Acts 12:7

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 

Ge 19:15,16; 2Sa 22:29; 1Ki 19:5,7; Ps 34:7; Ps 37:32,33; Ps 105:18-20; Ps 107:14; Ps 116:16; Ps 142:6,7; Ps 146:7; Isa 37:30; Isa 60:1; Eze 43:2; Da 3:24,25; Da 6:22; Mic 7:9; Hab 3:4,11; Ac 2:24; Ac 5:19; Ac 9:3; Ac 10:30; Ac 12:6; Ac 12:23; Ac 16:26; Ac 27:23,24; Eph 5:14; Heb 1:14; Re 18:1

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.