Verse 6
The night before Peter’s trial and probable execution he lay sound asleep in his cell. How could he sleep soundly when God had allowed James to die? Peter, of course, had a record of sleeping when he should have been praying (cf. Matthew 26:36-46). He had no problem with insomnia. Nevertheless on this occasion God may have wanted him to sleep. Perhaps he did not fear for his life because Jesus had implied that he would live to an old age (John 21:18). Normally the Romans chained a prisoner by his right hand to his guard’s left hand, but each of Peter’s hands was chained to a guard on either side of him. [Note: Barclay, p. 101; Longenecker, p. 409.] Herod wanted to make sure Peter did not get away.
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