^12:7Suddenly¹⁶ an angel of the Lord¹⁷ appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell. He struck¹⁸ Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off Peter’s¹⁹ wrists.²⁰^12:8The angel said to him, “Fasten your belt²¹ and put on your sandals.” Peter²² did so. Then the angel²³ said to him, “Put on your cloak²⁴ and follow me.” ^12:9Peter²⁵ went out²⁶ and followed him;²⁷ he did not realize that what was happening through the angel was real,²⁸ but thought he was seeing a vision. ^12:10After they had passed the first and second guards,²⁹ they came to the iron³⁰ gate leading into the city. It³¹ opened for them by itself,³² and they went outside and walked down one narrow street,³³ when at once the angel left him. ^12:11When³⁴ Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued³⁵ me from the hand³⁶ of Herod³⁷ and from everything the Jewish people³⁸ were expecting to happen.”

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Footnotes

16 Grk “And behold.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here. The interjection ἰδού (idou), often difficult to translate into English, expresses the suddenness of the angel’s appearance.
17 Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in .
18 Grk “striking the side of Peter, he awoke him saying.” The term refers to a push or a light tap ( πατάσσω 1.a). The participle πατάξας (pataxas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
19 Grk “his”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
20 Grk “the hands,” but the wrist was considered a part of the hand.
21 While ζώννυμι (zōnnumi) sometimes means “to dress,” referring to the fastening of the belt or sash as the final act of getting dressed, in this context it probably does mean “put on your belt” since in the conditions of a prison Peter had probably not changed into a different set of clothes to sleep. More likely he had merely removed his belt or sash, which the angel now told him to replace. The translation “put on your belt” is given by L&N 49.14 for this verse. The archaic English “girdle” for the sash or belt has an entirely different meaning today.
22 Grk “He”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
23 Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
24 Or “outer garment.”
25 Grk “And going out he followed.”
26 Grk “Peter going out followed him.” The participle ἐξελθών (exelthōn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
27 The word “him” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
28 Grk “what was done through the angel was a reality” (see ἀληθής 3).
29 Or perhaps, “guard posts.”
30 The iron gate shows how important security was here. This door was more secure than one made of wood (which would be usual).
31 Grk “which.” The relative pronoun (“which”) was replaced by the pronoun “it,” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.
32 The Greek term here, αὐτομάτη (automatē), indicates something that happens without visible cause ( αὐτόματος).
33 Or “lane,” “alley” ( ῥύμη).
34 Grk “And when.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
35 Or “delivered.”
36 Here the hand of Herod is a metaphor for Herod’s power or control.
37 King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great).
38 Luke characterizes the opposition here as the Jewish people, including their leadership (see 12:3).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put 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 followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Suddenly an angel 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.

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. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

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

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Suddenly an angel of the Lord 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. “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. 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.

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.”

NLTNew Living Translation

Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel told him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Now put on your coat and follow me,” the angel ordered.

So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn’t realize it was actually happening. They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him.

Peter finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood near him, and a light shone in the prison cell. And striking Peter’s side, he woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly!” And his chains fell off of his hands. And the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and put 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 was following him. And he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but was thinking he was seeing a vision. And after they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened for them by itself, and they went out and went forward along one narrow street, and at once the angel departed from him.

And when Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know truly that the Lord has sent out his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and all that the Jewish people expected!”

KJV 1900King James Version

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. And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

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