The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The way the question is phrased – "You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?" – suggests the maid isn't just asking, she's making an observation that leads to a challenge. It implies she's already noticed something, perhaps Peter's association with the other disciple who was known to the household, and his current anxious demeanor.
The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just been arrested and taken before Annas, the former high priest, and the narrative shifts to Peter and another disciple (likely John) following from a distance. While John is known to the high priest and gains entry for Peter into the courtyard, Peter is left waiting outside by the door, where a servant girl challenges his identity, leading to his first denial of Jesus.
Have you ever noticed how a seemingly innocent question can carry a hidden weight? The maid at the high priest's gate asks Peter a question that feels simple, but it's designed to expose him.
A Carefully Worded Question
The maid doesn't just ask if Peter is a disciple. She asks, "You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?" (John 18:17).
This wasn't just a casual encounter. The maid's question was a calculated probe, using the presence of John as leverage to get Peter to reveal himself.
Peter's denial wasn't a grand, defiant act. It was a quiet, almost involuntary response born in a moment of chilling fear. What does this teach us about our own courage?
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From Boldness to Blinking
Just hours before, Peter had been the picture of unwavering loyalty. He drew his sword against the guards arresting Jesus and declared he would die with his Master (John 18:10-11). Yet, here, faced with a servant girl and the cold night air, his courage evaporates.
Peter's experience is a stark reminder that our faith isn't always about grand gestures. It's often about quiet moments where we choose truth over comfort, and courage over the chilling whisper of fear.
Understand the original words
mathētēs · Greek Noun
A formal follower or learner of a teacher; in the New Testament, it refers specifically to one who adheres to the teachings and person of Jesus Christ, involving complete commitment and imitation of the Master.
Peter's denial occurs in the immediate aftermath of Jesus' arrest and during the tense, secretive proceedings before the Jewish leaders. This context of fear and confusion highlights the immense pressure Peter faced, leading him to deny his close relationship with Jesus.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus' Arrest and Trial
Jesus is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane and taken for questioning by Jewish leaders, including Annas and Caiaphas, the high priest.
c. AD 30
Peter Follows from a Distance
Peter, though initially courageous, follows Jesus' captors from a distance, driven by a mix of loyalty and fear. He gains entry to the high priest's courtyard through another disciple known to the household.
c. AD 30
First Denial by Peter
A servant girl at the door of the high priest's courtyard recognizes Peter or questions his presence, prompting him to deny knowing Jesus for the first time.
c. AD 30
Peter's Subsequent Denials
After his first denial, Peter continues to be questioned by others in the courtyard. He denies knowing Jesus two more times, fulfilling Jesus' prophecy that Peter would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed.
This passage describes the same event of Peter's denial, highlighting the progression from a servant girl's accusation to his direct verbal denial, emphasizing the shame and fear Peter felt in that moment.
Luke 22:54-57Luke's account adds details about Peter warming himself by the fire, placing him in proximity to his accusers and underscoring his vulnerability and the stark contrast between his outward actions and his inner commitment.
John 13:36-38This earlier conversation reveals Peter's overconfidence in his loyalty to Jesus, making his subsequent denial in John 18:17 a tragic fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy and a powerful lesson on the weakness of human strength apart from God.
1 Peter 4:12-13Writing as an apostle who experienced significant trials, Peter later urged believers not to be surprised by fiery ordeals. This connects to his own experience of falling into temptation and shame, showing how God can use even our failures to teach us and prepare us for future service.
vincentJohn 18:17: "Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not."
The damsel (ἡ παιδίσκη)See on Acts 12:13.Art thou (μὴ σὺ)The question is put in a negative form, as if expecting a negative answer: thou art not, art thou?AlsoShowing that she recognized John as a disciple.
jfbJohn 18:17: "Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not."
- Then saith the damsel that kept the door—"one of the maids of the high priest," says Mark (Mr 14:66). "When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him and said" (Mr 14:67). Luke is more graphic (Lu 22:56)—She "beheld him as he sat by the fire (literally, 'the light'), and earnestly looked on him (fixed her gaze upon him), and said." "His demeanor and…
The way the question is phrased – "You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?" – suggests the maid isn't just asking, she's making an observation that leads to a challenge. It implies she's already noticed something, perhaps Peter's association with the other disciple who was known to the household, and his current anxious demeanor.
Jesus has just been arrested and taken before Annas, the former high priest, and the narrative shifts to Peter and another disciple (likely John) following from a distance. While John is known to the high priest and gains entry for Peter into the courtyard, Peter is left waiting outside by the door, where a servant girl challenges his identity, leading to his first denial of Jesus.
Jesus has just been arrested and taken before Annas, the former high priest, and the narrative shifts to Peter and another disciple (likely John) following from a distance. While John is known to the high priest and gains entry for Peter into the courtyard, Peter is left waiting outside by the door, where a servant girl challenges his identity, leading to his first denial of Jesus.
"The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.”" — The way the question is phrased – "You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?" – suggests the maid isn't just asking, she's making an observation that leads to a challenge. It implies she…
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Last reviewed October 2026