Peter Denies Jesus
While Jesus is on trial, Peter denies knowing Him three times, just as Jesus predicted. When the rooster crows, Peter remembers and weeps bitterly.
Then seizing Jesus, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them.
A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, 'This man was with him.'
But Peter denied it. 'Woman, I don't know him,' he said.
A little later someone else saw him and said, 'You also are one of them.'
'Man, I am not!' Peter replied.
About an hour later another asserted, 'Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.'
Peter replied, 'Man, I don't know what you're talking about!'
Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: 'Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.'
And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Peter, who had sworn he would die for Jesus, had denied even knowing Him. Yet this was not the end of Peter's story. The risen Christ would restore him, asking three times, 'Do you love me?' and commissioning him to feed His sheep.