But he denied ^{[g]NU it} Him, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”365D 329.21

58 And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”365D 329.22

59 Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.”365D 329.23

60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, ^{[h]NU, M a rooster} the rooster crowed.365D 329.24

61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster ^{[i]NU adds today} crows, you will deny Me three times.”365D 329.25

62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly.365D 329.26

63 Now the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him.365D 329.27

64 ^{[j]NU And having blindfolded Him, they asked Him} And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, “Prophesy! Who is the one who struck You?”365D 329.28

65 And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him.365D 329.29

John 18:12-27365D 329.30

12 Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him.365D 329.31

13 And they led Him away to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year.365D 329.32

14 Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was ^{[b]advantageous} expedient that one man should die for the people.365D 329.33

15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another ^{[c]M the other} disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.365D 329.34

16 But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in.365D 329.35

17 Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.”365D 329.36

18 Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.365D 329.37

19 The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine.365D 329.38

20 Jesus answered him, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where ^{[d]NU all the Jews meet} the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing.365D 329.39

21 Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed they know what I said.”365D 329.40

22 And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck ^{[e]Lit. gave Jesus a slap,} Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, “Do You answer the high priest like that?”365D 329.41

23 Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?”365D 329.42

24 Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.365D 329.43

25 Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not!”365D 329.44

26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?”365D 329.45

27 Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed.365D 329.46