Thematic Bible


Thematic Bible




And suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in his cell, and by striking Peter on the side the angel woke him, and said, "Get up quickly!" At once the chains fell off his hands. Verse ConceptsAngel of the LordExamples Of EscapingDeliverance, Means OfArmsLight, NaturalHeaven And AngelsShiningIron ChainsGod Beating PeopleLight In The WorldGet Up!God Freeing CaptivesSide Of PeopleSleeping PeacefullyBreaking Chainsjail






And they prayed, saying, "Lord, you who know the hearts of all, show us which one of these two men you have chosen to take a share in this service as an apostle, from which Judas fell away to go to his own place."

They presented these men to the apostles, and after they had prayed, they laid their hands upon them. Verse ConceptsHandsOrdinationPrayer, In The ChurchLaying On Of HandsLaying On Hands To CommissionThe Apostles In Action


and when he saw that this was agreeable to the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too -- it was at the time of the feast of Unleavened Bread. He had him seized and put into prison, and turned him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, planning after the Passover to bring him out again to the people. So Peter was being kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was persistently made by the church. read more.
Now just as Herod was going to bring him out, that is, the very night before, Peter was fastened with two chains and was sleeping between two soldiers, and the guards were at the door guarding the prison. And suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in his cell, and by striking Peter on the side the angel woke him, and said, "Get up quickly!" At once the chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, "Tighten your belt and put on your shoes? He did so. Then the angel said to him, "Put on your coat and follow me!" So he kept following him out, but he was not conscious that what was being done by the angel was real; he thought he was dreaming it. They passed the first guard, then the second, and at last came to the iron gate which led into the city. The gate of itself opened to them, and they passed out and proceeded one block when all at once the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I really know that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from the power of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting to do to me." When he became conscious of his situation, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, were a large number of people had met and were praying. When he knocked at the outer door, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it, and on recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she failed to open the door but ran and told them that Peter was standing at the door. They said to her, "You are crazy!" But she persistently insisted that it was so. Then they said, "It is his guardian angel!" But Peter, meanwhile, kept on knocking. So they opened the door, and when they saw him, they were astounded. With his hand he motioned to them to be quiet, and then he told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He added, "Tell all these things to James and the brothers." Then he left them and went somewhere else. When morning came, there was no little commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. Herod had search made for him, and when he could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death. Then he left Judea for Caesarea, and stayed there.



So they arrested them and put them into prison until next morning, for it was already evening. Verse ConceptsInjustice, Nature And Source OfSuffering, Of BelieversThe Next DayEvenings For Jesus And His Disciples

He had him seized and put into prison, and turned him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, planning after the Passover to bring him out again to the people. So Peter was being kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was persistently made by the church.

But as the owners saw that the hope of their profit-making was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them to the public square, before the authorities, and brought them to the chiefs of the police court. They said, "These men are Jews; they continue to make great disturbance in our town and to advocate practices which it is against the law for us Romans to accept or observe." read more.
The crowd also joined in the attack upon them, and the chiefs of the police court had them stripped and flogged. After flogging them severely, they put them into jail, and gave the jailer orders to keep close watch on them. Because he had such strict orders, he put them into the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. But about midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, suddenly there was an earthquake so great that it shook the very foundations of the jail, the doors all flew open, and every prisoner's chains were unfastened. When the jailer awoke and saw that the jail doors were open, he drew his sword and was on the point of killing himself, because he thought that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul at once shouted out to him, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here!" Then the jailer called for lights and rushed in and fell trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas. After leading them out of the jail, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you and your household will be saved." Then they told God's message to him and to all the members of his household. Even at that time of the night he took them and washed their wounds, and he and all the members of his household at once were baptized. Then he took them up to his house and gave them food, and he and all the members of his household were happy in their faith in God. When day broke, the chiefs of the police court sent policemen with the message to let the men go. The jailer reported this message to Paul, saying, "The chiefs of the police court have sent orders to let you go. So now you may come out and go in peace." But Paul said to them, "They beat us in public and that without a trial, and put us in jail although we are Roman citizens! Let them come here themselves and take us out!" The policemen reported this message to the chiefs of the police court, and they became alarmed when they heard that they were Roman citizens, and came and pleaded with them, and took them out and begged them to leave town. After getting out of jail, they went to Lydia's house; they saw the brothers and encouraged them, and then left town.

