31Then Jesus said to them: "All you yourselves will be caused to stumble at Me during this night. For it has been written: 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' [26:32] But after I am raised, I will go before you into Galilee." [26:33] Now Peter, having answered, said to Him: "If all will be caused to stumble because of You, I myself will never be caused to stumble." [26:34] Jesus was saying to him: "Amen, I say to you that during this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." [26:35] Peter said to Him: "Even if it is necessary for me to die with You, I will certainly not deny You." Likewise, all the disciples also said the same.
MAT 26:31-35
Jesus Predicts Peterʼs Denial
In the world it was spoken into
In this passage, Jesus speaks to His disciples during the Passover meal, a deeply significant Jewish ritual commemorating deliverance from Egypt. His prediction that they will 'fall away' draws from Zechariah 13:7, invoking the image of a shepherd struck and sheep scattered—a metaphor familiar to agrarian Galilean listeners. Peter’s vehement denial, marked by the emphatic 'never' , reflects the honor-shame culture of the Mediterranean world, where loyalty to a leader was paramount. Peter’s declaration that he would die with Jesus aligns with the cultural expectation of unwavering allegiance to one’s teacher or patron. Jesus’ response, using the solemn 'Amen' and predicting Peter’s denial before the rooster crows, underscores the gravity of Peter’s failure. Roosters crowing at dawn were a common marker of time in Roman-controlled Judea, making this prediction both vivid and humiliating. The exchange highlights the tension between human confidence and divine foreknowledge, set against the backdrop of impending betrayal and Roman authority.
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How other translations render this
MAT 26:31
- KJV
- Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
- BSB
- Then Jesus said to them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of Me. For it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
- Koinōnos
- Then Jesus said to them: "All you yourselves will be caused to stumble at Me during this night. For it has been written: 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.
MAT 26:32
- KJV
- But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.
- BSB
- But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
- Koinōnos
- But after I am raised, I will go before you into Galilee.
MAT 26:33
- KJV
- Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.
- BSB
- Peter said to Him, “Even if all fall away on account of You, I never will.”
- Koinōnos
- Now Peter, having answered, said to Him: "If all will be caused to stumble because of You, I myself will never be caused to stumble.
MAT 26:34
- KJV
- Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
- BSB
- “Truly I tell you,” Jesus declared, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
- Koinōnos
- Jesus was saying to him: "Amen, I say to you that during this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.
MAT 26:35
- KJV
- Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
- BSB
- Peter replied, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You.” And all the other disciples said the same thing.
- Koinōnos
- Peter said to Him: "Even if it is necessary for me to die with You, I will certainly not deny You." Likewise, all the disciples also said the same.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
MAT 26:31
- will fall away:The word translated 'will fall away' implies being caused to stumble or taking offense, leading to a moral or spiritual lapse, rather than just a simple departure.
MAT 26:33
- I myself:The phrase 'I myself' is a strong double negative in the original language, emphasizing Peter's absolute certainty that he would never deny Jesus.
MAT 26:34
- was saying:The word translated 'was saying' indicates an ongoing or repeated action, suggesting Jesus' statement was not a one-time utterance but a continuous declaration.
MAT 26:35
- certainly:The word translated 'certainly' is a strong negative, emphasizing Peter's absolute and unequivocal denial that he would ever disown Jesus.