Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant-girl came to him and said, "You also were with Jesus the Galilean." But he denied it before all of them, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about." When he went out to the porch, another servant-girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth." Again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know the man." After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "Certainly you are also one of them, for your accent betrays you." Then he began to curse, and he swore an oath, "I do not know the man!" At that moment the cock crowed. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: "Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.
All Kneel
Leader: Jesus, you told Peter that he would deny you three times before the cock would crow. He did not believe you. He swore that he would never deny you, and that in fact he was willing to die for you. Peter felt that he knew himself better than you knew him. But now as dawn approaches and the cock crows, he sees the truth.
People: 0 Jesus, we set out to follow you but then quickly turn, going our own way. We are afraid to acknowledge you in front of others, but you speak to us in the midst of our denial. We love you, Jesus; keep us faithful to you.
