Acts 12:7
5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was fervently praying to God for him.
6 On the night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, with sentries standing guard at the entrance to the prison.
Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists.
8 “Get dressed and put on your sandals,” said the angel. Peter did so, and the angel told him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.”
9 So Peter followed him out, but he was unaware that what the angel was doing was real. He thought he was only seeing a vision.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists.
- KJV
- And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
- WEB
- And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Stand up quickly!” His chains fell off his hands.
- ASV
- And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shined in the cell: and he smote Peter on the side, and awoke him, saying, Rise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
- DARBY
- And lo, an angel of [the] Lord came there, and a light shone in the prison: and having smitten the side of Peter, he roused him up, saying, Rise up quickly. And his chains fell off his hands.
- BLB
- And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by, and a light shone in the cell. And having struck Peter’s side, he woke him up, saying, “Rise up in haste.” And his chains fell off the hands.
- ÅB
- Og se, en Herrens engel sto der, og et lys skinte i fangerommet, og han støtte Peter i siden og vekket ham opp og sa: Skynd deg og stå opp! Og lenkene falt av hans hender.
- OTB
- Plutselig viste en Herrens engel seg, og et lys skinte i cellen. Han slo Peter på siden og vekket ham, og sa: "Stå opp raskt." Lenken falt av Peters håndledd.
- B1930
- Og se, en Herrens engel stod der, og et lys skinte i fangerummet, og han støtte Peter i siden og vekket ham op og sa: Skynd dig og stå op! Og lenkene falt av hans hender.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Acts 16:26
Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.
Read in contextActs 5:19
But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying,
Read in contextPsalms 146:7
He executes justice for the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free,
Read in contextPsalms 105:18–20
They bruised his feet with shackles and placed his neck in irons,
Read in contextPsalms 142:6–7
Listen to my cry, for I am brought quite low. Rescue me from my pursuers, for they are too strong for me.
Read in contextPsalms 34:7
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and he delivers them.
Read in contextGenesis 19:15–16
At daybreak the angels hurried Lot along, saying, “Get up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.”
Read in contextActs 27:23–24
For just last night an angel of God, whose I am and whom I serve, stood beside me
Read in context