So Peter was being kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was persistently made by the church. Now just as Herod was going to bring him out, that is, the very night before, Peter was fastened with two chains and was sleeping between two soldiers, and the guards were at the door guarding the prison. And suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in his cell, and by striking Peter on the side the angel woke him, and said, "Get up quickly!" At once the chains fell off his hands.


for I know that through your prayers and a bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my spiritual welfare, Verse ConceptsMinistry, In The ChurchMissionaries, Support ForIntercessory PrayerThe Spirit Of ChristGod ProvidingPray For UsWorking Togetherdeliverance

the latter, indeed, are doing so from love to me, for they know that I am providentially put here to defend the good news; Verse Conceptsdefence, humanAfflicted, Duty To ThemSincereityThe Purity Of The GospelLove Exists Between PeopleMan Defending

About that time Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, in order to do them violence. He had James the brother of John murdered with a sword, and when he saw that this was agreeable to the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too -- it was at the time of the feast of Unleavened Bread. read more.
He had him seized and put into prison, and turned him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, planning after the Passover to bring him out again to the people. So Peter was being kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was persistently made by the church. Now just as Herod was going to bring him out, that is, the very night before, Peter was fastened with two chains and was sleeping between two soldiers, and the guards were at the door guarding the prison. And suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in his cell, and by striking Peter on the side the angel woke him, and said, "Get up quickly!" At once the chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, "Tighten your belt and put on your shoes? He did so. Then the angel said to him, "Put on your coat and follow me!" So he kept following him out, but he was not conscious that what was being done by the angel was real; he thought he was dreaming it. They passed the first guard, then the second, and at last came to the iron gate which led into the city. The gate of itself opened to them, and they passed out and proceeded one block when all at once the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I really know that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from the power of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting to do to me." When he became conscious of his situation, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, were a large number of people had met and were praying. When he knocked at the outer door, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it, and on recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she failed to open the door but ran and told them that Peter was standing at the door. They said to her, "You are crazy!" But she persistently insisted that it was so. Then they said, "It is his guardian angel!" But Peter, meanwhile, kept on knocking. So they opened the door, and when they saw him, they were astounded. With his hand he motioned to them to be quiet, and then he told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He added, "Tell all these things to James and the brothers." Then he left them and went somewhere else. When morning came, there was no little commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. Herod had search made for him, and when he could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death. Then he left Judea for Caesarea, and stayed there. Now Herod cherished a bitter grudge against the people of Tyre and Sidon. So in a united body they came to meet him, and after winning the favor of Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended for its food supply upon the king's country. So, on a day appointed, Herod, dressed in his royal robes, took his seat on his throne, and made them a popular address, and the people shouted, "It is a god's voice, not a man's!" But the angel of the Lord at once struck him down, because he did not give the glory to God; he was eaten by worms, and so died.



About that time Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, in order to do them violence. He had James the brother of John murdered with a sword, and when he saw that this was agreeable to the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too -- it was at the time of the feast of Unleavened Bread. read more.
He had him seized and put into prison, and turned him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, planning after the Passover to bring him out again to the people. So Peter was being kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was persistently made by the church. Now just as Herod was going to bring him out, that is, the very night before, Peter was fastened with two chains and was sleeping between two soldiers, and the guards were at the door guarding the prison. And suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in his cell, and by striking Peter on the side the angel woke him, and said, "Get up quickly!" At once the chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, "Tighten your belt and put on your shoes? He did so. Then the angel said to him, "Put on your coat and follow me!" So he kept following him out, but he was not conscious that what was being done by the angel was real; he thought he was dreaming it. They passed the first guard, then the second, and at last came to the iron gate which led into the city. The gate of itself opened to them, and they passed out and proceeded one block when all at once the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I really know that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from the power of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting to do to me." When he became conscious of his situation, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, were a large number of people had met and were praying. When he knocked at the outer door, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it, and on recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she failed to open the door but ran and told them that Peter was standing at the door. They said to her, "You are crazy!" But she persistently insisted that it was so. Then they said, "It is his guardian angel!" But Peter, meanwhile, kept on knocking. So they opened the door, and when they saw him, they were astounded. With his hand he motioned to them to be quiet, and then he told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He added, "Tell all these things to James and the brothers." Then he left them and went somewhere else. When morning came, there was no little commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. Herod had search made for him, and when he could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death. Then he left Judea for Caesarea, and stayed there. Now Herod cherished a bitter grudge against the people of Tyre and Sidon. So in a united body they came to meet him, and after winning the favor of Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended for its food supply upon the king's country. So, on a day appointed, Herod, dressed in his royal robes, took his seat on his throne, and made them a popular address, and the people shouted, "It is a god's voice, not a man's!" But the angel of the Lord at once struck him down, because he did not give the glory to God; he was eaten by worms, and so died.

