“Ait illi Jesus : Amen dico tibi, quia in hac nocte, antequam gallus cantet, ter me negabis.”
“Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.”
““Truly I tell you,” Jesus declared, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.””
“Jesus said to him, “Most certainly I tell you that tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.””
“Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.”
Before the cock crow.[7] St. Mark is more particular; before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. The sense seems to be, before the time that the cocks crow the second time, towards the morning. (Witham)
III. The particular warning Christ gave Peter of what he would do, v. 34. He imagined that in the hour of temptation he should come off better than any of them, and Christ tells him that he should come off worse. The warning is introduced with a solemn asseveration; "Verily, I say unto thee; take my word for it, who know thee better than thou knowest thyself." He tells him,
Verses 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.