Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial
Matthew 26:31-35
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Matt.26.31 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Τοτε: ADV
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις: PRON,dat,pl,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους·Παντες: NOUN,nom,sg,m+PRON,nom,pl,m
- υμεις: PRON,nom,pl,2
- σκανδαλισθησεσθε: VERB,fut,pas,ind,2,pl
- εν: PREP
- εμοι: PRON,dat,sg
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- νυκτι: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- ταυτη: PRON,nom,sg,f
- γεγραπται: VERB,perf,pass,ind,3,sg
- γαρ·Παταξω: PART+VERB,fut,act,ind,1,sg
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- ποιμενα: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- διασκορπισθησονται: VERB,fut,pas,ind,3,pl
- τα: ART,nom,pl,neut
- προβατα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- ποιμνης·: NOUN,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- Mark 14:27 (verbal): Near-verbatim parallel prediction: Jesus tells the disciples they will all fall away and cites the same prophecy ('I will strike the shepherd...'), closely matching Matthew's wording.
- Zechariah 13:7 (quotation): The prophetic source Matthew cites — 'Strike the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered' is originally found here and is directly quoted/echoed in Matthew 26:31.
- Luke 22:31-34 (thematic): Luke frames the coming failure as Satan's attack on the disciples (Satan demanded to sift them) and records Jesus' warning/prayer for Peter and the prediction of denial and scattering — a thematic parallel about impending abandonment.
- John 16:32 (verbal): John records a similar prediction of the disciples' abandonment: 'You will be scattered, each to his own, and you will leave me alone,' echoing Matthew's theme of falling away and scattering.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then Jesus said to them, 'You will all fall away because of me this night; for it is written that I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'
- Then Jesus said to them, 'You will all fall away because of me this night; for it is written that the shepherd will be struck and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'
Matt.26.32 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- μετα: PREP
- δε: CONJ
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- εγερθηναι: VERB,aor,pass,inf
- με: PRON,acc,sg,1
- προαξω: VERB,fut,act,ind,1,sg
- υμας: PRON,acc,pl,2
- εις: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- Γαλιλαιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
Parallels
- Mark 14:28 (verbal): Near-verbatim parallel: Jesus predicts that after his resurrection he will go before the disciples into Galilee (same promise appears in Mark's Passion discourse).
- Mark 16:7 (quotation): The angel at the empty tomb tells the women that Jesus 'is going before you into Galilee,' explicitly echoing Jesus' prior promise to meet them there.
- Matt.28:7 (verbal): Within Matthew's resurrection narrative the angel instructs the women to remember Jesus' words that he will go before them into Galilee, repeating the prediction of 26:32.
- Matt.28:10 (quotation): The risen Jesus himself tells the women to tell the disciples to go to Galilee, saying 'you will see me there,' a direct fulfillment of the promise in 26:32.
- John 21:1 (thematic): Post-resurrection appearance at the Sea of Galilee (Tiberias) where Jesus meets several disciples—an instance of the promised Galilean appearance after the resurrection.
Alternative generated candidates
- But after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee.
- But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.
Matt.26.33 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- αποκριθεις: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Πετρος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτω·Ει: PRON,dat,sg,3
- παντες: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- σκανδαλισθησονται: VERB,fut,pass,ind,3,pl
- εν: PREP
- σοι: PRON,dat,sg,2
- εγω: PRO,nom,sg,1
- ουδεποτε: ADV
- σκανδαλισθησομαι: VERB,fut,pass,ind,1,sg
Parallels
- Mark 14:29 (verbal): Near-verbatim parallel: Peter declares that even if all fall away, he will not—same scene and wording in Mark's Passion narrative.
- Luke 22:33 (verbal): Parallel affirmation of loyalty: Peter expresses readiness to accompany Jesus even to imprisonment and death, reflecting the same confident pledge.
- Matt.26:35 (structural): Immediate parallel within Matthew's account where Peter reiterates his vow ('I will never deny you') and Jesus predicts Peter's denial, forming the narrative pair.
- John 13:37 (thematic): Peter's confident commitment ('I will lay down my life for you') at the Last Supper expresses the same bold self-assurance of fidelity found in Matt 26:33.
- 1 Corinthians 10:12 (thematic): Paul's warning ('let the one who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall') provides a theological contrast to Peter's confident assertion, highlighting human fallibility.
Alternative generated candidates
- Peter answered him, 'Lord, even if all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.'
- Peter answered him, 'Even if everyone falls away because of you, I will never fall away.'
Matt.26.34 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- εφη: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους·Αμην: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- λεγω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- σοι: PRON,dat,sg,2
- οτι: CONJ
- εν: PREP
- ταυτη: PRON,nom,sg,f
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- νυκτι: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- πριν: CONJ
- αλεκτορα: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- φωνησαι: VERB,aor,act,inf
- τρις: ADV
- απαρνηση: VERB,aor,mid,subj,3,sg
- με: PRON,acc,sg,1
Parallels
- Mark 14:30 (verbal): Parallel prediction in Mark with nearly identical wording: Jesus tells Peter he will deny him three times before the rooster crows.
- Luke 22:34 (verbal): Lukan parallel of the prediction to Peter, likewise specifying three denials before the rooster crows (phrased to Peter directly).
- John 13:38 (verbal): John records the same promise/prediction earlier in the farewell discourses: Jesus warns Peter he will deny him three times before the rooster crows.
- Matt.26:69-75 (structural): Fulfillment narrative within Matthew showing Peter's threefold denial after Jesus' prediction (directly linked to 26:34).
Alternative generated candidates
- Jesus said to him, 'Truly I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.'
- Jesus said to him, 'I tell you, this very night—before the rooster crows—you will deny me three times.'
Matt.26.35 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Πετρος·Καν: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- δεη: VERB,fut,mid,ind,1,sg
- με: PRON,acc,sg,1
- συν: PREP
- σοι: PRON,dat,sg,2
- αποθανειν: VERB,aor,act,inf
- ου: PART
- μη: PART
- σε: PRON,acc,sg,2
- απαρνησομαι: VERB,fut,mid,ind,1,sg
- ομοιως: ADV
- και: CONJ
- παντες: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- μαθηται: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- ειπαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
Parallels
- Mark 14:29-31 (verbal): Peter declares he will die rather than deny Jesus; Jesus predicts Peter will deny him three times. Mark's wording and the sequence parallel Matthew's account closely.
- Luke 22:33-34 (verbal): Peter vows to lay down his life for Jesus, and Jesus predicts Peter's threefold denial before the rooster crows—same promise-and-prediction motif as Matthew 26:35.
- John 13:37-38 (verbal): At the Last Supper Peter says he will lay down his life for Jesus, and Jesus answers that Peter will deny him before the rooster crows. John's dialogue parallels Matthew's portrayal of Peter's boast and the ensuing prediction.
- Matt.26:33 (structural): Immediate Matthean context where Peter earlier insists that even if all fall away he will not, setting up the fuller vow in 26:35 and highlighting the narrative irony of the forthcoming denials.
Alternative generated candidates
- Peter said to him, 'Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you.' And all the disciples said the same.
- Peter said to him, 'Even if I must die with you, I will never deny you.' And all the disciples said the same.
Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of me this very night; for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'" But after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee.
Peter answered him, "Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away."
Jesus said to him, "Truly I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times."
Peter said to him, "Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you." And all the disciples said the same.