Matthew 26:58

Amplified Bible

But Peter followed Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the [elegant home of the Jewish] high priest, and went inside, and sat with the guards to see the outcome.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Peter was following him at a distance right to the high priest’s courtyard. He went in and was sitting with the servants to see the outcome.

King James Version (1611)
But Peter followed him afarre off, vnto the high Priests palace, and went in, and sate with the seruants to see the end.

King James Version
But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.

English Standard Version
And Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end.

New American Standard Bible
But Peter was following Him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and he came inside and sat down with the officers to see the outcome.

New Century Version
Peter followed far behind to the courtyard of the high priest's house, and he sat down with the guards to see what would happen to Jesus.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
But Peter was following Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and entered in, and sat down with the officers to see the outcome.

Legacy Standard Bible
But Peter was following Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and entered in, and sat down with the officers to see the outcome.

Berean Standard Bible
But Peter followed Him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. And he went in and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.

Contemporary English Version
But Peter followed along at a distance and came to the courtyard of the high priest's palace. He went in and sat down with the guards to see what was going to happen.

Complete Jewish Bible
Kefa followed him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the cohen hagadol; then he went inside and sat down with the guards to see what the outcome would be.

Darby Translation
And Peter followed him at a distance, even to the palace of the high priest, and entering in sat with the officers to see the end.

Easy-to-Read Version
Peter followed Jesus but stayed back at a distance. He followed him to the yard of the high priest's house. Peter went in and sat with the guards. He wanted to see what would happen to Jesus.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And Peter followed him a farre off vnto the hie Priestes hall, and went in, and sate with the seruants to see the ende.

George Lamsa Translation
But Simon Peter followed him afar off, up to the courtyard of the high priest, and he went inside and sat with the soldiers, to see the end.

Good News Translation
Peter followed from a distance, as far as the courtyard of the High Priest's house. He went into the courtyard and sat down with the guards to see how it would all come out.

Lexham English Bible
But Peter was following him from a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest. And he went inside and was sitting with the officers to see the outcome.

Literal Translation
And Peter followed Him from a distance, even to the court of the high priest. And going inside, he sat with the under-officers to see the end.

American Standard Version
But Peter followed him afar off, unto the court of the high priest, and entered in, and sat with the officers, to see the end.

Bible in Basic English
But Peter went after him at a distance, to the house of the high priest, and went in and took his seat with the servants, to see the end.

Hebrew Names Version
But Kefa followed him from a distance, to the court of the Kohen Gadol, and entered in and sat with the officers, to see the end.

International Standard Version
Peter, however, followed him at a distance as far as the high priest's courtyard. He went inside and sat down with the servants to see how this would end.

Etheridge Translation
But Shemun Kipha went after him from afar unto the court of the chief of the priests, and entered and sat within with the attendants, that he might see the end.

Murdock Translation
And Simon Cephas followed after him at a distance, unto the high priest's hall, and entered, and sat with the servants within, that he might see the issue.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But Peter folowed hym a farre of, vnto the hye priestes palace, and went in, and sate with the seruauntes to see the ende.

English Revised Version
But Peter followed him afar off, unto the court of the high priest, and entered in, and sat with the officers, to see the end.

World English Bible
But Peter followed him from a distance, to the court of the high priest, and entered in, and sat with the officers, to see the end.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But Peter followed him afar off to the high priest's palace, and going in, sat with the officers, to see the end.

Weymouth's New Testament
And Peter kept following Him at a distance, till he came even to the court of the High Priest's palace, where he entered and sat down among the officers to see the issue.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But Petir swede him afer, in to the halle of the prince of prestis; and he wente in, and sat with the seruauntis, to se the ende.

Update Bible Version
But Peter followed him from far off, to the court of the high priest, and entered in, and sat with the attendants, to see the end.

Webster's Bible Translation
But Peter followed him at a distance, to the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants to see the end.

New English Translation
But Peter was following him from a distance, all the way to the high priest's courtyard. After going in, he sat with the guards to see the outcome.

New King James Version
But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest's courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.

New Living Translation
Meanwhile, Peter followed him at a distance and came to the high priest's courtyard. He went in and sat with the guards and waited to see how it would all end.

New Life Bible
But Peter followed Him a long way behind while going to the house of the head religious leader. Then he went in and sat with the helpers to see what would happen.

New Revised Standard
But Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest; and going inside, he sat with the guards in order to see how this would end.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Now, Peter, was following him afar off, unto the court of the High-priest, - and, entering within, was sitting with the attendants, to see the end.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Peter followed him afar off, even to the court of the high priest, And going in, he sat with the servants, that he might see the end.

Revised Standard Version
But Peter followed him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And Peter folowed him a farre of vnto the hye prestes place: and went in and sate with the servauntes to se the ende.

Young's Literal Translation
and Peter was following him afar off, unto the court of the chief priest, and having gone in within, he was sitting with the officers, to see the end.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
As for Peter, he folowed him a farre of vnto the hye prestes palace, & wente in, and sat with the seruauntes, that he might se the ende.

Mace New Testament (1729)
but Peter followed him at a distance to the high priest's palace, and going in, he sat with the officers to see the event.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Pete had been followin' along like a Comanche warrior, at a distance and without bein' seen. He snuck in to the meetin' and sat down in the back to see what the outcome would be.

