Mark 14:66 kjv
And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest:
Mark 14:66 nkjv
Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came.
Mark 14:66 niv
While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by.
Mark 14:66 esv
And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came,
Mark 14:66 nlt
Meanwhile, Peter was in the courtyard below. One of the servant girls who worked for the high priest came by
Mark 14 66 Cross References
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| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mk 14:29-31 | Peter declared, “Even if all others fall away… I will never.” Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, this very night… before the rooster crows twice you will deny me three times.” | Jesus' prophecy of Peter's denial |
| Mk 14:53-54 | They led Jesus to the high priest… Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard… warming himself by the fire. | Immediate context: Peter's following Jesus from afar |
| Mt 26:69 | Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him… | Parallel account of the first denial setup |
| Lk 22:55 | When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. | Parallel account of the setting for the denial |
| Jn 18:15-16 | Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus… Peter stood outside at the door. Then the other disciple… spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in. | Parallel detail about Peter entering the courtyard |
| Jn 18:17 | The servant girl on duty at the door asked Peter, “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” | Parallel account of the servant girl initiating the first denial |
| Jn 18:25 | Meanwhile Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” | Parallel detail for subsequent denial |
| Lk 22:31-32 | “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” | Prophetic warning and Peter's eventual restoration |
| Zec 13:7 | “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” | Prophecy of disciples scattering/stumbling |
| Jer 17:9 | The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? | Human heart's potential for self-deception and failure |
| 1 Cor 10:12 | So, let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. | Warning against overconfidence and spiritual stumble |
| Jas 1:13-14 | Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. | The nature of temptation leading to sin |
| Prov 29:25 | The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. | The danger of succumbing to fear of human judgment |
| 2 Tim 2:13 | If we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. | God's faithfulness despite human failure |
| Heb 4:15 | For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. | Jesus' understanding of human weakness |
| Jn 21:15-19 | When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” | Peter's post-resurrection restoration and commissioning |
| Acts 2:14 | But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words." | Peter's transformation from fear to boldness on Pentecost |
| Lk 17:10 | So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” | Reminder of humble servanthood |
| 1 Cor 1:27-28 | But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong… things that are not, to nullify the things that are. | God's use of seemingly insignificant people/means |
| Ps 38:11 | My companions and my friends stand aloof from my plague, and my closest kin stand afar off. | Feeling abandoned or standing at a distance during distress |
Mark 14 verses
Mark 14 66 Meaning
Mark 14:66 sets the immediate scene for Peter's three denials of Jesus. It describes Peter's physical location, "below in the courtyard" of the high priest's house, a public-facing area. At this moment, a specific individual, "one of the servant girls of the high priest," approaches Peter, initiating the chain of events that leads to his renunciation of Jesus, just as Jesus predicted. The verse highlights Peter's vulnerable position in a hostile environment, preparing the audience for the contrast between Jesus' resolute stand and Peter's faltering courage.
Mark 14 66 Context
h2Mark chapter 14 describes a rapidly unfolding sequence of events leading to Jesus' crucifixion. It begins with the plot by the chief priests and scribes to arrest and kill Jesus (Mk 14:1-2), followed by the anointing at Bethany (Mk 14:3-9), Judas's betrayal (Mk 14:10-11), the Last Supper (Mk 14:12-26), the prophecy of Peter's denial (Mk 14:27-31), Jesus' anguish in Gethsemane (Mk 14:32-42), and His arrest (Mk 14:43-52). Immediately preceding Mark 14:66, Jesus is undergoing an illegal nighttime trial before the Sanhedrin in the high priest's house, where He is falsely condemned for blasphemy (Mk 14:53-65). Peter, following Jesus "at a distance" (Mk 14:54), has managed to gain entry into the same high priest's courtyard. Historically, the high priest's residence in Jerusalem was a significant complex, featuring open courtyards accessible to various people, including servants, guards, and those seeking to observe the proceedings, making it a tense and potentially dangerous setting for Jesus' disciple.
