Matthew 26 · Verse 34

Matthew 26:34

Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
Matthew 26:34, King James Version

Matthew 26:34 in other translations

BSB“Truly I tell you,” Jesus declared, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
WEBJesus said to him, “Most certainly I tell you that tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”
ASVJesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
YLTJesus said to him, ‘Verily I say to thee, that, this night, before cock-crowing, thrice thou wilt deny me.'
DARBYJesus said to him, Verily I say to thee, that during this night, before the cock shall crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
BBEJesus said to him, Truly I say to you that this night, before the hour of the cock's cry, you will say three times that you have no knowledge of me.
WebsterJesus said to him, Verily I say to thee, that this night, before the cock shall crow, thou wilt deny me thrice.

What does Matthew 26:34 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 34. This night. This was in the evening when this was spoken, after the observance of the passover, and we may suppose near nine o'clock.

Before the cock crow. Mark and Luke add, before the cock crow twice. The cock is accustomed to crow twice, once at midnight, and once in the morning, at break of day. The latter was commonly called cock-crowing. See Mk 13:35. This was the time familiarly known as the cock-crowing; and of this Matthew and John speak, without referring to the other. Mark and Luke speak of the second crowing, and mean the same time; so that there is no contradiction between them.

Deny me thrice. That is, as Luke adds, deny that thou knowest me. See Mt 26:74.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 34 Jesus said - Our Lord's answer to Peter is very emphatic and impressive. Verily - I speak a solemn weighty truth, thou wilt not only be stumbled, fall off, and forsake thy Master, but thou wilt even deny that thou hast, or ever had, any knowledge of or connection with me; and this thou wilt do, not by little and little, through a long process of time, till the apostasy, daily gathering strength, shall be complete; but thou wilt do it this very night, and that not once only, but thrice; and this thou wilt do also in the earlier part of the night, before even a cock shall crow. Was not this warning enough to him not to trust in his own strength, but to depend on God?

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 26:31-35

Improper self-confidence, like that of Peter, is the first step to a fall. There is a proneness in all of us to be over-confident. But those fall soonest and foulest, who are the most confident in themselves. Those are least safe, who think themselves most secure. Satan is active to lead such astray; they are most off their guard: God leaves them to themselves, to humble them.

Read the full comment on Matthew 26:31-35 →

Matthew 26:34 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.

ἜφηEphēwas sayingG5346
αὐτῷautōto himG846
ὁho<the>G3588
Ἰησοῦς·IēsousJesus;G2424
ἀμὴνamēnAmenG281
λέγωlegōI sayG3004
σοιsoito youG4771
ὅτιhotithatG3754
ἐνenduringG1722
ταύτῃtautēthisG3778
τῇtēa<the>G3588
νυκτὶnuktinightG3571
πρὶνprinbefore [the]G4250
ἀλέκτοραalektoraroosterG220
φωνῆσαιphōnēsaicrowingG5455
τρὶςtristhree timesG5151
ἀπαρνήσῃaparnēsēyou will denyG533
με.¶meMe.G3165

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

Cross references for Matthew 26:34

  • John 13:38

    Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.

  • Luke 22:34

    And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

  • Matthew 26:75

    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.

  • Mark 14:30-31

    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. But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
That.
Mr 14:30,31; Lu 22:34; Joh 13:38

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

Context

  • Matthew 26:33

    Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

  • Matthew 26:34

    Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

  • Matthew 26:35

    Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

Read all of Matthew 26

Matthew 26:34 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Jesús le dice: De cierto te digo que esta noche, antes que el gallo cante, me negarás tres veces.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Jésus lui dit: En vérité, je te dis, que cette nuit-ci, avant que le coq ait chanté, tu me renieras trois fois.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Jesus sprach zu ihm: Wahrlich, ich sage dir, daß du in dieser Nacht, ehe der Hahn kräht, mich dreimal verleugnen wirst.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ait illi Jesus: Amen dico tibi, quia in hac nocte, antequam gallus cantet, ter me negabis.