Acts 12:5-17

⁵So Peter was kept in prison, but meanwhile the prayers of the church were being earnestly offered to God on his behalf.

⁶Just when Herod was intending to bring him before the people, on that very night Peter was asleep between two soldiers, chained to them both, while there were sentries in front of the door, guarding the prison.

⁷Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. The angel struck Peter on the side, and roused him with the words, “Get up quickly.”

⁸The chains dropped from his wrists, and then the angel said, “Put on your belt and sandals.” When Peter had done so, the angel added, “Throw your cloak around you and follow me.”

⁹Peter followed him out, not knowing that what was happening under the angel's guidance was real, but thinking that he was seeing a vision.

¹⁰Passing the first Guard, and then the second, they came to the iron gate leading into the city, which opened to them of itself; and, when they had passed through that, and had walked along one street, all at once the angel left him.

¹¹Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know beyond all doubt that the Lord has sent his angel, and has rescued me from Herod's hands and from all that the Jewish people have been expecting.”

¹²As soon as he realised what had happened, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also known as Mark, where a number of people were gathered together, praying.

¹³On his knocking at the door in the gate, a maidservant, named Rhoda, came to answer it.

¹⁴She recognised Peter's voice, but in her joy left the gate unopened, and ran in, and told them that Peter was standing outside.

¹⁵“You are mad!” they exclaimed. But, when she persisted that it was so, they said, “It must be his spirit!”

¹⁶Meanwhile Peter went on knocking, and, when they opened the gate and saw him, they were amazed.

¹⁷Peter signed to them with his hand to be silent, and then told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison, adding, “Tell James and the others all this.” Then he left the house, and went away to another place.