The Eighth Commandment
Peter Denies Jesus
Exodus 20:16
16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
From Luther's Small Catechism:
The Eighth Commandment: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
What does this mean? We should fear and love God that we may not deceitfully belie, betray, slander, or defame our neighbor, but defend him, [think and] speak well of him, and put the best construction on everything.
Matthew 26:69-75
69Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.”
70But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.”
71When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and *said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72And again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man.”
73A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Surely you too are one of them; for even the way you talk gives you away.”
74Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed.
75And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, "Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.
Luke 22: 54-62
54Having arrested Him, they led Him away and brought Him to the house of the high priest; but Peter was following at a distance.
55After they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter was sitting among them.
56 And a servant-girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight and looking intently at him, said, “This man was with Him too.”
57But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”
58A little later,another saw him and said, “You are one of them too!” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”
59After about an hour, another man began to insist, saying, “Certainly this man also was with Him, for he is a Galilean too.”
60But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed.
61The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, "Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.”
62And he went out and wept bitterly.
