Matthew 26:20-34; Mark 14:17-30:
Peter is warned that he would deny Jesus after they would finish the meal and leave the roomLuke 22:33-39; John 13:37-38; 18:1:
Peter is warned that he would deny Jesus while they are still at the meal and even before the leave the room.Luke 22:34; John 13:38:
Peter denies Jesus, before the cock crows.Mark 14:30,72:
Peter denies Jesus, before the cock crows twice.
The records about the denials of Jesus by Peter in the four gospels are in themselves clear and without contradiction when the details and references mentioned as to time and place as well as people involved are carefully observed. The contradcitions are caused by the assumption that Peter denied his lord three times, which is done because the different gospels speak of three denials each; then these records are taken and it is said that the gospels are inaccurate and that the Bible is unreliable in its statements. When we allow the four gospel records to speak for themselves and when we order the information given in a chronological fashion, very quickly we get a logical and accurate picture of the complete sequence of events which has absolutely no contradictions whatsoever.
The statements in the Bible show that Jesus spoke at three different times that Peter would deny him: (1) while they were still at the meal -- John 13:38; Luke 22:34; (2) after the meal on the way to the garden -- Matthew 26:34; and (3) shortly afterwards yet again -- Mark 14:30 (note the different wording from that mentioned in Matthew 26:34!).
Despite the sincere and meant to be honest assurances of Peter that he would not and most definitely not deny his lord, he did only a short time after those words do exactly what he really did not want to do -- and that not only three times, but a total of six times, during which time a cock crowed after the first three denials and another cock crow was heard after the last denial. The six denials can be summarized as follows:1
Denial #1 -- John 18:15-18: When Jesus was before Annas, Peter was accused by a young doorkeeper as he entered the courtyard from the street, and he denied knowing Jesus in response to her.
Denial #2 -- Matthew 26:69-70; Mark 14:66-69; Luke 22:55-57: Jesus had been led to Caiphas, and a young maiden in the service of the highpriest accused Peter when he was sitting at the fire in the courtyard. He denied Jesus before all who were gathered around the fire.
Denial #3 -- Luke 22:58: Place and time are the same as just before, but this time peter was being accused by a man, and he denied once again that he knew Jesus.
* Cock crowing #1 -- Mark 14:68b
Denial #4 -- Matthew 26:71-72; Mark 14:69-70a: Jesus was still before Caiphas, and Peter was accused by a maiden, possibly one of the doorkeepers, at the door to the courtyard, and he denied Jesus to that maid.
Denial #5 -- Matthew 26:73-74a; Mark 14:70b-71; John 18:25: Jesus was still before Caiphas, Peter had returned inside the courtyard and was standing near the fire when he was accused of being a disciple of Jesus by several others who concluded this because of his Galilean dialect. This time, Peter started, most likely in order to convince his accusers, to vehemently curse and deny Jesus once again.
Denial #6 -- Luke 22:59-60a; John 18:26-27a: Immediately after the previous denial, another one followed at the same place. This time Peter was accused by a servant of the highpriest who had been present when Jesus was taken captive and who now quickly confirmed the accusations of the others because he recognized Peter.
* Cock crowing #2 -- Matthew 26:74b; Mark 14:72a; Luke 22:60b; John 18:27b (while the last denial was still coming over Peter's lips)
In this matter once again, the Word of God proves itself to be absolutely accurate and reliable. The records do complement each other in a logical fashion and without discrepancies. In all things, one can rely upon God's Word!
(1) This study on the denials of Peter has been inspired by the works of E.W. Bullinger, who has published a study on this topic in an Appendix of the Companion Bible, and by V.P. Wierwille, in whose book Jesus Christ Our Passover the events of the last week before the crucifixion of Jesus are presented in great detail.