And Peter remembred the words of Iesus, which said vnto him, Before the cocke crow, thou shalt denie mee thrice. And hee went out, and wept bitterly. And againe hee denied with an oath, I doe not know the man. And after a while came vnto him they that stood by, and saide to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them, for thy speech bewrayeth thee.
Parallel Translations
Christian Standard Bible®
and Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”
King James Version
And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
English Standard Version
And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.
New American Standard Bible
And Peter remembered the statement that Jesus had made: "Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.
New Century Version
And Peter remembered what Jesus had told him: "Before the rooster crows, you will say three times that you don't know me." Then Peter went outside and cried painfully.
Amplified Bible
And Peter remembered the [prophetic] words of Jesus, when He had said, "Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly [in repentance].
New American Standard Bible (1995)
And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, "Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.
Legacy Standard Bible
And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, "Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." And he went out and cried bitterly.
Berean Standard Bible
Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Contemporary English Version
and Peter remembered that Jesus had said, "Before a rooster crows, you will say three times that you don't know me." Then Peter went out and cried hard.
Complete Jewish Bible
Kefa remembered what Yeshua had said, "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times"; and he went outside and cried bitterly.
Darby Translation
And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, who had said [to him], Before [the] cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went forth without, and wept bitterly.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then he remembered what Jesus had told him: "Before the rooster crows, you will say three times that you don't know me." Then Peter went outside and cried bitterly.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Peter remembred the wordes of Iesus, which had sayde vnto him, Before the cocke crowe thou shalt denie me thrise. So he went out, and wept bitterly.
George Lamsa Translation
And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which he had said to him, Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times. And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Good News Translation
and Peter remembered what Jesus had told him: "Before the rooster crows, you will say three times that you do not know me." He went out and wept bitterly.
Lexham English Bible
And Peter remembered the statement Jesus had said, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times," and he went outside and wept bitterly.
Literal Translation
And Peter recalled the word of Jesus, saying to him, Before a cock crows, you will deny Me three times. And going out, he wept bitterly.
American Standard Version
And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
Bible in Basic English
And the word of Jesus came back to Peter, when he said, Before the hour of the cock's cry, you will say three times that you have no knowledge of me. And he went out, weeping bitterly.
Hebrew Names Version
Kefa remembered the word which Yeshua had said to him, "Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." He went out and wept bitterly.
International Standard Version Peter remembered the words of Jesus when he said, "Before a rooster crows, you will deny me three times." Then he went outside and cried bitterly.Matthew 26:34;
Mark 14:30;
Luke 22:61-62;
John 13:38;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
And Kipha remembered the word of Jeshu, who had said to him, That before the cock shall crow, three times wilt thou have denied me. And he went without, and wept bitterly.
Murdock Translation
And Cephas remembered the declaration of Jesus, who said to him: Before the cock croweth, thou wilt three times deny me. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Peter remembred the worde of Iesu, which sayde vnto hym, before the Cocke crowe, thou shalt denie me thrise: and he went out, and wept bytterly.
English Revised Version
And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
World English Bible
Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said to him, "Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." He went out and wept bitterly.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, who said to him, Before cock-crowing thou wilt deny me thrice. And he went out and wept bitterly.
Weymouth's New Testament
and Peter recollected the words of Jesus, how He had said, "Before the cock crows you will three times disown me." And he went out and wept aloud, bitterly.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Petir bithouyte on the word of Jhesu, that he hadde seid, Bifore the cok crowe, thries thou schalt denye me. And he yede out, and wepte bitterli.
Update Bible Version
And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, Before the rooster crows, you shall deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, who said to him, Before the cock shall crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
New English Translation
Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: "Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly.
New King James Version
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.
New Living Translation
Suddenly, Jesus' words flashed through Peter's mind: "Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me." And he went away, weeping bitterly.
New Life Bible
Peter remembered the words Jesus had said to him, "Before a rooster crows, you will say three times you do not know Me." Peter went outside and cried with loud cries.
New Revised Standard
Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: "Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Peter was put in mind of the declaration of Jesus, of his having said - Before a cock crow, thrice, wilt thou utterly deny me; and, going forth outside, he wept bitterly.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Peter remembered the word of Jesus which he had said: Before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. And going forth, he wept bitterly.
