Discovery BoxActs 12:7-8 
Context12:7 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 12:8 The angel said to him, “Fasten your belt 6 and put on your sandals.” Peter 7 did so. Then the angel 8 said to him, “Put on your cloak 9 and follow me.”
1 tn 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.
2 tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 5:19.
3 tn 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.
4 tn Grk “his”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
5 tn Grk “the hands,” but the wrist was considered a part of the hand.
6 tn 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.
7 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
8 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
9 tn Or “outer garment.”
