But at night the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and led them out. The angel told them,

After the apostles heard this, they went into the Temple at daybreak and began to teach. The high priest and those who were with him arrived, called the Council and all the elders of Israel together, and sent word to the prison to have the men brought in.

When the Temple police got there, they did not find them in the prison. They came back and reported,

"We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside."

Then someone came and told them, "Look! The men you put in prison are standing in the Temple and teaching the people!"

But Saul kept trying to destroy the church. Going into one house after another, he began dragging off men and women and throwing them in prison.

When he arrested Peter, Herod put him in prison and turned him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, planning to bring him out to the people after Passover season.

So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was being offered by the assembly.

He motioned to them with his hand to be quiet, and then he told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He added, "Tell this to James and the brothers." Then he left and went somewhere else.

Suddenly, there was an earthquake so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken. All the doors immediately flew open, and everyone's chains were unfastened.

When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he thought the prisoners had escaped.

I persecuted this Way, even executing people, and kept tying up both men and women and putting them in prison,

After two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. Since Felix wanted to do the Jews a favor, he left Paul in prison.

Since they were staying there for several days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king. He said, "There is a man here who was left in prison by Felix.

But Paul appealed his case and asked to be held in prison until the decision of his Majesty. So I ordered him to be held in custody until I could send him to the emperor."

That is what I did in Jerusalem. I received authority from the high priests and locked many of the saints in prison. And when I cast my vote against them, they were put to death.