Did Jesus say before the cock crow or before the cock crows twice?

Mark specifies a second crow as the deadline, while the other predictions say the cock will not crow before the three denials.

Textual conflict: Weak tension; The alleged conflict needs substantial assumptions, such as treating an omission as a denial or figurative language as literal.
Importance: Minor; A local detail in a story, chronology, or inventory.

Before a second crow does not itself require any denial after a first crow; the supplied predictions alone do not establish incompatible fulfillment.

An editorial assessment of the quoted passages. Importance describes the stakes; it does not increase certainty. Reading order weighs both.

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Peter's three denials precede the cock's crow

Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

Matthew 26:34

Translation / edition: King James Version (KJV)

Read the full chapter:Matthew 26

And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

Luke 22:34

Translation / edition: King James Version (KJV)

Read the full chapter:Luke 22

PreviousOn the day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem, did Jesus ask his disciples to get one animal or two? NextWhat did the sign over Jesus's head say?

Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.

John 13:38

Translation / edition: King James Version (KJV)

Read the full chapter:John 13

Peter's three denials precede the cock's second crow

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.

Mark 14:30

Translation / edition: King James Version (KJV)

Read the full chapter:Mark 14

Understanding the contradiction

Matthew 26:34 predicts three denials before the cock crows. Luke 22:34 and John 13:38 strengthen that sequence by saying the cock will not crow until the denials have occurred. Their wording places the first narrated crow after the complete set of three.

Mark 14:30 instead makes the second crow the deadline. That is a different quoted prediction, but by itself it does not require a crow between denials: three denials before a first crow would also precede a second. These prediction excerpts therefore establish different specifications rather than a complete incompatible event sequence. Determining whether Mark actually places an earlier crow before the third denial requires the fulfillment narrative, which is not included here.

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contradictionMatthewLukeJohnMark

Peter's three denials precede the cock's crow

Peter's three denials precede the cock's second crow

Understanding the contradiction

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