Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The maid's accusation, "This man was also with him," reveals a subtle but crucial detail: John had already been identified as a disciple just moments before. Peter's denial, therefore, wasn't just about knowing Jesus, but about being grouped with another known follower in the eyes of his accusers.
Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just been arrested and brought into the high priest's courtyard, where Peter, trying to remain unnoticed, warms himself by a fire with the guards. A servant girl, noticing him in the firelight, recognizes him as a follower of Jesus, directly challenging his presence amidst his Master's accusers. This moment is the first of three instances where Peter denies knowing Jesus, setting the stage for his complete downfall before the cock crows.
Peter was trying to blend in, but the firelight acted like a spotlight, exposing him. Have you ever felt God's light expose something in your life?
The scene in Luke 22:56 is set by a fire. Peter, trying to remain unseen and likely feeling the chill of the night, draws close to its warmth. But this light, meant for comfort and visibility, becomes his undoing.
The Firelight's Role
This moment highlights how even in our attempts to hide or blend in, God's presence and the circumstances He allows can bring hidden things to light.
The accusation wasn't just 'You were with Jesus,' but 'You also were with him.' What does that 'also' reveal about how others perceived Jesus' followers?
The maid's statement, 'This man also was with him,' is more than just an accusation; it reveals a pattern of recognition and association.
The Implication of 'Also'
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This shows that our association with Christ isn't meant to be entirely hidden; it often marks us in ways that can be recognized by others.
Understand the original words
oida · Greek Verb
A state of having personal knowledge or experience of someone or something; in the biblical context, it often implies a relational or covenantal intimacy.
arneomai · Greek Verb
To disown, renounce, or refuse to acknowledge an association with someone; in a spiritual context, it signifies a failure to confess Christ before others.
c. AD 30
Jesus Arrested in Gethsemane
After the Last Supper, Jesus and his disciples go to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested by the temple guard.
c. AD 30
Jesus Brought to High Priest's House
Jesus is taken to the house of Annas, the former High Priest, and then to the house of Caiaphas, the current High Priest, where the Sanhedrin convenes.
c. AD 30— this verse
Peter Denies Jesus Thrice
While warming himself by a fire in the courtyard of the High Priest's house, Peter is identified as a follower of Jesus by multiple people, and he denies knowing Jesus three times.
c. AD 30
Jesus Looks at Peter
After Peter's third denial and as the cock crows, Jesus, who is being questioned nearby, turns and looks directly at Peter.
c. AD 30
Peter Remembers and Weeps
Jesus' look causes Peter to remember his prediction of the denial, and he goes out and weeps bitterly.
c. AD 30
Jesus Faces Sanhedrin and Pilate
Jesus is formally tried by the Sanhedrin and then brought before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate for sentencing.
This passage directly parallels Peter's situation, describing how another disciple (likely John) entered the courtyard and was known by the high priest's servant, while Peter initially denied knowing Jesus.
Matthew 26:70-72This passage shows Peter's denial occurring in a similar setting, where another servant girl challenges him, leading to his repeated denials, highlighting the progression of his fear.
Mark 14:67-69Mark's account emphasizes Peter warming himself by the fire, making him more visible, and this passage echoes Luke's description of a maid recognizing him and him denying it.
Luke 22:61This verse immediately follows Peter's denials and describes Jesus turning to look at Peter, which is a pivotal moment of confrontation and the beginning of Peter's repentance.
clarkeLuke 22:56: "But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him."
A certain maid beheld him - Or, Attentively beholding him, ατενισασα. And this she did by the help of the light of the fire at which Peter sat.
ellicottLuke 22:56: "But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him."
(56) As he sat by the fire. —Literally, by the light, or blaze, as in Mark 14:54 . Earnestly looked upon him.—The verb and adverb are both expressed by St. Luke’s characteristic word. (See Note on Luke 4:20.) This man was also with him.—Minute as the coincidence is, it is interesting to note that it is through St. John’s narrative that we get the explanation of…
The maid's accusation, "This man was also with him," reveals a subtle but crucial detail: John had already been identified as a disciple just moments before. Peter's denial, therefore, wasn't just about knowing Jesus, but about being grouped with another known follower in the eyes of his accusers.
Jesus has just been arrested and brought into the high priest's courtyard, where Peter, trying to remain unnoticed, warms himself by a fire with the guards. A servant girl, noticing him in the firelight, recognizes him as a follower of Jesus, directly challenging his presence amidst his Master's accusers. This moment is the first of three instances where Peter denies knowing Jesus, setting the stage for his complete downfall before the cock crows.
Jesus has just been arrested and brought into the high priest's courtyard, where Peter, trying to remain unnoticed, warms himself by a fire with the guards. A servant girl, noticing him in the firelight, recognizes him as a follower of Jesus, directly challenging his presence amidst his Master's accusers. This moment is the first of three instances where Peter denies knowing Jesus, setting the stage for his complete downfall before the cock crows.
"Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.”" — The maid's accusation, "This man was also with him," reveals a subtle but crucial detail: John had already been identified as a disciple just moments before. Peter's denial, therefore, wasn't just…
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Last reviewed October 2026