Acts 12:7-11

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 12:5-19

We have here an account of Peter's deliverance out of prison, by which the design of Herod against him was defeated, and his life preserved for further service, and a stop given to this bloody torrent. Now, I. One thing that magnified his deliverance was that it was a signal answer to prayer (Acts 12:5): Peter was kept in prison with a great deal of care, so that it was altogether impossible, either by force or by stealth, to get him out. But prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 12:1-11

12:1-11 About this time Herod the king began to take hostile action to inflict injury on certain men of the Church. He killed James, John's brother, with the sword. When he saw that this gave pleasure to the Jews he went to arrest Peter too. (These were the days of unleavened bread). When he had seized Peter, he put him under arrest. He handed him over to four squads of soldiers to guard, for he wished to bring him before the people after the Passover Feast. So Peter was continuously guarded... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 12:7

And behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him ,.... Suddenly and at once, and stood by him; this was one of the ministering spirits sent forth by Christ, to minister to a servant of his: and a light shined in the prison ; the Syriac version renders it, "in the whole house"; and the word that is used does signify an habitation, or a dwelling house properly, but is used also by the Greek writers F6 Vid Harpocratian Lex. p. 212. for a prison: this was an uncommon light produced by... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 12:8

And the angel said unto him, gird thyself ,.... He slept in his inner garment loose about him; wherefore the angel bids him gird it up with his girdle, and prepare to walk out after him: and bind on thy sandals ; which were a sort of shoes that covered only the soles of the feet, and were fastened to the leg, with strings: and so he did ; he did not ask any question, or the reason of these orders; he did not dispute the matter, but at once obeyed: and he saith unto him, cast thy... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 12:9

And he went out and followed him ,.... He came out from between the two soldiers, and out of that apartment in the prison, in which he was, and followed the angel where he led him: and wist not that it was true that was done by the angel ; not that he thought the angel was a mere apparition, and all this that was done was a delusion; but he did not know whether this was matter of fact, or whether it was, not represented to him in a visionary way, as what could be, or would be done: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 12:10

When they were past the first and the second ward ,.... Or watch, which were set within the prison, and might be some of the quaternions of soldiers to whom Peter was delivered; two of them were with him, and others might be placed at these two wards for further security; and these circumstances make the deliverance the more wonderful and remarkable; the watch must either be asleep, or their eyes were holden, or the angel and Peter passed by so swiftly that they were unobserved: they came... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 12:11

And when Peter was come to himself .... For upon his being awaked out of sleep, what with the uncommon light, which shone around him, and with the appearance of the angel, and the chains dropping from his hands, and his surprising escape through the several wards, together with the iron gate opening of itself, he was so filled with amazement, that he was not himself; he could scarcely tell whether he was in the body or not, and whether he was in a dream or a trance, or whether he saw a... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 12:7

Smote Peter on the side - He struck him in such a way as was just sufficient to awake him from his sleep. His chains fell off from his hands - The chains mentioned above, by which he was bound to the two soldiers. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 12:8

Gird thyself - It seems Peter had put off the principal part of his clothes, that he might sleep with more comfort. His resuming all that he had thrown off was a proof that every thing had been done leisurely. There was no evidence of any hurry; nor of any design to elude justice, or even to avoid meeting his accusers in any legal way. It appears that the two soldiers were overwhelmed by a deep sleep, which fell upon them from God. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 12:9

He - wist not - He knew not; from the Anglo-Saxon, to know. He supposed himself to be in a dream. read more

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