Greek word · G5151

τρίς

tris

three times

Three times, thrice.

Appears 12 times in 11 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 31, 2026

What it means

τρίς

(τρεῖς),

adv.,

thrice: Matthew 26:34, 75, Mark 14:30, 72 Luke 22:34, 61 John 13:38, 2 Corinthians 11:25 12:8; ἐπὶ τ., Acts 10:16 11:10.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

Range of meaning: Three times, thrice.
Against the English: 'Three times' (BSB, WEB, ESV, NIV) or 'thrice' (KJV, YLT). Accurate in every version.
Used elsewhere in the period: Fulfilled step by step in Matt 26:69–75: a plain denial to a servant girl, a denial with an oath, then a denial with curses and oaths. In ancient Jewish thinking, doing something three times made it full and final (compare the threefold prayer in Gethsemane, 26:39–44). John 21:15–17 later tells of a threefold question to Peter, 'Do you love me?', which most readers take as answering the three denials. That link is drawn by readers. John does not state it outright.

Range of meaning: "Three times." In Jewish and Greek usage three is also the number of something done fully, with nothing left out.
Against the English: All versions say "three times" or "thrice." NLT's "three different times" spells out that these were separate occasions.
Used elsewhere in the period: Jesus prays three times in Gethsemane that the cup might pass from him (Mark 14:35–41; Matt 26:39–44). In the Jewish background people prayed three times a day (Ps 55:17; Dan 6:10). Peter's threefold denial and threefold restoration (John 21:15–17) and the threefold vision in Acts 10:16 show three as a pattern of something complete.

Range of meaning: 'Three times'. In Jewish and Greco-Roman thought, three of something often means 'complete, settled'.
Against the English: KJV 'thrice'; the rest 'three times'. There is no real difference.
Used elsewhere in the period: In Jewish law matters were settled 'by two or three witnesses' (Deut 19:15). Repeating a formula three times sealed it in ancient ritual and legal settings. John 21:15–17 has three questions and three commissions for Peter by a charcoal fire (21:9), matching the charcoal fire where he denied Jesus (18:18).

Matthew · 2

Matthew 26:34 τρὶς three times

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus declared, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”

Here: 'Three times.' The word is placed for emphasis. Matthew shows it happening exactly: three denials, each one stronger than the last, in 26:69–75.
Matthew 26:75 τρὶς three times

Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Here: Three times, matching the three denials of 26:70, 72 and 74. Each is stronger than the one before: evasion, then an oath, then curses and swearing.

Mark · 2

Mark 14:30 τρίς three times

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.”
Mark 14:72 τρίς three times

And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

Luke · 2

Luke 22:34 τρίς three times

But Jesus replied, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”
Luke 22:61 τρίς. three times.

And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word that the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.”

Here: Three times, matching the three accusers and three denials in 22:56–60. Three made the failure complete and beyond doubt.

John · 1

John 13:38 τρίς.¶ three times.

“Will you lay down your life for Me?” Jesus replied. “Truly, truly, I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.

Here: Three times: a full and complete failure. It is later matched by Jesus' three questions, 'Do you love me?', in John 21:15–17.

Acts · 2

Acts 10:16 τρίς, three times

This happened three times, and all at once the sheet was taken back up into heaven.
Acts 11:10 τρίς, three times,

This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into heaven.

Here: The whole vision-and-dialogue went through three full rounds. In Jewish idiom, repetition marks something as settled and beyond doubt.

2 Corinthians · 3

2 Corinthians 11:25 τρὶς τρὶς Three times, three times

Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea.
2 Corinthians 12:8 τρὶς three times

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.

Here: Three separate times of urgent prayer. It shows Paul asked repeatedly and seriously, and that he stopped after the third time, when he received an answer (v. 9). It may also echo Jesus praying three times in Gethsemane.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.