Peter Rescued

When Herod was about to bring him out for trial, that very night Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while the sentries in front of the door guarded the prison. Suddenly an angel of the Lord(A) appeared, and a light shone in the cell. Striking Peter on the side, he woke him up and said, “Quick, get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists.(B) “Get dressed,” the angel told him, “and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Wrap your cloak around you,” he told him, “and follow me.” So he went out and followed, and he did not know that what the angel did was really happening, but he thought he was seeing a vision.(C) 10 After they passed the first and second guards, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went outside and passed one street, and suddenly the angel left him.(D)

11 When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s grasp and from all that the Jewish people expected.”(E) 12 As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was called Mark,(F) where many had assembled and were praying. 13 He knocked at the door of the outer gate, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer. 14 She recognized Peter’s voice, and because of her joy, she did not open the gate but ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the outer gate.

15 “You’re out of your mind!” they told her. But she kept insisting that it was true, and they said, “It’s his angel.”(G) 16 Peter, however, kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were amazed.

17 Motioning to them with his hand(H) to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. “Tell these things to James(I) and the brothers,” he said, and he left and went to another place.

18 At daylight, there was a great commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. 19 After Herod had searched and did not find him, he interrogated the guards and ordered their execution. Then Herod went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.(J)

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On [a]the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, (A)bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison. And behold, (B)an angel of the Lord suddenly (C)stood near Peter, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And (D)his chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, “Put on your belt and [b]strap on your sandals.” And he did so. And he *said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” And he went out and continued to follow, and yet he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing (E)a vision. 10 Now when they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which (F)opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. 11 When Peter (G)came [c]to himself, he said, “Now I know for sure that (H)the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all [d]that the Jewish people were expecting.” 12 And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of (I)John, who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and (J)were praying. 13 When he knocked at the door of the gate, (K)a slave woman named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, (L)because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate. 15 They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. They said, “It is (M)his angel.” 16 But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed. 17 But (N)motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to [e](O)James and (P)the brothers.” Then he left and went to another place.

18 Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers as to [f]what could have become of Peter. 19 When Herod had searched for him and had not found him, he examined the guards and ordered that they (Q)be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to (R)Caesarea and was spending time there.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 12:6 Lit that night
  2. Acts 12:8 Lit bind
  3. Acts 12:11 Lit in himself
  4. Acts 12:11 Lit the expectation of the people of the Jews
  5. Acts 12:17 Or Jacob
  6. Acts 12:18 Lit what therefore had become