Acts 12:6-19 - Peter Rescued By An Angel

⁶ It was the night before Herod was to bring him to trial. Peter was sleeping between two soldiers. He was bound with two chains. Sentries stood guard at the prison door. ⁷ Suddenly God's angel came to him. A light shined in the prison. He struck Peter on the side, and woke him up saying: Get up quickly. And his chains fell off of his hands. ⁸ The angel said: Dress yourself and put on sandals. Put on your coat and follow me. So Peter did as he was told. ⁹ Peter followed him out of the prison. He did not know what the angel was doing was really happening. He thought he saw a vision. ¹⁰ They went past the first and second guard to the Iron Gate that leads to the city. The gate opened and went out on the street. The angel then departed from him.

¹¹ Peter came to himself and he said: Now I know for sure that God sent his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jews. ¹² After he thought about what happened he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, surnamed Mark. Many were gathered there to pray. ¹³ Peter knocked on the door and a young woman named Rhoda answered. ¹⁴ When she recognized Peter's voice she was so overjoyed she ran back into the house to tell others he was there. She forgot to open the door for him.

¹⁵ They said to her: You are mad. But she kept insisting that it was so. Then they said: It must be his angel. ¹⁶ But Peter continued knocking. When they opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.

¹⁷ Peter motioned for them to be quiet. Then he told them how God brought him out of the prison. He said: Tell James and the brothers. Then he went away to another place.

¹⁸ When day came the soldiers were disturbed by what happened to Peter. ¹⁹ Herod had a thorough search made for him and could not find him. He cross examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Herod went from Judea to Caesarea to stay for a while.