22:34a

I tell you, Peter: Jesus used the phrase I tell you here as a solemn introduction to what he was about to say to Peter. Jesus often used the words I tell you to introduce a statement that he wanted to emphasize. Here it indicates that the statement was important and that Peter should listen carefully to it. Some other ways to show this emphasis are:

Peter, let me tell you this
-or-
Listen carefully to this, Peter:
-or-
I assure you, Peter

If you have another way in your language to emphasize a statement or to alert people to listen with special attention, consider using it here.

22:34b

the rooster will not crow today until: The clause the rooster will not crow today until refers to a time later that same night. The Jewish day begins at sundown. Jesus said this sometime during the evening. Roosters crow early in the morning before sunrise. So Jesus indicated that Peter would deny him that night before sunrise. Refer to this time in a natural way in your language. Other ways to translate the clause are:

before a rooster crows tomorrow morning (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
the rooster will not crow today until (NET Bible)
-or-
tonight before the rooster crows at dawn

the rooster: The phrase the rooster refers to a male cock. The phrase does not indicate that Jesus was thinking of any particular rooster. Some ways to translate this are:

a rooster crows (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
a cock crows

crow: The word crow refers to the loud sound a rooster makes before dawn each day. Languages have different ways to describe this sound. For example:

sings
-or-
cries

Use the natural way in your language to describe this sound that a rooster makes.

22:34c

you have denied three times that you know Me: This clause indicates that Peter would say three times that he did not know Jesus. In some languages it may be more natural to translate this clause as direct speech. For example:

three times you will say, “I do not know him/Jesus”

General Comment on 22:34b–c

In some languages it may be more natural to reverse the order of 22:34b and 22:34c. For example:

34cyou will deny three times that you know me 34bbefore the rooster crows tonight.

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