Acts 12:5-12
12:5 So Peter was kept in prison, but those in the church were earnestly
praying to God for him.
12:6 On that very night before Herod was going to bring him out for trial,
Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, while
guards in front of the door were keeping watch
over the prison.
12:7 Suddenly
an angel of the Lord
appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell. He struck
Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off Peter’s
wrists.
12:8 The angel said to him, “Fasten your belt
and put on your sandals.” Peter
did so. Then the angel
said to him, “Put on your cloak
and follow me.”
12:9 Peter
went out
and followed him;
he did not realize that what was happening through the angel was real,
but thought he was seeing a vision.
12:10 After they had passed the first and second guards,
they came to the iron
gate leading into the city. It
opened for them by itself,
and they went outside and walked down one narrow street,
when at once the angel left him.
12:11 When
Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued
me from the hand
of Herod
and from everything the Jewish people
were expecting to happen.”
12:12 When Peter realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many people had gathered together and were praying.