Revised Standard Version
And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, "Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And Peter remembred the wordes of Iesu which sayde vnto him: before the cocke crowe thou shalt deny me thryse: and went out at the dores and wepte bitterly.
Young's Literal Translation
and Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, he having said to him -- `Before cock-crowing, thrice thou wilt deny me;' and having gone without, he did weep bitterly.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then thought Peter vpon the wordes of Iesus, which sayde vnto him: before the cock crow, thou shalt denye me thryse. And he wente out, and wepte bytterly.
Mace New Testament (1729)
when Peter remembred what Jesus had said to him, "before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice." and he went out, and wept bitterly.
Simplified Cowboy Version
Then Pete remembered the words Jesus had spoken to him, "When you hear the cock crow, you will have denied ridin' with me three times." Pete loped away and wept like a child.
Contextual Overview
69span data-lang="eng" data-trans="kja" data-ref="mat.26.1" class="versetxt"> And it came to passe, when Iesus had finished al these sayings, hee said vnto his disciples, Ye know that after two dayes is the feast of the Passeouer, and the Sonne of man is betrayed to be crucified. Then assembled together the chiefe Priests, and the Scribes, and the Elders of the people, vnto the palace of the high Priest, who was called Caiaphas, And consulted that they might take Iesus by subtiltie, and kill him. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there bee an vproare among the people. Now when Iesus was in Bethanie, in the house of Simon the leper, There came vnto him a woman, hauing an alabaster boxe of very precious ointment, and powred it on his head, as he sate at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might haue bin sold for much, and giuen to the poore. When Iesus vnderstood it, he said vnto them, Why trouble ye the woman? For she hath wrought a good worke vpon me. For ye haue the poore alwayes with you, but me ye haue not alwayes. For in that she hath powred this ointment on my body, shee did it for my buriall. Uerely I say vnto you, Wheresoeuer this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memoriall of her. Then one of the twelue, called Iudas Iscariot, went vnto the chiefe Priests, And said vnto them, What will ye giue me, and I will deliuer him vnto you? And they couenanted with him for thirtie pieces of siluer. And from that time he sought opportunitie to betray him. Now the first day of the feast of vnleauened bread, the disciples came to Iesus, saying vnto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the Passeouer? And he said, Goe into the citie to such a man, and say vnto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand, I will keepe the Passeouer at thy house with my disciples. And the disciples did, as Iesus had appointed them, and they made ready the Passeouer. Now when the euen was come, he sate downe with the twelue. And as they did eate, he said, Uerely I say vnto you, that one of you shal betray me. And they were exceeding sorowfull, and began euery one of them to say vnto him, Lord, Is it I? And he answered and said, Hee that dippeth his hand with mee in the dish, the same shall betray me. The sonne of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe vnto that man by whom the sonne of man is betrayed: It had bin good for that man, if hee had not bene borne. Then Iudas, which betrayed him, answered, and said, Master, Is it I? He said vnto him, Thou hast said. And as they were eating, Iesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gaue it to the Disciples, and said, Take, eate, this is my body. And he tooke the cup, and gaue thankes, and gaue it to them, saying, Drinke ye all of it: For this is my blood of the new Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes. But I say vnto you, I will not drinke henceforth of this fruite of the vine, vntill that day when I drinke it new with you in my fathers kingdom. And when they had sung an hymne, they went out into the mount of Oliues. Then saith Iesus vnto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night, For it is written, I will smite the Shepheard, and the sheepe of the flocke shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen againe, I will goe before you into Galilee. Peter answered, and said vnto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I neuer be offended. Iesus said vnto him, Uerily I say vnto thee, that this might before the cocke crow, thou shalt denie me thrise. Peter said vnto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not denie thee. Likewise also said all the Disciples. Then commeth Iesus with them vnto a place called Gethsemane, and saith vnto the Disciples, Sit yee heere, while I goe and pray yonder. And hee tooke with him Peter, and the two sonnes of Zebedee, and beganne to be sorrowful, and very heauie. Then saith he vnto them, My soule is exceeding sorrowfull, euen vnto death: tary ye heere, & watch with me. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my father, if it be possible, let this cup passe from me: neuerthelesse, not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he commeth vnto the Disciples, and findeth them asleepe, and saith vnto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one houre? Watch and pray, that yee enter not into temptation: The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weake. