Matthew 26 · Verse 74

Matthew 26:74

Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.
Matthew 26:74, King James Version

Matthew 26:74 in other translations

BSBAt that he began to curse and swear to them, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed.
WEBThen he began to curse and to swear, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately the rooster crowed.
ASVThen began he to curse and to swear, I know not the man. And straightway the cock crew.
YLTThen began he to anathematise, and to swear--‘I have not known the man;' and immediately did a cock crow,
DARBYThen he began to curse and to swear, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.
BBEThen with curses and oaths he said, I have no knowledge of the man. And straight away there came the cry of a cock.
WebsterThen began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crowed.

What does Matthew 26:74 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 74. Then began he to curse, etc. Peter was now irritated beyond endurance. He could no longer resist the evidence that he was known. It had been repeatedly charged on him. His language had betrayed him, and there was a positive witness who had seen him. He felt it necessary, therefore, to be still more decided; and he accordingly added to the sin of denying his Lord, the deep aggravation of profane cursing and swearing; affirming, what he must have known was false, that he knew not the man. Immediately then the cock crew; that is, the second crowing, or not far from three in the morning.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 74 Then began he to curse and to swear - Rather, Then he began positively to affirm - καταθεματιζειν, from κατα intensive, and τιθημι, I lay down, place, affirm. But the common reading is καταναθεματιζειν, which signifies to wish curses on himself. The former reading is supported by almost every MS. of value, and is, beyond dispute, the true reading, and has been received by Griesbach into the text. The business is bad enough, but the common reading makes it worse. In Mat 26:72, Peter is said to deny with an oath; here, he positively affirms and swears, probably by the name of God, for this is the import of the word ομνυειν. This makes the fourth and final gradation in the climax of Peter's fall. From these awful beginnings it is not unfair to conclude that Peter might have gone almost as far as Judas himself, had not the traitorous business been effected before. Yet all this evil sprung simply from the fear of man. How many denials of Christ and his truth have sprung since, from the same cause! The cock crew - This animal becomes, in the hand of God, the instrument of awaking the fallen apostle, at last, to a sense of his fall, danger, and duty. When abandoned of God, the smallest thing may become the occasion of a fall; and, when in the hand of God, the smallest matter may become the instrument of our restoration. Let us never think lightly of what are termed little sins: the smallest one has the seed of eternal ruin in it. Let us never think contemptibly of the feeblest means of grace: each may have the seed of eternal salvation in it. Let us ever remember that the great Apostle Peter fell through fear of a servant maid, and rose through the crowing of a cock.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 26:69-75

Peter's sin is truly related, for the Scriptures deal faithfully. Bad company leads to sin: those who needlessly thrust themselves into it, may expect to be tempted and insnared, as Peter. They scarcely can come out of such company without guilt or grief, or both. It is a great fault to be shy of Christ; and to dissemble our knowledge of him, when we are called to own him, is, in effect, to deny him. Peter's sin was…

Read the full comment on Matthew 26:69-75 →

Matthew 26:74 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.

τότεtoteThenG5119
ἤρξατοērxatohe beganG757
καταθεματίζεινkatathematizeinto curseG2653
καὶkaiandG2532
ὀμνύεινomnueinto swearG3660
ὅτιhotithatG3754
οὐκoukNotG3756
οἶδαoidaI know
τὸνtontheG3588
ἄνθρωπον.anthrōponman!G444
καὶkaiAndG2532
εὐθέωςeutheōsimmediatelyG2112
ἀλέκτωρalektōra roosterG220
ἐφώνησεν.ephōnēsencrowed.G5455

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

Cross references for Matthew 26:74

  • Revelation 3:19

    As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

  • Matthew 10:28

    And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

  • 1 Corinthians 16:22

    If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maran-atha.

  • Mark 14:71-72

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

  • John 18:27

    Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.

  • Acts 23:12-14

    And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy. And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.

  • 1 Samuel 14:24-28

    And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food. And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground. And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath. But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened. …

  • Judges 21:18

    Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.

  • Romans 9:3

    For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

  • Luke 22:60

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

  • 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.

  • John 21:15-17

    So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
began.
27:25; Jud 17:2; 21:18; 1Sa 14:24-28; Mr 14:71; Ac 23:12-14; Ro 9:3
1Co 16:22
saying.
10:28,32,33; Joh 21:15-17; Re 3:19
And.
Mr 14:30,68,72; Lu 22:60; Joh 18:27

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

Context

  • Matthew 26:73

    And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.

  • Matthew 26:74

    Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

  • 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.

Read all of Matthew 26

Matthew 26:74 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces comenzó á hacer imprecaciones, y á jurar, diciendo: No conozco al hombre. Y el gallo cantó luego.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Alors il se mit à faire des imprécations et à jurer: Je ne connais pas cet homme! Et aussitôt le coq chanta.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da fing er an, sich zu verwünschen und zu schwören: Ich kenne den Menschen nicht! Und alsbald krähte der Hahn.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tunc cœpit detestari et jurare quia non novisset hominem. Et continuo gallus cantavit.