Acts 12:7

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, "Get up quickly." And the chains fell off his wrists.

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
All of a sudden, there was a bright light, and an angel stood there in front of Pete. The angel kicked him and told him, "Get up and be quick about it!" When Pete stood up, the chains fell off.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter's side and woke him up, saying, "Get up quickly." And his chains fell off his hands.

Legacy Standard Bible
And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter's side and woke him up, saying, "Rise up quickly." And his chains fell off his hands.

Bible in Basic English
And a great light was seen shining in the room, and an angel of the Lord came to Peter and, touching him on his side so that he came out of his sleep, said, Get up quickly. And his chains came off his hands.

Darby Translation
And lo, an angel of [the] Lord came there, and a light shone in the prison: and having smitten the side of Peter, he roused him up, saying, Rise up quickly. And his chains fell off his hands.

New King James Version
Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, "Arise quickly!" And his chains fell off his hands.

Christian Standard Bible®
Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. Striking Peter on the side, he woke him up and said, "Quick, get up!" Then the chains fell off his wrists.

World English Bible
Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side, and woke him up, saying, "Stand up quickly!" His chains fell off from his hands.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And behold, an angel of the Lord stood over him, and light shined in the house: and smiting Peter on the side he waked him, saying, Rise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

Weymouth's New Testament
Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell; and, striking Peter on the side, he woke him and said, "Rise quickly." Instantly the chains dropped off his wrists.

King James Version (1611)
And beholde, the Angel of the Lord came vpon him, and a light shined in the prison: and hee smote Peter on the side, and raised him vp, saying, Arise vp quickely. And his chaines fell off from his hands.

Literal Translation
And, behold! An angel of the Lord stood by, and a light shone in the building. And striking Peter's side, he raised him up, saying, Rise up in haste! And the chains fell off from his hands.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And beholde, the angell of the LORDE was there presente, and a lighte shyned in the habitacion, and he smote Peter on the syde, and waked him vp, and sayde: Aryse vp quyckly. And the cheynes fell of from his hondes.

Mace New Testament (1729)
the Lord suddenly appear'd and fill'd the room with light, and touching Peter on the side, awak'd him, saying, rise, be quick. and immediately his chains fell from his hands.

THE MESSAGE
Suddenly there was an angel at his side and light flooding the room. The angel shook Peter and got him up: "Hurry!" The handcuffs fell off his wrists. The angel said, "Get dressed. Put on your shoes." Peter did it. Then, "Grab your coat and let's get out of here." Peter followed him, but didn't believe it was really an angel—he thought he was dreaming.

Amplified Bible
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared [beside him] and a light shone in the cell. The angel struck Peter's side and awakened him, saying, "Get up quickly!" And the chains fell off his hands.

American Standard Version
And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shined in the cell: and he smote Peter on the side, and awoke him, saying, Rise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

Revised Standard Version
and behold, an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, "Get up quickly." And the chains fell off his hands.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And beholde the angell of ye Lorde was there present and a lyght shyned in the lodge. And smote Peter on the syde and steryd him vp sayinge: aryse vp quyckly. And his cheynes fell of fro his hondes.

Update Bible Version
And look, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shined in the cell: and he smote Peter on the side, and awoke him, saying, Rise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

Webster's Bible Translation
And behold, the angel of the Lord came upon [him], and a light shined in the prison; and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise quickly. And his chains fell off from [his] hands.

Young's Literal Translation
and lo, a messenger of the Lord stood by, and a light shone in the buildings, and having smitten Peter on the side, he raised him up, saying, `Rise in haste,' and his chains fell from off [his] hands.

New Century Version
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord stood there, and a light shined in the cell. The angel struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Hurry! Get up!" the angel said. And the chains fell off Peter's hands.

New English Translation
Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, "Get up quickly!" And the chains fell off Peter's wrists.

Contemporary English Version
Suddenly an angel from the Lord appeared, and light flashed around in the cell. The angel poked Peter in the side and woke him up. Then he said, "Quick! Get up!" The chains fell off his hands,

Complete Jewish Bible
Suddenly an angel of Adonai stood there, and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Kefa's side and woke him. "Hurry! Get up!" he said; and the chains fell off his hands.

English Standard Version
And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, "Get up quickly." And the chains fell off his hands.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And behold the Angel of the Lord came vpon them, and a light shined in the house, and he smote Peter on the side, and raysed him vp, saying, Arise quickely. And his chaines fell off from his handes.

George Lamsa Translation
The angel of the LORD stood over him, and a light shone in all the prison: and the angel touched him on the side and awoke him, and said to him, Rise up quickly. And the chains fell off from his hands.

Hebrew Names Version
Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Kefa on the side, and woke him up, saying, "Stand up quickly!" His chains fell off from his hands.

International Standard Version
Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on his side, woke him up, and said, "Get up quickly!" His chains fell from his wrists.Acts 5:19;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
the angel of the Lord stood over him, and light shined in all the house.

Murdock Translation
an angel of the Lord stood over him, and a light shone in all the building; and he pricked his side, and awaked him, and said to him: Arise, instantly. And the chains fell from his hands.

New Living Translation
Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, "Quick! Get up!" And the chains fell off his wrists.

New Life Bible
All at once an angel of the Lord was seen standing beside him. A light shone in the building. The angel hit Peter on the side and said, "Get up!" Then the chains fell off his hands.

English Revised Version
And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shined in the cell: and he smote Peter on the side, and awoke him, saying, Rise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

New Revised Standard
Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, "Get up quickly." And the chains fell off his wrists.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And lo! a messenger of the Lord stood over him, and a light shone in the cell; and, smiting the side of Peter, he roused him up, saying - Rise up quickly! And his chains fell off out of his hands.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And behold an angel of the Lord stood by him and a light shined in the room. And he, striking Peter on the side, raised him up, saying: Arise quickly. And the chains fell off from his hands.