Mark 14 66 Word analysis
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- And as Peter (καὶ ὄντος τοῦ Πέτρου - kai ontos tou Petrou):
- καὶ (kai): "And," functions as a connective, linking Peter's narrative directly to Jesus' trial, emphasizing simultaneous events.
- ὄντος (ontos): Participle of "to be," indicates Peter's existing state or presence.
- τοῦ Πέτρου (tou Petrou): "Of Peter," indicating the well-known disciple. The name "Peter" (Πέτρος, Petros) means "rock" or "stone," ironically highlighting his imminent faltering in faith, contrasting with the firmness his name suggests.
- was below (κάτω - katō):
- "Below," signifies Peter's physical location in a lower section of the building, likely the main courtyard area, possibly contrasted with an upper room where Jesus was being interrogated. It might also subtly suggest a 'low' spiritual position, preceding his denial.
- in the courtyard (ἐν τῇ αὐλῇ - en tē aulē):
- ἐν (en): "In," denotes location.
- τῇ αὐλῇ (tē aulē): "The courtyard," referring to the open central area of a large house, accessible to various people. This public yet enclosed space becomes the stage for Peter's crucial test. It's not a place of safety or secrecy for Peter.
- one of the servant girls (μία τῶν παιδισκῶν - mia tōn paidiskōn):
- μία (mia): "One," specifies a single, seemingly insignificant individual, yet crucial to the unfolding narrative.
- τῶν παιδισκῶν (tōn paidiskōn): "Of the servant girls," specifically refers to a young female servant or slave. Her low social status highlights the vulnerability of Peter, challenged by one without official authority.
- of the high priest (τοῦ ἀρχιερέως - tou archiereōs):
- "Of the high priest," establishes her connection to the authority condemning Jesus, thereby emphasizing the hostile and dangerous environment in which Peter found himself.
Words-Group Analysis:
- "And as Peter was below in the courtyard": This phrase immediately places Peter spatially and contextually. "Below" suggests a separation from the main action involving Jesus and a position of vulnerability. The "courtyard" is a place of transit and public interaction within the high priest's domain, setting the stage for Peter's exposure and confrontation, contrasting his initial bravado with his eventual fear in the hostile presence of authority.
- "one of the servant girls of the high priest came": This highlights the seemingly unassuming nature of the catalyst for Peter's denials. It underscores the profound irony that such a critical spiritual fall was triggered not by an armed guard or a powerful interrogator, but by a lowly servant, symbolizing how even minor pressures in a threatening environment can reveal deep-seated human weakness. Her direct connection to the "high priest" heightens the intensity of Peter's perilous position.
Mark 14 66 Bonus section
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- The detail of Peter being "below" while Jesus is presumably "above" (in the high priest's chambers for trial) can be interpreted both literally and metaphorically, signifying Peter's spiritual descent or low point compared to Jesus' elevated spiritual status, even in suffering.
- The encounter with the servant girl is the first of three denials, initiating a pattern of increasing pressure on Peter. This humble encounter acts as the initial crack in his resolve, leading to further, more emphatic denials.
- This verse starkly contrasts the resolve and truthfulness of Jesus during His trial (Mark 14:61-64) with the fear-driven faltering and deceit of His chief disciple, Peter.
Mark 14 66 Commentary
h2Mark 14:66 is a brief but profoundly significant verse, a dramatic pivot in Peter's journey. It strategically interweaves with Jesus' trial, underscoring that while Jesus resolutely confronts His accusers "above," His disciple, Peter, simultaneously enters his own trial "below." Peter's decision to "follow at a distance" (Mk 14:54) places him in this volatile courtyard, attempting to observe without commitment, a posture of half-hearted loyalty that makes him vulnerable. The instrument of Peter's downfall is ironic: not a formidable interrogator, but "one of the servant girls of the high priest." Her low social standing highlights Peter's fear of common people, contrasting sharply with his earlier bold declarations. This scenario vividly portrays how external pressures, even from the seemingly weakest links in an opposing system, can expose profound human fear and the chasm between intention and action. It sets up a poignant narrative of human frailty amidst divine steadfastness, preparing the reader for Peter's subsequent grief and eventual restoration.