Mark 14 · Verse 72

Mark 14:72

And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.
Mark 14:72, King James Version

Mark 14:72 in other translations

BSBAnd immediately the rooster crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And he broke down and wept.
WEBThe rooster crowed the second time. Peter remembered the words that Jesus said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” When he thought about that, he wept.
ASVAnd straightway the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word, how that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.
YLTand a second time a cock crew, and Peter remembered the saying that Jesus said to him--‘Before a cock crow twice, thou mayest deny me thrice;' and having thought thereon--he was weeping.
DARBYAnd the second time a cock crew. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus said to him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice; and when he thought thereon he wept.
BBEAnd in the same minute, the cock gave a second cry. And it came to Peter's mind how Jesus had said to him, Before the cock's second cry, you will say three times that you have no knowledge of me. And at this thought he was overcome with weeping.
WebsterAnd the second time the cock crowed. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said to him, Before the cock shall crow twice, thou wilt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.

What does Mark 14:72 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
72. And the second time the cock crew--The other three Evangelists, who mention but one crowing of the cock--and that not the first, but the second and last one of Mark--all say the cock crew "immediately," but Luke (Lu 22:60) says, "Immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew." Alas!--But now comes the wonderful sequel. The Redeemer's Look upon Peter, and Peter's Bitter Tears (Mr 14:72; Lu 22:61, 62). It has been observed that while the beloved disciple is the only one of the four Evangelists who does not record the repentance of Peter, he is the only one of the four who records the affecting and most beautiful scene of his complete restoration (Joh 21:15-17). Lu 22:61: And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter--How? it will be asked. We answer, From the chamber in which the trial was going on, in the direction of the court where Peter then stood--in the way already explained. See on Mr 14:66. Our Second Evangelist makes no mention of this look, but dwells on the warning of his Lord about the double crowing of the cock, which would announce his triple fall, as what rushed stingingly to his recollection and made him dissolve in tears. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept--To the same effect is the statement of the First Evangelist (Mt 26:75), save that like "the beloved physician," he notices the "bitterness" of the weeping (Lu 22:62). The most precious link, however, in the whole chain of circumstances in this scene is beyond doubt that "look" of deepest, tenderest import reported by Luke alone (Lu 22:61). Who can tell what lightning flashes of wounded love and piercing reproach shot from that "look" through the eye of Peter into his heart! And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny Me thrice. Lu 22:62: And Peter went out and wept bitterly--How different from the sequel of Judas' act! Doubtless the hearts of the two men towards the Saviour were perfectly different from the first; and the treason of Judas was but the consummation of the wretched man's resistance of the blaze of light in the midst of which he had lived for three years, while Peter's denial was but a momentary obscuration of the heavenly light and love to his Master which ruled his life. But the immediate cause of the blessed revulsion which made Peter "weep bitterly" (Mt 26:75) was, beyond all doubt, this heart-piercing "look" which his Lord gave him. And remembering the Saviour's own words at the table, "Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat; but I prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not" (Lu 22:31, 32), may we not say that this prayer fetched down all that there was in that look to pierce and break the heart of Peter, to keep it from despair, to work in it "repentance unto salvation not to be repented of," and at length, under other healing touches, to "restore his soul?" (See on Mr 16:7).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 72 And when he thought thereon, he wept - Or, he fell a weeping. This Mr. Wakefield thinks comes nearest to the original, επιβαλων εκλαιε. Others think it means the wrapping of his head in the skirts of his garment, through shame and anguish. Others think that επιβαλων rather refers to the violence, or hurry, with which he left the place, being impelled thereto by the terrors and remorse of his guilty conscience. Our own translation is as good as any.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Mark 14:66-72

Peter's denying Christ began by keeping at a distance from him. Those that are shy of godliness, are far in the way to deny Christ. Those who think it dangerous to be in company with Christ's disciples, because thence they may be drawn in to suffer for him, will find it much more dangerous to be in company with his enemies, because there they may be drawn in to sin against him. When Christ was admired and flocked…

Read the full comment on Mark 14:66-72 →

Mark 14:72 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532
εὐθὺςeuthusimmediatelyG2112
ἐκekforG1537
δευτέρουdeuterou[the] second timeG1208
ἀλέκτωρalektōra roosterG220
ἐφώνησεν,ephōnēsencrowed,G5455
καὶkaiAndG2532
ἀνεμνήσθηanemnēsthērememberedG363
ὁho<the>G3588
ΠέτροςPetrosPeterG4074
τὸtotheG3588
ῥῆμαrhēmadeclarationG4487
ὡςhōs[was] likeG5613
εἶπενeipenhad saidG2036
αὐτῷautōto himG846
ὁho<the>G3588
ἸησοῦςIēsousJesusG2424
ὅτιhotithatG3754
πρὶνprinBeforeG4250
ἀλέκτοραalektora[the] roosterG220
φωνῆσαιphōnēsaicrowingG5455
δίς,distwiceG1364
τρίςtristhree timesG5151
μεmeMeG3165
ἀπαρνήσῃ.aparnēsēyou will deny.G533
καὶkaiAndG2532
ἐπιβαλὼνepibalōnhaving broken downG1911
ἔκλαιεν.¶eklaienhe was weeping.G2799

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Mark 14:72

  • Mark 14:30

    And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.

  • Mark 14:68

    But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.

  • Ezekiel 7:16

    But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity.

  • 2 Samuel 24:10

    And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

  • Jeremiah 31:18-20

    I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God. Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.

  • Ezekiel 16:63

    That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God.

  • Luke 22:60

    And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.

  • Luke 15:17-19

    And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

  • 2 Corinthians 7:10

    For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

  • Ezekiel 36:31

    Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.

  • Luke 22:62

    And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

  • Psalms 119:59-60

    I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the second.
30,68; Mt 26:34,74
Peter.
2Sa 24:10; Ps 119:59,60; Jer 31:18-20; Eze 16:63; 36:31
Lu 15:17-19; 22:60
when he thought thereon, he wept. or, he wept abundantly, orhe began to weep.
Eze 7:16; Mt 26:75; Lu 22:62; 2Co 7:10

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Mark 14:71

    But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak.

  • Mark 14:72

    And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.

Read all of Mark 14

Mark 14:72 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y el gallo cantó la segunda vez: y Pedro se acordó de las palabras que Jesús le había dicho: Antes que el gallo cante dos veces, me negarás tres veces. Y pensando en esto, lloraba.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et le coq chanta pour la seconde fois. Et Pierre se ressouvint de la parole que Jésus lui avait dite: Avant que le coq chante deux fois, tu me renieras trois fois. Et en y pensant, il pleura.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und zum zweiten Male krähte der Hahn. Und Petrus gedachte des Wortes, wie Jesus zu ihm gesagt hatte: Ehe der Hahn zweimal kräht, wirst du mich dreimal verleugnen. Und als er daran dachte, weinte er.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et statim gallus iterum cantavit. Et recordatus est Petrus verbi quod dixerat ei Jesus: Priusquam gallus cantet bis, ter me negabis. Et cœpit flere.