King James Version
And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

Lexham English Bible
And behold, an angel of the Lord stood near him, and a light shone in the prison cell. And striking Peter's side, he woke him up, saying, "Get up quickly!" And his chains fell off of his hands.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And beholde, the Angel of ye Lorde was there present, and a lyght shyned in the habitation: And he smote Peter on the syde, and stirred hym vp, saying: Aryse vp quickly. And his chaynes fell of from his handes.

Easy-to-Read Version
Suddenly an angel of the Lord was standing there, and the room was filled with light. The angel tapped Peter on the side and woke him up. The angel said, "Hurry, get up!" The chains fell off Peter's hands.

New American Standard Bible
And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near Peter, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter's side and woke him, saying, "Get up quickly." And his chains fell off his hands.

Good News Translation
Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood there, and a light shone in the cell. The angel shook Peter by the shoulder, woke him up, and said, "Hurry! Get up!" At once the chains fell off Peter's hands.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And lo! an aungel of the Lord stoode nyy, and liyt schoon in the prisoun hous. And whanne he hadde smyte the side of Petre, he reiside hym, and seide, Rise thou swiftli. And anoon the cheynes felden doun fro hise hoondis.

Contextual Overview

⁵So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was fervently praying to God for him. ⁶On the night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, with sentries standing guard at the entrance to the prison. ⁷Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, "Get up quickly." And the chains fell off his wrists.⁸"Get dressed and put on your sandals," said the angel. Peter did so, and the angel told him, "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me." ⁹So Peter followed him out, but he was unaware that what the angel was doing was real. He only thought he was seeing a vision. ¹⁰They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city, which opened for them by itself. When they had gone outside and walked the length of one block, the angel suddenly left him. ¹¹Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from Herod's grasp and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating." ¹²And when he had realized this, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people were had gathered together and were praying. ¹³He knocked at the outer gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it. ¹⁴When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed that she forgot to open the gate, but ran inside and announced, "Peter is standing at the gate!"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the angel: Acts 12:23, Acts 5:19, Acts 10:30, Acts 27:23, Acts 27:24, 1 Kings 19:5, 1 Kings 19:7, Psalms 34:7, Psalms 37:32, Psalms 37:33, Isaiah 37:30, Daniel 6:22, Hebrews 1:14

and a: Acts 9:3, 2 Samuel 22:29, Ezekiel 43:2, Micah 7:9, Habakkuk 3:4, Habakkuk 3:11, Revelation 18:1

Arise: Genesis 19:15, Genesis 19:16, Isaiah 60:1, Ephesians 5:14

And his: The two chains with which his hands were fastened to those of the two soldiers between whom he slept. This, it appears, was the Roman method of securing a prisoner, and seems to be what is intimated in Acts 12:6. Acts 12:6, Acts 2:24, Acts 16:26, Psalms 105:18-20, Psalms 107:14, Psalms 116:16, Psalms 142:6, Psalms 142:7, Psalms 146:7, Daniel 3:24, Daniel 3:25

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 1:3 - angel Ecclesiastes 5:8 - higher than they Isaiah 51:14 - captive Jeremiah 40:1 - bound Daniel 3:28 - hath sent Daniel 9:21 - touched Matthew 18:10 - their Acts 12:11 - that the

Cross-References

Genesis 8:20
Then Noah built an altar to the LORD. Taking from every kind of clean animal and clean bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar.

Genesis 12:8
From there Abram moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to the LORD, and he called on the name of the LORD.

Genesis 12:9
And Abram journeyed on toward the Negev.

Genesis 12:12
and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife.' Then they will kill me but will allow you to live.

Genesis 13:4
to the site where he had built the altar. And there Abram called on the name of the LORD.

Genesis 13:15
For all the land that you see, I will give to you and your offspring forever.

Genesis 13:18
So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the oaks of Mamre in Hebron, where he built an altar to the LORD.

Genesis 15:18
On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I have given this land-from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates-

Genesis 17:1
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty. Walk before Me and be blameless.

Genesis 17:3
Then Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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 f for a prison: this was an uncommon light produced by the angel, partly as an emblem of the presence, majesty, and power of God, who was present, to work a great deliverance; and partly for the use of Peter, that when being awaked he might see to rise and walk by:

and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up; he touched him on that side which lay uppermost, or punched him on it, in order to awake him, and raise him out of his sleep:

saying arise up quickly; without delay, make haste:

and his chains fell off from his hands; from both his hands, and were left with the soldiers, between whom he slept; which must be ascribed to an almighty power, which caused them to drop off.

f Vid Harpocratian Lex. p. 212.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And, behold, the angel of the Lord - See the notes on Acts 5:19.

Came upon him - Greek: was present with him; stood near him ἐπέστη epestē.

And a light shined in the prison - Many have supposed that this was lightning. But light, and splendor, and shining apparel are commonly represented as the accompaniments of the heavenly beings when they visit the earth, Luke 2:9; Luke 24:4; compare Mark 9:3. It is highly probable that this light was discerned only by Peter; and it would be to him an undoubted proof of the divine interposition in his behalf.

And he smote Peter on the side - This was, doubtless, a gentle blow or stroke to arouse him from sleep.

And his chains ... - This could have been only by divine power. No natural means were used, or could have been used without arousing the guard. It is a sublime expression of the ease with which God can deliver from danger, and rescue his friends. Compare Acts 16:26.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 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.