A PRAYING CHURCH
Key verse: 5
NIV
Peter’s Miraculous Escape From Prison
12 It was about this time that King Herod(A) arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2 He had James, the brother of John,(B) put to death with the sword.(C) 3 When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews,(D) he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread.(E) 4 After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.(F)
5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.(G)
6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains,(H) and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7 Suddenly an angel(I) of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.(J)
8 Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. 9 Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.(K) 10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself,(L) and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.
11 Then Peter came to himself(M) and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me(N) from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”
Cross references
- Acts 12:1 : S Mt 14:1
- Acts 12:2 : S Mt 4:21
- Acts 12:2 : Mk 10:39
- Acts 12:3 : Ac 24:27; 25:9
- Acts 12:3 : Ex 12:15; 23:15; Ac 20:6
- Acts 12:4 : S Jn 11:55
- Acts 12:5 : S Ac 1:14; Ro 15:30, 31; Eph 6:18
- Acts 12:6 : Ac 21:33
- Acts 12:7 : S Ac 5:19
- Acts 12:7 : Ps 107:14; Ac 16:26
- Acts 12:9 : S Ac 9:10
- Acts 12:10 : Ac 5:19; 16:26
- Acts 12:11 : Lk 15:17
- Acts 12:11 : Ps 34:7; Da 3:28; 6:22; 2Co 1:10; 2Pe 2:9
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
James Killed and Peter Imprisoned
12 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed (A)James the brother of John (B)with the sword, 3 and when he saw (C)that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during (D)the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 And when he had seized him, he put him (E)in prison, delivering him over to four (F)squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest (G)prayer for him was made to God by the church.
Peter Is Rescued
6 Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, (H)bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. 7 And behold, (I)an angel of the Lord (J)stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. (K)He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And (L)the chains fell off his hands. 8 And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and (M)put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 9 And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but (N)thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. (O)It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. 11 When Peter (P)came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that (Q)the Lord has sent his angel and (R)rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”
Read full chapterCross references
- Acts 12:2 : Matt. 4:21; 20:23
- Acts 12:2 : Heb. 11:37
- Acts 12:3 : [ch. 24:27; 25:9]
- Acts 12:3 : ch. 20:6; Ex. 12:14, 15; 23:15
- Acts 12:4 : See Luke 21:12
- Acts 12:4 : [John 19:23]
- Acts 12:5 : 2 Cor. 1:11; Eph. 6:18
- Acts 12:6 : ch. 21:33
- Acts 12:7 : See ch. 8:26
- Acts 12:7 : Luke 2:9; 24:4
- Acts 12:7 : [1 Kgs. 19:7]
- Acts 12:7 : ch. 16:26
- Acts 12:8 : Mark 6:9
- Acts 12:9 : Ps. 126:1
- Acts 12:10 : ch. 5:19; 16:26
- Acts 12:11 : [Luke 15:17]
- Acts 12:11 : Ps. 34:7; 91:11; Dan. 3:28; 6:22
- Acts 12:11 : Ps. 33:18, 19; 2 Cor. 1:10
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. The church prayed (1-5)
Christians in Jerusalem were persecuted by Herod. He had the Apostle James put to death. He saw that this pleased the Jews, so he arrested Peter. Everyone feared the worst. Peter was the spiritual leader and shepherd of the church, and they needed his leadership. But what could they do? They were helpless. So they prayed. Their prayers seemed but a feeble gesture in the face of the power of an evil king who was backed by the ruthless Roman Empire.
2. The Lord sent an angel (6-11)
Peter was sleeping, chained between two guards. He calmly awaited certain death the next day. But God heard the prayers of his people and sent his angel to rescue Peter. Peter was not expecting an angel. But the angel came and broke the chains and opened the prison door. Peter finally realized that God was rescuing him, and he walked right out of prison.
Prayer: Lord, teach me to pray and not give up, even when it seems impossible.
One Word: The church prayed earnestly
