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Peter thus was being kept in prison, but prayer by the church was fervently being made to God on his behalf.(A)

On the very night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter, secured by double chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while outside the door guards kept watch on the prison. Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying, “Get up quickly.” The chains fell from his wrists. The angel said to him, “Put on your belt and your sandals.” He did so. Then he said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.” So he followed him out, not realizing that what was happening through the angel was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10 They passed the first guard, then the second, and came to the iron gate leading out to the city, which opened for them by itself. They emerged and made their way down an alley, and suddenly the angel left him. 11 Then Peter recovered his senses and said, “Now I know for certain that [the] Lord sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people had been expecting.” 12 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who is called Mark, where there were many people gathered in prayer.(B) 13 When he knocked on the gateway door, a maid named Rhoda came to answer it. 14 She was so overjoyed when she recognized Peter’s voice that, instead of opening the gate, she ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate. 15 They told her, “You are out of your mind,” but she insisted that it was so. But they kept saying, “It is his angel.” 16 But Peter continued to knock, and when they opened it, they saw him and were astounded.

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So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.(A)

The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains,(B) and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel(C) of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.(D)

Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.(E) 10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself,(F) and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

11 Then Peter came to himself(G) and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me(H) from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”

12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark,(I) where many people had gathered and were praying.(J) 13 Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door.(K) 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed(L) she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”

15 “You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”(M)

16 But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.

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