Acts 12:7-11

12:7 Suddenly¹ an angel of the Lord² appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell. He struck³ Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off Peter’s⁴ wrists.⁵ 12:8 The angel said to him, “Fasten your belt⁶ and put on your sandals.” Peter⁷ did so. Then the angel⁸ said to him, “Put on your cloak⁹ and follow me.” 12:9 Peter¹⁰ went out¹¹ and followed him;¹² he did not realize that what was happening through the angel was real,¹³ but thought he was seeing a vision. 12:10 After they had passed the first and second guards,¹⁴ they came to the iron¹⁵ gate leading into the city. It¹⁶ opened for them by itself,¹⁷ and they went outside and walked down one narrow street,¹⁸ when at once the angel left him. 12:11 When¹⁹ Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued²⁰ me from the hand²¹ of Herod²² and from everything the Jewish people²³ were expecting to happen.”

¹tn 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.

²tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 5:19.

³tn Grk “striking the side of Peter, he awoke him saying.” The term refers to a push or a light tap (BDAG 786 s.v. πατάσσω 1.a). The participle πατάξας (pataxa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

⁴tn Grk “his”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁵tn Grk “the hands,” but the wrist was considered a part of the hand.

⁶tn While ζώννυμι (zwnnumi) 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.

⁷tn Grk “He”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁸tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁹tn Or “outer garment.”

¹⁰tn Grk “And going out he followed.”

¹¹tn Grk “Peter going out followed him.” The participle ἐξελθών (exelqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

¹²tn 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.

¹³tn Grk “what was done through the angel was a reality” (see BDAG 43 s.v. ἀληθής 3).

¹⁴tn Or perhaps, “guard posts.”

¹⁵sn The iron gate shows how important security was here. This door was more secure than one made of wood (which would be usual).

¹⁶tn 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.

¹⁷tn The Greek term here, αὐτομάτη (automath), indicates something that happens without visible cause (BDAG 152 s.v. αὐτόματος).

¹⁸tn Or “lane,” “alley” (BDAG 907 s.v. ῥύμη).

¹⁹tn 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.

²⁰tn Or “delivered.”

²¹sn Here the hand of Herod is a metaphor for Herod’s power or control.

²²sn King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great).

²³sn Luke characterizes the opposition here as the Jewish people, including their leadership (see 12:3).