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my father, if this cup may not passe away from me, except I drinke it, thy will be done. And he came and found them asleep againe: For their eies were heauie. And he left them, and went away againe, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then commeth he to his Disciples, and saith vnto them, Sleepe on now, and take your rest, behold, the houre is at hand, and the sonne of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let vs be going: behold, he is at hand that doeth betray me. And while yet spake, loe, Iudas one of the twelue came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staues from the chiefe Priests and Elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him, gaue them a signe, saying, Whomsoeuer I shall kisse, that same is he, hold him fast. And forthwith hee came to Iesus, and said, Haile master, and kissed him. And Iesus said vnto him, Friend, Wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid handes on Iesus, and tooke him. And behold, one of them which were with Iesus, stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and stroke a seruant of the high Priests, and smote off his eare. Then said Iesus vnto him, Put vp againe thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword, shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my father, and he shall presently giue me more then twelue legions of Angels? But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? In that same houre said Iesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thiefe with swords and staues for to take mee? I sate daily with you teaching in the Temple, and ye laide no hold on me. But all this was done, that the Scriptures of the Prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the Disciples forsooke him, and fled: And they that had laid hold on Iesus, led him away to Caiaphas the high Priest, where the Scribes and the Elders were assembled. But Peter followed him afarre off, vnto the high Priests palace, and went in, and sate with the seruants to see the end. Now the chiefe Priests and Elders, and all the councell, sought false witnesse against Iesus to put him to death, But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the Temple of God, and to build it in three dayes. And the high Priest arose, and said vnto him, Answerest thou nothing? What is it, which these witnesse against thee? But Iesus held his peace. And the high Priest answered, and said vnto him, I adiure thee by the liuing God, that thou tell vs, whether thou bee the Christ the Sonne of God. Iesus saith vnto him, Thou hast saide: Neuerthelesse I say vnto you, Hereafter shall yee see the Sonne of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heauen. Then the high Priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemie: what further need haue wee of witnesses? Behold, now ye haue heard his blasphemie. What thinke ye? They answered and said, He is guiltie of death. Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him, and others smote him with the palmes of their hands, Saying, Prophecie vnto vs, thou Christ, who is he that smote thee? 70 Now Peter sate without in the palace: and a damosell came vnto him, saying, Thou also wast with Iesus of Galilee. 71 But hee denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou saiest. 72 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maide saw him, and saide vnto them that were there, This fellow was also with Iesus of Nazareth. Then beganne hee to curse and to sweare, saying, I know not the man. And immediatly the cocke crew. And Peter remembred the words of Iesus, which said vnto him, Before the cocke crow, thou shalt denie mee thrice. And hee went out, and wept bitterly. And againe hee denied with an oath, I doe not know the man. And after a while came vnto him they that stood by, and saide to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them, for thy speech bewrayeth thee. 73span data-lang="eng" data-trans="kja" data-ref="mat.26.1" class="versetxt"> And it came to passe, when Iesus had finished al these sayings, hee said vnto his disciples, Ye know that after two dayes is the feast of the Passeouer, and the Sonne of man is betrayed to be crucified. Then assembled together the chiefe Priests, and the Scribes, and the Elders of the people, vnto the palace of the high Priest, who was called Caiaphas, And consulted that they might take Iesus by subtiltie, and kill him. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there bee an vproare among the people. Now when Iesus was in Bethanie, in the house of Simon the leper, There came vnto him a woman, hauing an alabaster boxe of very precious ointment, and powred it on his head, as he sate at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might haue bin sold for much, and giuen to the poore. When Iesus vnderstood it, he said vnto them, Why trouble ye the woman? For she hath wrought a good worke vpon me. For ye haue the poore alwayes with you, but me ye haue not alwayes. For in that she hath powred this ointment on my body, shee did it for my buriall. Uerely I say vnto you, Wheresoeuer this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memoriall of her. Then one of the twelue, called Iudas Iscariot, went vnto the chiefe Priests, And said vnto them, What will ye giue me, and I will deliuer him vnto you? And they couenanted with him for thirtie pieces of siluer. And from that time he sought opportunitie to betray him. Now the first day of the feast of vnleauened bread, the disciples came to Iesus, saying vnto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the Passeouer? And he said, Goe into the citie to such a man, and say