“I swear that I don’t know the man!” Peter said again. “May I be cursed if I’m not telling the truth!” Just then a rooster crowed.
‘I warn and correct those I love. So be eager to do what’s right and turn away from your sins.
If anyone does not love the Lord, let a curse be on that person! Come, Lord!
Again Peter said no. At that exact moment, a rooster began to crow.
Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body but can’t kill the soul. Instead, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
I’m even willing to be cursed and separated from Christ if that would help them.
Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed.
But Peter denied it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he insisted, “it’s nonsense.” Then he went out to the entrance to the courtyard. A rooster crowed.
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus responded, “tonight—before the rooster crows twice—you’ll claim three times that you don’t know me.”
All the people answered, “Put the blame for his death on us and our children!”
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you’ll claim three times that you don’t know me.”
After a little while, the people standing there came up to Peter and said, “You must be one of them. Your accent gives you away.”
Peter remembered that Jesus had said, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter went outside and wept bitterly.