The Meaning of Mark 14:30 Explained

Mark 14:30

KJV: And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.

YLT: And Jesus said to him, 'Verily I say to thee, that to-day, this night, before a cock shall crow twice, thrice thou shalt deny me.'

Darby: And Jesus says to him, Verily I say to thee, that thou to-day, in this night, before the cock shall crow twice, thou shalt thrice deny me.

ASV: And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that thou to-day, even this night, before the cock crow twice, shalt deny me thrice.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  Jesus  saith  unto him,  Verily  I say  unto thee,  That  this day,  [even] in  this  night,  before  the cock  crow  twice,  thou shalt deny  me  thrice. 

What does Mark 14:30 Mean?

Context Summary

Mark 14:17-31 - The Last Supper
The two disciples made their preparations, returned to Bethany, and later the whole company came in together. The simple meal, consisting of the Passover lamb, unleavened cakes, bitter herbs, and wine, proceeded in the usual way, interspersed with the singing of the Hallel, Psalms 113:1-9; Psalms 114:1-8; Psalms 115:1-18; Psalms 116:1-19; Psalms 117:1-2; Psalms 118:1-29. How well it is when we do not need the accusation, "Thou art the man," because we utter the inquiry, Is it I? Those whose hearts misgive them are not likely to commit the deed of treachery. At the institution of the Lord's Supper, Mark 14:22-25, Jesus gave thanks for the bread and the wine, Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24. We must understand His words in Mark 14:22 in the same sense as when He says, "I am the door of the sheep." Those who receive the outward elements worthily partake, at the same time, spiritually of the things which they signify. Let us never fail to remember at the Lord's Supper, that it is the sign and seal of the new covenant into which God has entered with Christ on our behalf. See Hebrews 8:1-13. For Mark 14:27 compare Zechariah 13:7. The energy of our own resolution is not enough to carry us through the supreme ordeals of trial. We need the Holy Spirit for that. Mark alone mentions the warning of the double cockcrow. [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 14:30

Twice [δις]
This detail only in Mark. One crowing is always the signal for more. The Fayum papyrus agrees with Mark in having δις — dis The cock-crowing marks the third watch of the night (Mark 13:35). [source]
Cock crow []
See on Matthew 26:34. Mark alone addstwice. [source]
Deny [ἀπαρνήσῃ]
The compound verb signifies utterly deny. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 14:30

Matthew 26:33 Before the cock crows [πριν αλεκτορα πωνησαι]
No article in the Greek, “before a cock crow.” Mark (Mark 14:30) says that Peter will deny Jesus thrice before the cock crows twice. When one cock crows in the morning, others generally follow. The three denials lasted over an hour. Some scholars hold that chickens were not allowed in Jerusalem by the Jews, but the Romans would have them. [source]
Mark 14:68 What thou sayest [συ τι λεγεις]
Can be understood as a direct question. Note position of thou Only here in the New Testament. Plato uses it of a prelude on a flute. It occurs also in the plural for preparations the day before the wedding. Here it means the vestibule to the court. Matthew 26:71 has πυλωνα — pulōna a common word for gate or front porch.And the cock crew Omitted by Aleph B L Sinaitic Syriac. It is genuine in Mark 14:72 where “the second time” (εκ δευτερου — ek deuterou) occurs also. It is possible that because of Mark 14:72 it crept into Mark 14:68. Mark alone alludes to the cock crowing twice, originally (Mark 14:30), and twice in Mark 14:72, besides Mark 14:68 which is hardly genuine. [source]
Mark 14:68 thou [συ]
Only here in the New Testament. Plato uses it of a prelude on a flute. It occurs also in the plural for preparations the day before the wedding. Here it means the vestibule to the court. Matthew 26:71 has πυλωνα — pulōna a common word for gate or front porch.And the cock crew Omitted by Aleph B L Sinaitic Syriac. It is genuine in Mark 14:72 where “the second time” (εκ δευτερου — ek deuterou) occurs also. It is possible that because of Mark 14:72 it crept into Mark 14:68. Mark alone alludes to the cock crowing twice, originally (Mark 14:30), and twice in Mark 14:72, besides Mark 14:68 which is hardly genuine. [source]
Mark 14:68 And the cock crew [και αλεκτωρ επωνησεν]
Omitted by Aleph B L Sinaitic Syriac. It is genuine in Mark 14:72 where “the second time” (εκ δευτερου — ek deuterou) occurs also. It is possible that because of Mark 14:72 it crept into Mark 14:68. Mark alone alludes to the cock crowing twice, originally (Mark 14:30), and twice in Mark 14:72, besides Mark 14:68 which is hardly genuine. [source]
Luke 22:34 Deny []
See on Mark 14:30. [source]
Luke 22:34 Until thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me [εως τρις με απαρνησηι ειδεναι]
“Thrice” is in all four Gospels here for they all give this warning to Peter (Mark 14:30; Matthew 26:34; Luke 22:34; John 18:38). Peter will even deny knowing Jesus (ειδεναι — eidenai). [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 14:30 mean?

And says to him - Jesus Truly I say to you that yourself now this - night before that twice [the] rooster crows three times Me you will deny
Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ Ἰησοῦς Ἀμὴν λέγω σοι ὅτι σὺ σήμερον ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ πρὶν δὶς ἀλέκτορα φωνῆσαι τρίς με ἀπαρνήσῃ

λέγει  says 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
αὐτῷ  to  him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦς  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
Ἀμὴν  Truly 
Parse: Hebrew Word
Root: ἀμήν  
Sense: firm.
λέγω  I  say 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
σοι  to  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 2nd Person Singular
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
σὺ  yourself 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Nominative 2nd Person Singular
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
σήμερον  now 
Parse: Adverb
Root: σήμερον  
Sense: this (very) day).
ταύτῃ  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
τῇ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
νυκτὶ  night 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: νύξ  
Sense: night.
πρὶν  before 
Parse: Adverb
Root: πρίν  
Sense: before, formerly.
  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root:  
Sense: either, or, than.
δὶς  twice 
Parse: Adverb
Root: δίς  
Sense: twice.
ἀλέκτορα  [the]  rooster 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀλέκτωρ  
Sense: a cock, or male of any bird, a rooster.
φωνῆσαι  crows 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: φωνέω 
Sense: to sound, emit a sound, to speak.
τρίς  three  times 
Parse: Adverb
Root: τρίς  
Sense: thrice.
με  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
ἀπαρνήσῃ  you  will  deny 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Middle, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ἀπαρνέομαι  
Sense: to deny.