vnto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand, I will keepe the Passeouer at thy house with my disciples. And the disciples did, as Iesus had appointed them, and they made ready the Passeouer. Now when the euen was come, he sate downe with the twelue. And as they did eate, he said, Uerely I say vnto you, that one of you shal betray me. And they were exceeding sorowfull, and began euery one of them to say vnto him, Lord, Is it I? And he answered and said, Hee that dippeth his hand with mee in the dish, the same shall betray me. The sonne of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe vnto that man by whom the sonne of man is betrayed: It had bin good for that man, if hee had not bene borne. Then Iudas, which betrayed him, answered, and said, Master, Is it I? He said vnto him, Thou hast said. And as they were eating, Iesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gaue it to the Disciples, and said, Take, eate, this is my body. And he tooke the cup, and gaue thankes, and gaue it to them, saying, Drinke ye all of it: For this is my blood of the new Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes. But I say vnto you, I will not drinke henceforth of this fruite of the vine, vntill that day when I drinke it new with you in my fathers kingdom. And when they had sung an hymne, they went out into the mount of Oliues. Then saith Iesus vnto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night, For it is written, I will smite the Shepheard, and the sheepe of the flocke shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen againe, I will goe before you into Galilee. Peter answered, and said vnto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I neuer be offended. Iesus said vnto him, Uerily I say vnto thee, that this might before the cocke crow, thou shalt denie me thrise. Peter said vnto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not denie thee. Likewise also said all the Disciples. Then commeth Iesus with them vnto a place called Gethsemane, and saith vnto the Disciples, Sit yee heere, while I goe and pray yonder. And hee tooke with him Peter, and the two sonnes of Zebedee, and beganne to be sorrowful, and very heauie. Then saith he vnto them, My soule is exceeding sorrowfull, euen vnto death: tary ye heere, & watch with me. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my father, if it be possible, let this cup passe from me: neuerthelesse, not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he commeth vnto the Disciples, and findeth them asleepe, and saith vnto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one houre? Watch and pray, that yee enter not into temptation: The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weake. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my father, if this cup may not passe away from me, except I drinke it, thy will be done. And he came and found them asleep againe: For their eies were heauie. And he left them, and went away againe, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then commeth he to his Disciples, and saith vnto them, Sleepe on now, and take your rest, behold, the houre is at hand, and the sonne of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let vs be going: behold, he is at hand that doeth betray me. And while yet spake, loe, Iudas one of the twelue came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staues from the chiefe Priests and Elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him, gaue them a signe, saying, Whomsoeuer I shall kisse, that same is he, hold him fast. And forthwith hee came to Iesus, and said, Haile master, and kissed him. And Iesus said vnto him, Friend, Wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid handes on Iesus, and tooke him. And behold, one of them which were with Iesus, stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and stroke a seruant of the high Priests, and smote off his eare. Then said Iesus vnto him, Put vp againe thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword, shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my father, and he shall presently giue me more then twelue legions of Angels? But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? In that same houre said Iesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thiefe with swords and staues for to take mee? I sate daily with you teaching in the Temple, and ye laide no hold on me. But all this was done, that the Scriptures of the Prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the Disciples forsooke him, and fled: And they that had laid hold on Iesus, led him away to Caiaphas the high Priest, where the Scribes and the Elders were assembled. But Peter followed him afarre off, vnto the high Priests palace, and went in, and sate with the seruants to see the end. Now the chiefe Priests and Elders, and all the councell, sought false witnesse against Iesus to put him to death, But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the Temple of God, and to build it in three dayes. And the high Priest arose, and said vnto him, Answerest thou nothing? What is it, which these witnesse against thee? But Iesus held his peace. And the high Priest answered, and said vnto him, I adiure thee by the liuing God, that thou tell vs, whether thou bee the Christ the Sonne of God. Iesus saith vnto him, Thou hast saide: Neuerthelesse I say vnto you, Hereafter shall yee see the Sonne of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heauen. Then the high Priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemie: what further need haue wee of witnesses? Behold, now ye haue heard his blasphemie. What thinke ye? They answered and said, He is guiltie of death. Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him, and others smote him with the palmes of their hands, Saying, Prophecie vnto vs, thou Christ, who is he that smote thee? Now Peter sate without in the palace: and a damosell came vnto him, saying, Thou also wast with Iesus of Galilee. But hee denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou saiest. And when he was gone out into the porch, another maide saw him, and saide vnto them that were there, This fellow was also with Iesus of Nazareth. 74 Then beganne hee to curse and to sweare, saying, I know not the man. And immediatly the cocke crew. 75 And Peter remembred the words of Iesus, which said vnto him, Before the cocke crow, thou shalt denie mee thrice. And hee went out, and wept bitterly. And againe hee denied with an oath, I doe not know the man. And after a while came vnto him they that stood by, and saide to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them, for thy speech bewrayeth thee.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
remembered: Matthew 26:34, Luke 22:61, Luke 22:62, John 13:38
And he: Matthew 27:3-5, Luke 22:31-34, Romans 7:18-20, 1 Corinthians 4:7, Galatians 6:1, 1 Peter 1:5
Reciprocal: Leviticus 13:23 - General 1 Kings 20:11 - Let not him 1 Chronicles 4:10 - that it may Song of Solomon 5:6 - my soul Isaiah 22:4 - Weep bitterly Zechariah 12:10 - they shall mourn Mark 14:72 - General Luke 6:42 - cast Luke 22:32 - and when Luke 22:60 - the cock John 18:27 - and John 21:17 - grieved 2 Corinthians 7:7 - mourning 2 Corinthians 7:10 - repentance 2 Timothy 2:12 - if we deny
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And Peter remembered the words of Jesus,.... Forgetfulness of God, of his works, of his words, and of his law, of his revealed mind and will, is often the cause of sin; and a remembrance of things is necessary to the recovery of a fallen or backsliding professor; as, of what he is fallen from, of the love and kindness of God formerly shown to him, of his evil ways and works he is fallen into, and of the words and truths of Christ he has been very indifferent unto and lukewarm about:
which said unto him, before the cock crow, or is done crowing,
thou shalt deny me thrice; which he was put in mind of on hearing the cock crow. So by one means, or another, sometimes by some remarkable providence, and sometimes by the ministry of the word, God is pleased to alarm and awaken sleepy professors, backsliding believers, and remind them of their condition and duty, and restore them by repentance, as he did Peter:
and he went out; of the high priest's palace, either through fear, lest he should be seen weeping, and be suspected; or rather through shame, not being able to continue where his Lord was, when he had so shamefully denied him; as also to leave the company he had got into, being sensible he was wrong in mingling himself with such, and thereby exposed himself to these temptations; as well as to vent his grief in tears privately:
and wept bitterly; being thoroughly sensible what an evil and bitter thing the sin was, he had been guilty of: his repentance sprung from Christ's looking upon him, and from his looking to Jesus, and was truly evangelical: it was a sorrow after a godly sort, and was increased by the discoveries of Christ's love unto him; and was attended with faith in him, and views of pardon through him: the Persic version adds, "and his sin is forgiven"; which, though not in the text, yet is a truth; for Peter's repentance was not like Cain's, nor Esau's, nor Judas's; it was not the repentance of one in despair, but was a repentance unto life and salvation, which needed not to be repented of.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
And Peter remembered the word of Jesus ... - Luke has mentioned a beautiful and touching circumstance omitted by the other evangelists, that when the cock crew, “Jesus turned and looked upon Peter,” and that then he remembered his words. They were in the same room - Jesus at the upper end of the hall, elevated for a tribunal and Peter below with the servants, so that Jesus could look down upon Peter standing near the fire. By a tender and compassionate look - a single glance of his eye the injured Saviour brought to remembrance all Peter’s promises, his own predictions, and the great guilt of the disciple; he overwhelmed him with the remembrance of his sin, and pierced his heart through with many sorrows. The consciousness of deep and awful guilt rushed over Peter’s soul; he flew from the palace, he went where he might be alone in the darkness of the night, and “wept bitterly.”
The fall of Peter is one of the most melancholy instances of depravity ever committed in our world. But a little while before so confident; seated at the table of the Lord; distinguished throughout the ministry of Christ with special favors; cautioned against this very thing; yet so soon denying him, forgetting his promises, and profanely calling on God to witness what he knew to be false - that he did not know him! Had it been only once, it would have been awful guilt - guilt deeply piercing the Redeemer’s soul in the day of trial; but it was three times repeated, and at last with profane cursing and swearing. Yet, while we weep over Peter’s fall, and seek not to palliate his crime, we should draw from it important practical uses:
1. The danger of self-confidence. “He that thinketh he standeth should take heed lest he fall” 1 Corinthians 10:12. True Christian confidence is that which relies on God for strength, and feels safety only in the belief that he is able and willing to keep from temptation.
