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Luke 22:55

in Luke 22

When those present had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the court, and had sat down together, Peter sat in the midst of them.

KJV

And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.

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This verse in Luke 22

Commentary

8 notes on this verse

A commentator

Ambrose of Milan

Catena Aurea by Aquinas · Written before 397.

And by this time there was a fire burning in the house of the High Priest; as it follows, And when they had kindled a fire, &c. Peter came to warm himself, because his Lord being taken prisoner, the heart of his soul had been chilled in him.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Ambrose of Milan

EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 10.72 · Written before 397.

proposed

And he followed from a distance, about to deny it; for he could not have denied it if he had joined Christ closely. But perhaps in this we should greatly admire him, that he did not leave the Lord, even when he was afraid. Fear is natural, concern is piety. He fears what is foreign: he does not flee what is his own. What he follows is devotion: what he denies is deception. What is shared is what slips away: what is of faith is what he regrets. Now a fire was burning in the high priest's courtyard: Peter approached to warm himself; because with the Lord locked away, the heat of his mind had also cooled in him.

The Medieval Church3 voices

A commentator

Bonaventure

Commentary on Luke, Chapter 22 · Written in the 13th century.

proposed

And therefore he adds: Now when a fire had been kindled in the middle of the courtyard and they were sitting around it, Peter was in their midst: in which is shown the tepidity of love and of the interior fire. Whence the Gloss: "What …

A commentator

Bede

On the Gospel of Luke · Written before 735.

proposed

And when they kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat around it, Peter was in their midst. There is a fire of love, and there is also a fire of desire. Of this, it is said: "I came to cast fire …
(App. Serm. 79.) For to Peter were delivered the keys of the kingdom of heaven, to him were entrusted an innumerable multitude of people, who were wrapped up in sin. But Peter was somewhat too vehement, as the cutting off the car of the High Priest's servant betokens. If he then who was so stern and so severe had obtained the gift of not sinning, what pardon would he have given to the people committed to him? Therefore Divine Providence suffers him first to be holden of sin, that by the consciousness of his own fall he might soften his too harsh judgment towards sinners. When he wished to warm himself at the fire, a maid came to him, of whom it follows, But a certain maid beheld him, &c.

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall,....
2 more voices on this verse

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

The verses we have now read, describe the fall of the apostle Peter. It is a passage which is deeply humbling to the pride of man, but singularly instructive to true Christians. The fall of Peter has been a beacon to the Church, and has probably preserved myriads of souls from destruction. It is a passage which supplies strong proof that the Bible is inspired, and that Christianity is from God.
The verses we have now read, describe the fall of the apostle Peter. It is a passage which is deeply humbling to the pride of man, but singularly instructive to true Christians. The fall of Peter has been a beacon to the Church, and has probably preserved myriads of souls from destruction. It is a passage which supplies strong proof that the Bible is inspired, and that Christianity is from God. If the Christian religion had been the invention of uninspired men — then its first historians would never have told us that one of the chief apostles denied his Master three times. The story of Peter's fall teaches us, firstly — how small and gradual are the steps by which men may go down into great sins. The various steps in Peter's fall, are clearly marked out by the Gospel-writers. They ought always to be observed in reading this part of the apostle's history. The first step was proud self-confidence . Though all denied Christ — yet he never would! He was ready to go with Him both to prison and to death! The second step was indolent neglect of prayer . When his Master told him to pray, lest he should enter into temptation — he gave way to drowsiness, and was found asleep. The third step was vacillating indecision . When the enemies of Christ came upon Him, Peter first fought, then ran away, then turned again, and finally "followed afar off." The fourth step was mingling with bad company . He went into the high priest's house and sat among the servants by the fire, trying to conceal his religion, and hearing and seeing all kinds of evil. The fifth and last step was the natural consequence of the preceding four. He was overwhelmed with fear when suddenly charged with being a disciple. The snare was round his neck. He could not escape. He plunged deeper into error than ever. He denied his blessed Master three times.

The words behind it

14 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • περιαψάντωνThey having kindled around

    periapsanton

  • δὲthen

    deG1161 →2765 times

  • πῦρa fire

    purG4442 →70 times

  • ἐνin

    enG1722 →2738 times

  • μέσῳ[the] midst

    mesoG3319 →56 times

  • τῆςof the

    tesG3588 →19766 times

  • αὐλῆςcourtyard

    aulesG833 →

  • καὶand

    kaiG2532 →9120 times

  • συγκαθισάντωνwhen having sat down together

    sugkathisantonG4776 →

  • ἐκάθητοwas sitting

    ekathetoG2521 →91 times

  • ὁ<the>

    hoG3588 →19766 times

  • ΠέτροςPeter

    petrosG4074 →155 times

  • μέσοςmidst

    mesosG3319 →56 times

  • αὐτῶν.of them.

    autonG846 →5565 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

13 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Psalms 26:4–5I do not sit with deceitful men, nor keep company with hypocrites.5 worksPsalms 28:3Do not drag me away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors while malice is in their hearts.3 worksMark 14:66–72While Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the servant girls of the high priest came down3 worksProverbs 9:6Leave your folly behind, and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.”3 works2 Corinthians 6:15–17What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?3 worksMatthew 26:69–75Meanwhile, Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came up to him. “You also were with Jesus the Galilean,” she said.3 works
The other 7 cross-references, with their words ▾
Luke 22:44And in His anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.3 works1 Corinthians 15:33Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”2 worksPsalms 1:1Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers.2 worksJohn 18:16–18But Peter stood outside at the door. Then the disciple who was known to the high priest went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in.2 worksJohn 18:25–27Simon Peter was still standing and warming himself. So they asked him, “Aren’t you also one of His disciples?” He denied it and said, “I am not.”2 worksMatthew 26:3At that time the chief priests and elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,2 worksProverbs 13:20He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Psalms 28:3

    Do not drag me away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors while malice is in their hearts.

    it leads to

    • Psalms 55:21

      His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.

    • Psalms 12:2

      They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.

    • Jeremiah 9:8–9

      Their tongues are deadly arrows; they speak deception. With his mouth a man speaks peace to his neighbor, but in his heart he sets a trap for him.

    • Psalms 26:9

      Do not take my soul away with sinners, or my life with men of bloodshed,

    • Micah 3:5

      This is what the LORD says: “As for the prophets who lead My people astray, who proclaim peace while they chew with their teeth, but declare war against one who puts nothing in their…

  • Through

    Proverbs 9:6

    Leave your folly behind, and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.”

    it leads to

    • Proverbs 13:20

      He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.

    • Proverbs 4:11

      I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.

    • Luke 13:24

      “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.

Where this verse is studied

About Luke

The Last Supper — Gustave Doré (engraving), public domain
The Last Supper — Gustave Doré (engraving), public domain
Luke: the study guide →Read Luke 22 →

This page draws on Ambrose of Milan, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Ambrose of Milan, EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 10.72; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 22; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Pseudo-Augustine, Catena Aurea by Aquinas.

Read on in Luke 22 →