Contextual Overview

⁵⁷Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) had gathered [illegally] together. ⁵⁸But Peter followed Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the [elegant home of the Jewish] high priest, and went inside, and sat with the guards to see the outcome.⁵⁹Now the chief priests and the whole Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) tried to get false witnesses to testify against Jesus, so that they might [have a reason to] put Him to death. ⁶⁰They found none, even though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward, ⁶¹and testified, "This man said, 'I am able to tear down the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.'" ⁶²The high priest stood up and said to Jesus, "Have You no answer to give? What is it that these men are testifying against You?" ⁶³But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, "I call on You to swear a binding oath by the living God, that you tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God." ⁶⁴Jesus said to him, "You have [in fact] said it; but more than that I tell you [regardless of what you do with Me now], in the future you will see [Me revealed as] THE SON OF MAN SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN." ⁶⁵Then the high priest tore his robes [in mock horror] and exclaimed, "He has blasphemed [by making Himself God's equal]! What further need have we of witnesses or evidence? See, you have now heard the blasphemy. ⁶⁶"What do you think?" They answered, "He deserves to be put to death."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

and went: John 18:15, John 18:16, John 18:25

Reciprocal: Matthew 26:3 - the palace Matthew 26:69 - Peter Matthew 26:70 - General Mark 14:54 - Peter Mark 14:66 - as Luke 22:54 - took Acts 4:13 - they took

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But Peter followed him afar off,.... The Ethiopic version adds, alone; and which seems to be the true case; for though there was another disciple who also followed Jesus, and is thought to be John, yet it looks as if they followed him separately, and not together; for the other disciple went into the palace with Jesus, but Peter not till afterwards, being espied by his fellow disciple standing without. These two it seems, having a little recovered themselves from the fright they had been put into, stopped and turned back, and followed after Jesus, to see what would be the issue of things. Peter's following Christ, showed love to him; he was lothe to leave him, his bowels moved towards him, and he wanted to know how it would fare with him, and what would become of him; and yet keeping at a distance, following him afar off, betrayed fear, lest he should be observed, and taken up, and come into danger: however, he proceeded on his way in a slow pace, till he came

unto the high priest's palace, and went in and sat with the servants, to see the end; of the matter, or business, as the Ethiopic and Persic versions add; to see how it would go with him, whether he would exert his divine power, and deliver himself out of their, hands, which he knew he was able to do, when he would again join him; or what punishment they would inflict upon him, whether they would scourge him, and then let him go; or whether they would sentence him to death; that so he might know how to provide for his own safety: all which was indulging curiosity, and the carnal reasonings of his mind; and it showed want of integrity at that time, and some degree of hypocrisy, in placing himself among the servants of the high priest, as if he was none of the followers of Jesus, but was of the same complexion and cast with them: he had got into bad company, and was in the way of temptation; and though he had no design in following Jesus, and in going into the high priest's palace, and seating himself among the servants to deny his Lord, yet all this led on to it; for which reason these several circumstances are taken notice of, the account of which denial of his, is afterwards related.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Peter followed afar off - By this he evinced two things:

1. Real attachment to his Master; a desire to be near him and to witness his trial.
2. Fear respecting his personal safety. He therefore kept so far off as to be out of danger, and yet so near as that he might witness the transactions respecting his Master.

Perhaps he expected to be lost and unobserved in the crowd. Many, in this, imitate Peter. They are afraid to follow the Saviour closely. They fear danger, ridicule, or persecution. They “follow him,” but it is at a great distance - so far that it is difficult to discern that they are in the train, and are his friends at all. Religion requires us to be near to Christ. We may measure our piety by our desire to be with him, to be like him, and by our willingness to follow him always - through trials, contempt, persecution, and death. Compare the notes at Philippians 3:10. John says that another disciple went with Peter. By that other disciple it is commonly supposed, as he did not mention his name, that he meant himself. He was acquainted with the high priest, and went immediately into the hall.

Unto the high priest’s palace - The word rendered “palace” means, rather, the hall, or middle court, or “area” of his house. It was situated in the center of the palace, and was commonly uncovered. See the notes and plan of a house in Matthew 9:1-8.

And went in - John informs us that he did not go immediately in; but the ether disciple, being known to the high priest, went in first, while Peter remained at the gate or entrance. The other disciple then went out and brought in Peter. Matthew, Mark, and Luke have omitted this circumstance. John recorded it, probably, because they had omitted it, and because he was the “other disciple” concerned in it.

Sat with the servants to see the end - That is, the end of the trial, or to see how it would go with his Master. The other evangelists say that he stood with the servants warming himself. John says, it being cold, they had made a fire of coals and warmed themselves. It was then, probably, not far from midnight. The place where they were was uncovered; and travelers say that, though the “days” are warm in Judea at that season of the year, yet that the nights are often uncomfortably cold. This fire was made “in the hall” (Luke). The fire was not in a “fireplace,” as we commonly suppose, but was probably made of “coals” laid on the pavement. At this place and time was Peter’s first “denial” of his Lord, as is recorded afterward. See Matthew 26:69.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 58. Peter followed him afar off — Poor Peter! this is the beginning of his dreadful fall. His fear kept him from joining the company, and publicly acknowledging his Lord; and his affection obliged him to follow at a distance that he might see the end.

And sat with the servants, to see the end. — When a man is weak in faith, and can as yet only follow Christ at a distance, he should avoid all dangerous places, and the company of those who are most likely to prove a snare to him. Had not Peter got to the high priest's palace, and sat down with the servants, he would not thus have denied his Lord and Master.

Servants-officers, υπηρετων. Such as we term serjeants, constables, &c.