The Meaning of Mark 14:66 Explained

Mark 14:66

KJV: And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest:

YLT: And Peter being in the hall beneath, there doth come one of the maids of the chief priest,

Darby: And Peter being below in the palace-court, there comes one of the maids of the high priest,

ASV: And as Peter was beneath in the court, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  as Peter  was  beneath  in  the palace,  there cometh  one  of the maids  of the high priest: 

What does Mark 14:66 Mean?

Context Summary

Mark 14:53-72 - A Mockery Of Justice
A commission of the chief priests awaited the result of the treachery of Judas at the house of Caiaphas. They had made up their minds what to do, but the form of a trial was necessary. The false witnesses were obviously unable to establish a sufficient case, and our Lord maintained a dignified silence. It was too much for Caiaphas, and he put his prisoner on his oath. Our Lord made no attempt to parry the issue or turn aside from the challenge, but replied: I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. See Psalms 110:1; Daniel 7:13. Then followed a shameful scene, Mark 14:65. But our Lord was as self-restrained in the use of His mighty powers as if He had been one of the most helpless of men. The graphic story of the denial, which took place at the time of the trial in the servants' hall, was probably given to the evangelist by Peter himself. What a contrast between the strength of the Master and the weakness of the disciple! Yet Peter was forgiven and made the Apostle of the Pentecost! We may have hope! [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 14

1  A conspiracy against Jesus
3  Expensive perfume is poured on his head by a woman
10  Judas sells his Master for money
12  Jesus himself foretells how he will be betrayed by one of his disciples;
22  after the passover prepared, and eaten, institutes his last supper;
26  declares beforehand the flight of all his disciples, and Peter's denial
43  Judas betrays him with a kiss
46  Jesus is apprehended in the garden;
53  falsely accused and impiously condemned of the council;
65  shamefully abused by them;
66  and thrice denied by Peter

Greek Commentary for Mark 14:66

Beneath in the court [κατω εν τηι αυληι]
This implies that Jesus was upstairs when the Sanhedrin met. Matthew 26:69 has it without in the court Both are true. The open court was outside of the rooms and also below. [source]
Beneath []
In relation to the chambers round the court above. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 14:66

Mark 14:54 At the fire [πρὸς τὸ φῶς]
Φῶς is never used of the fire itself, but of the light of the fire; and this is the point to which the evangelist directs attention: that the firelight, shining on Peter's face, called forth the challenge of the maid (Mark 14:66). [source]
John 18:15 Followed [ηκολουτει]
Imperfect active of ακολουτεω — akoloutheō “was following,” picturesque and vivid tense, with associative instrumental case τωι Ιησου — tōi Iēsou Another disciple Correct text without article ο — ho (genuine in John 18:16). Peter‘s companion was the Beloved Disciple, the author of the book (John 21:24). Was known unto the high priest Verbal adjective from γινωσκω — ginōskō to know (Acts 1:19) with dative case. How well known the word does not say, not necessarily a personal friend, well enough known for the portress to admit John. “The account of what happened to Peter might well seem to be told from the point of view of the servants‘ hall” (Sanday, Criticism of the Fourth Gospel, p. 101). Entered in with Jesus Second aorist active indicative of the double compound συνεισερχομαι — suneiserchomai old verb, in N.T. here and John 6:22. With associative instrumental case. Into the court It is not clear that this word ever means the palace itself instead of the courtyard (uncovered enclosure) as always in the papyri (very common). Clearly courtyard in Mark 14:66 (Matthew 26:69; Luke 22:55). Apparently Annas had rooms in the official residence of Caiaphas. [source]
Revelation 11:2 The court [την αυλην]
The uncovered yard outside the house. There were usually two, one between the door and the street, the outer court, the other the inner court surrounded by the buildings (Mark 14:66). This is here the outer court, “which is without the temple” (την εχωτεν του ναου — tēn exōthen tou naou), outside of the sanctuary, but within the ιερον — hieron where the Gentiles could go (carrying out the imagery of the Jerusalem temple). [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 14:66 mean?

And being - Peter below in the courtyard comes one of the servant girls of the high priest
Καὶ ὄντος τοῦ Πέτρου κάτω ἐν τῇ αὐλῇ ἔρχεται μία τῶν παιδισκῶν τοῦ ἀρχιερέως

ὄντος  being 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Πέτρου  Peter 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Πέτρος  
Sense: one of the twelve disciples of Jesus.
κάτω  below 
Parse: Adverb
Root: κάτω 
Sense: down, downwards.
αὐλῇ  courtyard 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: αὐλή  
Sense: among the Greeks in Homer’s time, an uncovered space around the house, enclosed by a wall, in which the stables stood, hence among the Orientals that roofless enclosure by a wall, in the open country in which the flocks were herded at night, a sheepfold.
ἔρχεται  comes 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
μία  one 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: εἷς  
Sense: one.
τῶν  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
παιδισκῶν  servant  girls 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Plural
Root: παιδίσκη  
Sense: a young girl, damsel.
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀρχιερέως  high  priest 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ἀρχιερεύς  
Sense: chief priest, high priest.