The servant girl saw him again and began to say to those standing nearby, “This one is also one of them.”
The temptation is repeated. This time the servant girl not only addresses Peter, but also speaks about him with the others. The danger increases, because now his identity is being discussed before the group. On the path of sin, the first compromise often leads to a second, more severe temptation. If Peter had testified to the truth at the first moment, perhaps his soul would have remained at peace, but the first denial made him more vulnerable. This teaches that unfaithfulness that seems small opens the door to a greater fall.