[ABOVE—The angel brings Peter out of prison [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons]
Many a prisoner could envy Peter: God sent an angel to open his prison doors. Through his arrest and rescue, Peter was a miraculous testimony to the power of God, for he had no active part, except by prayer, in bringing about his own jail break.
Acts 12
Now about that time King Herod exerted himself to persecute certain of the church. And he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. And when he saw this pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to arrest Peter also. (This was during the feast of unleavened bread.)
Lives Of The Apostles Paul And Peter. Rick Steves takes us on location to explore the lives of two great apostles. From persecuting members of the Jesus movement, Paul becomes the movement’s primary spokesperson and the one most responsible for spreading the Good News of God’s amazing grace and our everlasting life in Jesus Christ. Rick Steves also follows the story of the Apostle Peter from his early days as a fisherman, through his three-year adventure with Jesus to the tumultuous events surrounding Jesus’ death and resurrection.
And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. Peter therefore was kept in prison: but the church prayed to God for him without ceasing.
And when time arrived for Herod to bring him out, that same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the guards before the door watched the prison. And, look, the angel of the Lord came to him, and a light shone in the prison: and he slapped Peter on the side, and helped him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands.
And the angel said unto him, “Dress yourself, and fasten your sandals.” And so he did. And he said to him, “Throw your cloak around you, and follow me.”
And Peter went out, and followed him; and did not realize that what the angel was doing was for real but thought he was having a vision. When they got past the first and the second gates, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city; which opened to them by its own accord. Out they went, and passed on through one street; and immediately the angel left him.
And when Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for sure, that the Lord has sent his angel, and delivered me out of Herod’s hand, and from what the Jews expected.”