But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.”
70. But he denied before them all. This circumstance aggravates the criminality of Peter, that, in denying his Master, he did not even dread a multitude of witnesses. “Qu’il n’a point craint de renier son Maistre, mesmement en la presence d tant de tesmoins;” — “that he did not fear to deny his Master, even in the presence of so many witnesses.” And the Spirit...
And when he was gone out into the porch,.... The Vulgate Latin, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions read, "the gate": and so does Munster's Hebrew Gospel; but more rightly it is rendered, "the porch": he did not attempt to go out at the door, and run away, though he could gladly have done it; but he feared to do this, lest, as this would discover him...
Verse 70. But he denied before them all, etc. He denied that he was a disciple; he denied that he knew Jesus; he denied (Mark) that he understood what was meant---i. e., he did not see any reason why this question was asked. All this was palpable falsehood; and Peter must have known that it was such. This is remarkable, because Peter had just before been so confident.