25Now Simon Peter was already standing and warming himself. So they said to him, 'You are not also one of his disciples, are you?' He denied it and said, 'I am not.' [18:26] One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, 'Did I not see you in the garden with him?' [18:27] Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.
JHN 18:25-27
Peterʼs Second and Third Denials
In the world it was spoken into
In the courtyard of the high priest, Peter’s denials occur in a setting charged with tension and danger. The high priest’s household, a center of religious and political power, was guarded by slaves who were bound to their master’s authority. Peter, warming himself by the fire, was surrounded by these slaves and others associated with the high priest. The question posed to Peter—whether he was one of Jesus’ disciples—carried an implicit accusation, as association with Jesus could lead to arrest or worse. The use of in the question suggests the speaker expected a denial, reflecting the precariousness of Peter’s position. The kinsman of the servant whose ear Peter had cut off in the garden further intensified the confrontation, as this man’s accusation was based on firsthand knowledge. Peter’s repeated denials, culminating in the crowing of the rooster, would have been understood as a failure of loyalty in a culture where honor and shame were paramount.
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How other translations render this
JHN 18:25
- KJV
- And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.
- BSB
- Simon Peter was still standing and warming himself. So they asked him, “Arenʼt you also one of His disciples?” He denied it and said, “I am not.”
- Koinōnos
- Now Simon Peter was already standing and warming himself. So they said to him, 'You are not also one of his disciples, are you?' He denied it and said, 'I am not.
JHN 18:26
- KJV
- One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?
- BSB
- One of the high priestʼs servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Didnʼt I see you with Him in the garden?”
- Koinōnos
- One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, 'Did I not see you in the garden with him?
JHN 18:27
- KJV
- Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.
- BSB
- Peter denied it once more, and immediately a rooster crowed.
- Koinōnos
- Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
JHN 18:25
- already standing:The word translated 'already standing' can also imply a state of being fixed or established, suggesting Peter was not just physically standing, but perhaps rooted in his position near the fire.
- warming himself.:The term used here for 'warming himself' suggests an active and continuous process, indicating Peter was deliberately and repeatedly seeking warmth from the fire.
- Surely:The word translated 'Surely' here is actually a negative particle in the original, implying a question that expects a negative answer, conveying a sense of disbelief or denial from the speaker.
JHN 18:26
- servants:The word translated 'servants' here refers specifically to a 'slave' or 'bondservant,' indicating a person who was the property of another, rather than a hired employee.