I, John, your brother and companion with you in the trouble, the kingdom, and the patient endurance which Jesus gives, found myself on the island called Patmos, for preaching God's message and testifying to Jesus. Verse ConceptsCompanionsIslandsKingdom Of God, Entry IntoLonelinessParticipation, In ChristWitnessing, And Holy SpiritSolitudePeople Of The KingdomSharing In ChristSubsequent Witness To ChristEnduranceperserverancepartnershipperseveringChristians Being Called Brothers

So they arrested them and put them into prison until next morning, for it was already evening. But many of those who heard their message believed, and the number of the men grew to about five thousand. On the next day the leading members of the council, the elders, and the scribes, read more.
met in Jerusalem, including Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all that were members of the high priest's family. They had the men stand before them and repeatedly inquired of them, "By what sort of power and authority have you done this?" Then Peter, because he was filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Leaders and elders of the people, if it is for a good deed to a helpless man, or to learn how he was cured, that we are today being tried, you and all the people of Israel must know that it is by the authority of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead -- yes, I repeat it, it is by His authority that this man stands here before you well. He is the stone that was thrown away by you builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is no salvation by anyone else, for no one else in all the wide world has been appointed among men as our only medium by which to be saved." They were surprised to see the courage shown by Peter and John and to find that they were uneducated men, and especially untrained in the schools, but they recognized the fact that they had been companions of Jesus, and since they saw the man who had been cured standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply. But they ordered the prisoners to step outside the council, and they conferred together and repeated, "What shall we do with these men? For it is evident to everybody living in Jerusalem that an unmistakable wonder-work has been done by them; and we cannot deny it. But to keep it from spreading farther among the people, let us severely threaten them not to say anything at all to anyone else about this person." So they called them in and ordered them not to speak or teach at all about the name of Jesus.

they had the apostles arrested and put into the common jail. But in the night the angel of the Lord threw open the jail doors and let them out, and said to them, "Go and take your stand in the temple square and continue to tell the people the message of this new life." read more.
So they obeyed, and about the break of day they went into the temple square and began to teach. The high priest and his party arrived and called a meeting of the council and the whole senate of the sons of Israel, and sent to the prison to have the men brought in. But the attendants who went for them could not find them in the jail, and so came back and reported, "We found the prison safely locked and the keepers on duty at the doors, but on opening the doors we found no one on the inside." When the military commander of the temple square and the high priest heard this, they were utterly at a loss to know how this might turn out. But somebody came by and reported to them, "The men that you put in jail are standing right here in the temple square, teaching the people." Then the military commander went with his attendants and brought them back, but without any violence, for they were afraid of being pelted with stones by the people. So they brought them and had them stand before the council. And the high priest asked them, "Did we not positively forbid you to teach anymore on this authority, and yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and now want to bring on us the people's vengeance for this man's death!" Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men. The God of our forefathers raised Jesus to life after you had hanged Him on a cross and killed Him. God has exalted to His right hand this very One as our Leader and Saviour, in order to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We and the Holy Spirit that God has given to those who practice obedience to Him are witnesses to these things." When they heard this, they were furious, and wanted to kill them. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, highly respected by all the people, got up in the council and gave orders to put the men out of the council a little while; then he said to them: "Fellow Israelites, take care as to what you are about to do to these men. For in the days gone by Theudas appeared, claiming that he was a man of importance, and a considerable number of men, about four hundred, espoused his cause, but he was slain and all his followers were dispersed and as a party annihilated. After him, at the time of the enrollment for the Roman tax, Judas the Galilean appeared and influenced people to desert and follow him, but he too perished and all his followers were scattered. So in the present case, I warn you, stay away from these men, let them alone. For, if this program or movement has its origin in men, it will go to pieces, but if it has its origin in God, you can never stop it. It is to be feared that you may find yourselves fighting God." They were convinced by him, and after calling the apostles in and having them flogged, they charged them to stop speaking on the authority of Jesus, and then turned them loose. So they went out from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer disgrace for Jesus' name; and not for a single day did they stop teaching in the temple square and in private houses the good news of Jesus the Christ.

