Acts 12:10
12:10 After they had passed the first and second guards, 1 they came to the iron 2 gate leading into the city. It 3 opened for them by itself, 4 and they went outside and walked down one narrow street, 5 when at once the angel left him.
Acts 12:17
12:17 He motioned to them 6 with his hand to be quiet and then related 7 how the Lord had brought 8 him out of the prison. He said, “Tell James and the brothers these things,” and then he left and went to another place. 9
1 tn Or perhaps, “guard posts.”
2 sn The iron gate shows how important security was here. This door was more secure than one made of wood (which would be usual).
3 tn 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.
4 tn The Greek term here, αὐτομάτη (automath), indicates something that happens without visible cause (BDAG 152 s.v. αὐτόματος).
5 tn Or “lane,” “alley” (BDAG 907 s.v. ῥύμη).
6 tn Or “He gave them a signal.” Grk “Giving them a signal…he related to them.” The participle κατασείσας (kataseisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
7 tc ‡ Most mss, including some of the most important ones (B D E Ψ Ï sy), read αὐτοῖς (autoi", “to them”) here, while some excellent and early witnesses (Ì45vid,74vid א A 33 81 945 1739 pc) lack the pronoun. Although it is possible that the pronoun was deleted because it was seen as superfluous, it is also possible that it was added as a natural expansion on the text, strengthening the connection between Peter and his listeners. Although a decision is difficult, the shorter reading is slightly preferred. NA27 puts the pronoun in brackets, indicating some doubts as to its authenticity.
8 tn Or “led.”
9 sn He…went to another place. This is Peter’s last appearance in Acts with the exception of the Jerusalem council in Acts 15.