and requested letters from him to the synagogues ¹  in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, ²  either men or women, he could bring them as prisoners ³  to Jerusalem. ⁴ 

Suddenly ¹  an angel of the Lord ²  appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell. He struck ³  Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off Peter’s ⁴  wrists. ⁵ 

He motioned to them ¹  with his hand to be quiet and then related ²  how the Lord had brought ³  him out of the prison. He said, “Tell James and the brothers these things,” and then he left and went to another place. ⁴ 

But Paul said to the police officers, ¹  “They had us beaten in public ²  without a proper trial ³  – even though we are Roman citizens ⁴  – and they threw us ⁵  in prison. And now they want to send us away ⁶  secretly? Absolutely not! They ⁷  themselves must come and escort us out!” ⁸ 

All ¹  who heard him were amazed and were saying, “Is this not ²  the man who in Jerusalem was ravaging ³  those who call on this name, and who had come here to bring them as prisoners ⁴  to the chief priests?”

After three days ¹  Paul ²  called the local Jewish leaders ³  together. When they had assembled, he said to them, “Brothers, ⁴  although I had done ⁵  nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, ⁶  from Jerusalem ⁷  I was handed over as a prisoner to the Romans. ⁸ 

as both the high priest and the whole council of elders ¹  can testify about me. From them ²  I also received ³  letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way ⁴  to make arrests there and bring ⁵  the prisoners ⁶  to Jerusalem ⁷  to be punished.

They ¹  laid hands on ²  the apostles and put them in a public jail.

Receiving such orders, he threw them in the inner cell ¹  and fastened their feet in the stocks. ² 

“We found the jail locked securely and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, ¹  we found no one inside.”

When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live ¹  by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.

When they heard this, they entered the temple courts ¹  at daybreak and began teaching. ²  Now when the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they summoned the Sanhedrin ³  – that is, the whole high council ⁴  of the Israelites ⁵  – and sent to the jail to have the apostles ⁶  brought before them. ⁷ 

So ¹  they seized ²  them and put them in jail ³  until the next day (for it was already evening).

except ¹  that the Holy Spirit warns ²  me in town after town ³  that ⁴  imprisonment ⁵  and persecutions ⁶  are waiting for me.

The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, ¹  “The magistrates have sent orders ²  to release you. So come out now and go in peace.” ³ 

I replied, ¹  ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those in the various synagogues ²  who believed in you.

After ¹  making Peter and John ²  stand in their midst, they began to inquire, “By what power or by what name ³  did you do this?”

But when they had ordered them to go outside the council, ¹  they began to confer with one another,

For I see that you are bitterly envious ¹  and in bondage to sin.”

and here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison ¹  all who call on your name!” ²