ST. MARK.: There cometh to him _one of the maid servants_: “Thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.” “I neither know nor understand what thou sayest.” ST. LUKE.: There came a _certain maid servant_: “This man was also with him.” “Woman, I know him not.” ST. JOHN.: And _the maid that was portress_ said to Peter: “Art not thou also one of this man’s disciples?” “I am not.” 2nd Denial: ST. MATTHEW.: _As he went out_ to the vestibule, _another maid_ saw him, and she saith to them that were there: “This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth.” He denied with an oath: “I do not know the man.” ST. MARK.: And _the maid servant_ seeing him, began to say to the standers by: “This is one of them.” He denied again. ST. LUKE.: And _another (Alius)_ says: “Thou also art one of them.” “_O man_, I am not.” ST. JOHN.: Peter was _standing and warming himself_; and they said to him: “Art not thou also one of his disciples?” “I am not.” 3rd Denial: ST. MATTHEW.: _They that stood by_ said: “Surely thou also art one of them; for even thy speech doth discover thee.” He began to curse and swear that he knew not the man. ST. MARK.: _They that stood by_ said: “Surely thou art one of them; for thou also art a Galilean.” He began to curse and swear, saying: “I know not this man of whom you speak.” ST. LUKE.: _Another man_ said: “Surely this man was with him, for he is a Galilean.” “Man, I know not what thou sayest.” ST. JOHN.: _One of the servants of the high priest_ saith: “Did I not see thee in the garden with him?” Peter then denied again. Thus, it is plain that there is no difficulty in regard to the _first_ denial, whether we suppose that St. Peter made use of the different expressions attributed to him, or, as seems more probable in regard to this first occasion, used only one expression, which is _substantially_ reported by the four Evangelists. In regard to the _second_ denial it is to be noted— (_a_) That according to SS. Matthew and Mark the maid does not address herself to Peter, but to those who were around; so that there is no difficulty when we learn from St. Luke that Peter was addressed by a man (_alius_) on the occasion. (_b_) St. Matthew, in the account of this denial, speaks of a _different_ maid from her who brought about the first denial. St. Mark seems to speak of the _same_ maid, for he has ἡ παιδίσκη (xiv. 69), which would seem to refer to _the_ maid already mentioned. There is nothing improbable, however, in supposing that _two_ maids spoke to those around on the occasion of the second denial.