Translation commentary on Mark 14:66

Exegesis:

kai ontos tou Petrou (cf. 14.3) ‘and while Peter was’: the participial clause indicates time.

katō (cf. 15.38) ‘down,’ ‘below,’ ‘beneath’: from this word it is to be inferred that the interrogation of Jesus was taking place in a room above the courtyard; Lagrange suggests the great hall on the second level.

aulē (cf. v. 54) ‘courtyard.’

mia ‘one’: as often in Mark, the numeral has the indefinite sense, ‘someone.’ The expression mia tōn paidiskōn means merely ‘a maid.’

paidiskē (14.69) ‘servant girl,’ ‘female slave,’ employed in domestic service (cf. Swete).

Translation:

Maids of the high priest should not be translated in such a way as to imply any illicit relationship, as is sometimes the case. The problem may be resolved in some languages by saying ‘a maid who worked for the high priest.’

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of Mark. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1961. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 14:66

Section 14:66–72

Peter denied that he was a disciple of Jesus

In the last event of the preceding section, the guards were abusing Jesus after his trial before the council. In this section the focus shifts to Peter in the courtyard. In 14:54 Peter had entered the courtyard of the high priest’s house. Jesus was inside the high priest’s house, declaring that he was the Son of God. At the same time, Peter was in the courtyard denying that he knew Jesus. These stories contrast dramatically with each other.

In this section people asked Peter three times whether he knew Jesus. Each time Peter denied that he knew him, just as Jesus had predicted in 14:30. Then Peter became deeply sorry and wept because he had denied that he knew Jesus.

It is good to translate this section before you decide on a heading for it.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Peter denied Jesus
-or-
Peter said that he did not know Jesus
-or-
Peter’s denial of Jesus

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 26:69–75, Luke 22:55–62, and John 18:15–18, 25–27.

Paragraph 14:66–72

14:66a

This part of the verse indicates that the focus in the story shifts to what Peter did while Jesus stood before the council. In some languages there may be a special way to indicate that these events happened at the same time. Here are some ways to do this in English:

Meanwhile, Peter was in the courtyard below.
-or-
Now while Peter was below in the courtyard (NET Bible)

in the courtyard below: The word below indicates that the courtyard was at a lower level than the room in the high priest’s house where Jesus’ trial occurred. This room may have been in an upper story of the house overlooking the courtyard or it may have been up a few steps from the courtyard. If possible, translate below in a way that would allow either meaning. In some languages it may be necessary to leave the location of the courtyard implied. For example:

in the courtyard (New Century Version, God’s Word, Contemporary English Version)

14:66b

one of the servant girls of the high priest came down: One of the high priest’s servant girls came to where Peter was. In 14:67 the text indicated that Peter was sitting by the fire. See the General Comment on 14:66b–67a for a possible way to reorder the information in these verse parts.

servant girls: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as servant girls refers to female slaves or domestic servants. It does not imply anything regarding the servant’s age.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

female servants (God’s Word)
-or-
servant women (Good News Bible)
-or-
maids who worked for…

Be careful not to use an expression that may imply a sexual relationship.

came down: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as came down is literally “comes.” It may indicate either that the maid was passing by the fire where Peter was or that she came to the fire.

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