About that time Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, in order to do them violence. He had James the brother of John murdered with a sword, and when he saw that this was agreeable to the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too -- it was at the time of the feast of Unleavened Bread. read more.
He had him seized and put into prison, and turned him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, planning after the Passover to bring him out again to the people. So Peter was being kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was persistently made by the church. Now just as Herod was going to bring him out, that is, the very night before, Peter was fastened with two chains and was sleeping between two soldiers, and the guards were at the door guarding the prison. And suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in his cell, and by striking Peter on the side the angel woke him, and said, "Get up quickly!" At once the chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, "Tighten your belt and put on your shoes? He did so. Then the angel said to him, "Put on your coat and follow me!" So he kept following him out, but he was not conscious that what was being done by the angel was real; he thought he was dreaming it. They passed the first guard, then the second, and at last came to the iron gate which led into the city. The gate of itself opened to them, and they passed out and proceeded one block when all at once the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I really know that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from the power of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting to do to me." When he became conscious of his situation, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, were a large number of people had met and were praying. When he knocked at the outer door, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it, and on recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she failed to open the door but ran and told them that Peter was standing at the door. They said to her, "You are crazy!" But she persistently insisted that it was so. Then they said, "It is his guardian angel!" But Peter, meanwhile, kept on knocking. So they opened the door, and when they saw him, they were astounded. With his hand he motioned to them to be quiet, and then he told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He added, "Tell all these things to James and the brothers." Then he left them and went somewhere else. When morning came, there was no little commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. Herod had search made for him, and when he could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death. Then he left Judea for Caesarea, and stayed there.

and when he saw that this was agreeable to the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too -- it was at the time of the feast of Unleavened Bread. He had him seized and put into prison, and turned him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, planning after the Passover to bring him out again to the people. So Peter was being kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was persistently made by the church. read more.
Now just as Herod was going to bring him out, that is, the very night before, Peter was fastened with two chains and was sleeping between two soldiers, and the guards were at the door guarding the prison. And suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in his cell, and by striking Peter on the side the angel woke him, and said, "Get up quickly!" At once the chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, "Tighten your belt and put on your shoes? He did so. Then the angel said to him, "Put on your coat and follow me!" So he kept following him out, but he was not conscious that what was being done by the angel was real; he thought he was dreaming it. They passed the first guard, then the second, and at last came to the iron gate which led into the city. The gate of itself opened to them, and they passed out and proceeded one block when all at once the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I really know that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from the power of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting to do to me." When he became conscious of his situation, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, were a large number of people had met and were praying. When he knocked at the outer door, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it, and on recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she failed to open the door but ran and told them that Peter was standing at the door. They said to her, "You are crazy!" But she persistently insisted that it was so. Then they said, "It is his guardian angel!" But Peter, meanwhile, kept on knocking. So they opened the door, and when they saw him, they were astounded. With his hand he motioned to them to be quiet, and then he told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He added, "Tell all these things to James and the brothers." Then he left them and went somewhere else. When morning came, there was no little commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. Herod had search made for him, and when he could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death. Then he left Judea for Caesarea, and stayed there.


They said to her, "You are crazy!" But she persistently insisted that it was so. Then they said, "It is his guardian angel!" Verse ConceptsGuardiansSuperstitionAngels Interacting With PeopleReckoned InsaneAngelic Guardianship



So Peter was being kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was persistently made by the church. Now just as Herod was going to bring him out, that is, the very night before, Peter was fastened with two chains and was sleeping between two soldiers, and the guards were at the door guarding the prison. And suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in his cell, and by striking Peter on the side the angel woke him, and said, "Get up quickly!" At once the chains fell off his hands. read more.
Then the angel said to him, "Tighten your belt and put on your shoes? He did so. Then the angel said to him, "Put on your coat and follow me!" So he kept following him out, but he was not conscious that what was being done by the angel was real; he thought he was dreaming it. They passed the first guard, then the second, and at last came to the iron gate which led into the city. The gate of itself opened to them, and they passed out and proceeded one block when all at once the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I really know that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from the power of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting to do to me." When he became conscious of his situation, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, were a large number of people had met and were praying. When he knocked at the outer door, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it, and on recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she failed to open the door but ran and told them that Peter was standing at the door. They said to her, "You are crazy!" But she persistently insisted that it was so. Then they said, "It is his guardian angel!" But Peter, meanwhile, kept on knocking. So they opened the door, and when they saw him, they were astounded. With his hand he motioned to them to be quiet, and then he told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He added, "Tell all these things to James and the brothers." Then he left them and went somewhere else.

And suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in his cell, and by striking Peter on the side the angel woke him, and said, "Get up quickly!" At once the chains fell off his hands. Verse ConceptsAngel of the LordExamples Of EscapingDeliverance, Means OfArmsLight, NaturalHeaven And AngelsShiningIron ChainsGod Beating PeopleLight In The WorldGet Up!God Freeing CaptivesSide Of PeopleSleeping PeacefullyBreaking Chainsjail





When they heard this, with one united prayer to God they said: "O Lord, you are the Maker of heaven, earth, and sea, and everything that is in them, and the One Verse ConceptsAgreement, Before GodCreation, Origin OfGod's Ownership Of EverythingPraying LoudlyEarth, Creation OfNatureCreation Of The Physical HeavensSeaPrayer MeetingsPraying Together

When he became conscious of his situation, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, were a large number of people had met and were praying. Verse ConceptsAgreement, Before GodHousesPrayer, In The ChurchSleeplessnessPrayer MeetingsChurch GatheringsPraying TogetherPrayer During PersecutionIdentity

and when he saw that this was agreeable to the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too -- it was at the time of the feast of Unleavened Bread. He had him seized and put into prison, and turned him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, planning after the Passover to bring him out again to the people. So Peter was being kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was persistently made by the church. read more.
Now just as Herod was going to bring him out, that is, the very night before, Peter was fastened with two chains and was sleeping between two soldiers, and the guards were at the door guarding the prison. And suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in his cell, and by striking Peter on the side the angel woke him, and said, "Get up quickly!" At once the chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, "Tighten your belt and put on your shoes? He did so. Then the angel said to him, "Put on your coat and follow me!" So he kept following him out, but he was not conscious that what was being done by the angel was real; he thought he was dreaming it. They passed the first guard, then the second, and at last came to the iron gate which led into the city. The gate of itself opened to them, and they passed out and proceeded one block when all at once the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I really know that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from the power of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting to do to me." When he became conscious of his situation, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, were a large number of people had met and were praying. When he knocked at the outer door, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it, and on recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she failed to open the door but ran and told them that Peter was standing at the door. They said to her, "You are crazy!" But she persistently insisted that it was so. Then they said, "It is his guardian angel!" But Peter, meanwhile, kept on knocking. So they opened the door, and when they saw him, they were astounded. With his hand he motioned to them to be quiet, and then he told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He added, "Tell all these things to James and the brothers." Then he left them and went somewhere else. When morning came, there was no little commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. Herod had search made for him, and when he could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death. Then he left Judea for Caesarea, and stayed there.

He had him seized and put into prison, and turned him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, planning after the Passover to bring him out again to the people. So Peter was being kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was persistently made by the church.


He had him seized and put into prison, and turned him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, planning after the Passover to bring him out again to the people. So Peter was being kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was persistently made by the church. Now just as Herod was going to bring him out, that is, the very night before, Peter was fastened with two chains and was sleeping between two soldiers, and the guards were at the door guarding the prison. read more.
And suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in his cell, and by striking Peter on the side the angel woke him, and said, "Get up quickly!" At once the chains fell off his hands.


About that time Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, in order to do them violence. He had James the brother of John murdered with a sword, and when he saw that this was agreeable to the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too -- it was at the time of the feast of Unleavened Bread. read more.
He had him seized and put into prison, and turned him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, planning after the Passover to bring him out again to the people. So Peter was being kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was persistently made by the church. Now just as Herod was going to bring him out, that is, the very night before, Peter was fastened with two chains and was sleeping between two soldiers, and the guards were at the door guarding the prison. And suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in his cell, and by striking Peter on the side the angel woke him, and said, "Get up quickly!" At once the chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, "Tighten your belt and put on your shoes? He did so. Then the angel said to him, "Put on your coat and follow me!" So he kept following him out, but he was not conscious that what was being done by the angel was real; he thought he was dreaming it. They passed the first guard, then the second, and at last came to the iron gate which led into the city. The gate of itself opened to them, and they passed out and proceeded one block when all at once the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I really know that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from the power of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting to do to me." When he became conscious of his situation, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, were a large number of people had met and were praying. When he knocked at the outer door, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it, and on recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she failed to open the door but ran and told them that Peter was standing at the door. They said to her, "You are crazy!" But she persistently insisted that it was so. Then they said, "It is his guardian angel!" But Peter, meanwhile, kept on knocking. So they opened the door, and when they saw him, they were astounded. With his hand he motioned to them to be quiet, and then he told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He added, "Tell all these things to James and the brothers." Then he left them and went somewhere else. When morning came, there was no little commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. Herod had search made for him, and when he could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death. Then he left Judea for Caesarea, and stayed there.

When we did arrive at Rome, Paul was granted permission to live by himself -- excepting a soldier to guard him. Verse ConceptsArrestingempiresGuardsHousesIsolated Persons

He had him seized and put into prison, and turned him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, planning after the Passover to bring him out again to the people. So Peter was being kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was persistently made by the church. Now just as Herod was going to bring him out, that is, the very night before, Peter was fastened with two chains and was sleeping between two soldiers, and the guards were at the door guarding the prison.