Jesus knew Peter would deny Him and while speaking to His disciples on the Mount of Olives Christ revealed to the disciples that He would rise from the dead and will see them in Galilee. Christ also revealed that Peter would deny Him three times before the Rooster crowed twice. Peter vehmently denied this accusation and insisted that he would never deny Jesus.
Christ told the disciples that they would be offended that very night. and quoted prophecy of the event saying "I will smite the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. After singing a hymn on the Mount of Olives. Jesus said,
And Jesus saith unto them, "All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. Mark 14:27
But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee." Mark 14: 28
But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. Mark 14:28
And Jesus saith unto him, "Verily I say unto thee, that this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice." Mark 14:30
But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all. Mark 14:31
Later that night, while Peter was in the courtyard a maid heard his voice recognizing his accent. She told him "You were with Christ" and Peter denied it. And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest: Mark 14:66 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, and thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth Mark 14:67 But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew. Mark 14:68
The maid confronted Peter a second time and he denied it again! And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. Mark 14:69 Finally those that were standing near heard his accent and confronted him and Peter vehemently denied Christ saying, " I do not know this man you are talking about" and calling down curses. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto. Mark 14:70 But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. Mark 14:71 When he had finished speaking the cock crowed a second time and Peter remembered what Jesus had told him and he wept. And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, "Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice." And when he thought thereon, he wept. Peter denied Christ because he was afraid that he would be tortured and killed because he was Christ's disciple. His fear of death overrode the words of Christ and the love of Christ. Peter's denial of Christ is a huge lesson to those who follow Christ. As followers of Christ we cannot allow our fear of what people think about us or what they may do to us, to prevent us from telling others about Jesus. God has not given us a spirit of fear.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear but one of power, love and a sound mind 2 Timothy 1:7