2. The highest favors, the most exalted privileges, do not secure us from the danger of falling into sin. Few men were ever so highly favored as Peter; few ever so dreadfully departed from the Saviour, and brought so deep a scandal on religion.
3. When a man begins to sin; his fall from one act to another is easy - perhaps almost certain. At first, Peter’s sin was only simple denial; then it increased to more violent affirmation, and ended with open profaneness. So the downward road of crime is easy. When sin is once indulged, the way is open for a whole deluge of crime, nor is the course easily stayed until the soul is overwhelmed in awful guilt.
4. True repentance is deep, thorough, bitter. Peter wept bitterly. It was sincere sorrow - sorrow proportioned to the nature of the offence he had committed.
5. A look from Jesus - a look of mingled affection, pity, and reproof - produces bitter sorrow for sin. We injure Him by our crimes; and His tender look, when we err, pierces the soul through with many sorrows, opens fountains of tears in the bosom, and leads us to weep with bitterness over our transgressions.
6. When we sin when we fall into temptation - let us retire from the world, seek the place of solitude, and pour out our sorrows before God. He will mark our groans; he will hear our sighs; he will behold our tears; and he will receive us to his arms again.
7. Real Christians may be suffered to go far astray. To show them their weakness, to check self-confidence, and to produce dependence on Jesus Christ, they may be permitted to show how weak, and feeble, and rash they are. Peter was a real believer. Jesus had prayed for him “that his faith should fail not,” Luke 22:32. Jesus was always heard in his prayer, John 11:42. He was heard, therefore, then. Peter’s faith did not fail - that is, his belief in Jesus, his real piety, his true attachment to the Saviour. He knew during the whole transaction that Jesus was the Messiah, and that he himself was well acquainted with him; but he was suffered to declare that which he knew was not true, and in this consisted his sin. Yet,
8. Though a Christian may be suffered to go astray - may fall into sin - yet he who should, from this example of Peter, think that he might, lawfully do it, or who should resolve to do it, thinking that he might, like Peter, weep and repent, would give evidence that he knew nothing of the grace of God. He that resolves to sin under the expectation of repenting hereafter “cannot be a Christian.”
It is worthy of further remark, that the fact that the fall of Peter is recorded by “all” the evangelists is high proof of their “honestly.” They were willing to tell the truth as it was; to conceal no fact, even if it made much against themselves, and to make mention of their own faults without attempting to appear to be better than they were. And it is worthy of special observation that Mark has recorded this with all the circumstances of aggravation, perhaps even more so than the others. Yet, by the universal belief of antiquity, the Gospel of Mark was written under Peter’s direction, and every part of it submitted to him for examination. Higher proof of the honesty and candor of the evangelists could not be demanded.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Matthew 26:75. Peter remembered the word of Jesus — St. Luke says, Luke 22:61, The Lord turned and looked upon Peter. So it appears he was nigh to our Lord, either at the time when the cock crew, or shortly after. The delicacy of this reproof was great - he must be reproved and alarmed, otherwise he will proceed yet farther in his iniquity; Christ is in bonds, and cannot go and speak to him; if he call aloud, the disciple is discovered, and falls a victim to Jewish malice and Roman jealousy; he therefore does the whole by a look. In the hand of Omnipotence every thing is easy, and he can save by a few, as well as by many.
He went out — He left the place where he had sinned, and the company which had been the occasion of his transgression.
And wept bitterly. — Felt bitter anguish of soul, which evidenced itself by the tears of contrition which flowed plentifully from his eyes. Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall! Where the mighty have been slain, what shall support the feeble? Only the grace of the ALMIGHTY God.
This transaction is recorded by the inspired penmen,
1st. That all may watch unto prayer, and shun the occasions of sin.
2dly. That if a man be unhappily overtaken in a fault, he may not despair, but cast himself immediately with a contrite heart on the infinite tenderness and compassion of God. See the notes on John 18:27.
I have touched on the subject of our Lord's anointing but slightly in the preceding notes, because the controversy upon this point is not yet settled; and, except to harmonists, it is a matter of comparatively little importance. Bishop Newcome has written largely on this fact, and I insert an extract from his notes.
