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Acts 12:9-17

Acts 12:7-17 The Message (MSG)

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. Past the first guard and then the second, they came to the iron gate that led into the city. It swung open before them on its own, and they were out on the street, free as the breeze. At the first intersection the angel left him, going his own way. That’s when Peter realized it was no dream. “I can’t believe it—this really happened! The Master sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s vicious little production and the spectacle the Jewish mob was looking forward to.” Still shaking his head, amazed, he went to Mary’s house, the Mary who was John Mark’s mother. The house was packed with praying friends. When he knocked on the door to the courtyard, a young woman named Rhoda came to see who it was. But when she recognized his voice—Peter’s voice!—she was so excited and eager to tell everyone Peter was there that she forgot to open the door and left him standing in the street. But they wouldn’t believe her, dismissing her, dismissing her report. “You’re crazy,” they said. She stuck by her story, insisting. They still wouldn’t believe her and said, “It must be his angel.” All this time poor Peter was standing out in the street, knocking away. Finally they opened up and saw him—and went wild! Peter put his hands up and calmed them down. He described how the Master had gotten him out of jail, then said, “Tell James and the brothers what’s happened.” He left them and went off to another place.

Acts 12:9-17 Amplified Bible (AMP)

And Peter went out following the angel. He did not realize that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first guard and the second, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city. Of its own accord it swung open for them; and they went out and went along one street, and at once the angel left him. When Peter came to his senses, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel and has rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting [to do to me].” When he realized what had happened, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, who was also called Mark, where many [believers] were gathered together and were praying continually [and had been praying all night]. When he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer. Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she failed to open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gateway. They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, “It is his angel!” [Matt 18:10; Heb 1:14] But [meanwhile] Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were completely amazed. But motioning to them with his hand to be quiet and listen, he described how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to James and the brothers and sisters.” Then he left and went to another place.

Acts 12:9-17 The Passion Translation (TPT)

Peter quickly left the cell and followed the angel, even though he thought it was only a dream or a vision, for it seemed unreal—he couldn’t believe it was really happening! They walked unseen past the first guard post and then the second before coming to the iron gate that leads to the city—and the gate swung open all by itself right in front of them! They went out into the city and were walking down a narrow street when all of a sudden the angel disappeared. That’s when Peter realized that he wasn’t having a dream! He said to himself, “This is really happening! The Lord sent his angel to rescue me from the clutches of Herod and from what the Jewish leaders planned to do to me.” When he realized this, he decided to go to the home of Mary and her son John Mark. The house was filled with people praying. When he knocked on the door to the courtyard, a young servant girl named Rose got up to see who it was. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so excited that she forgot to open the door, but ran back inside the house to announce, “Peter is standing outside!” “Are you crazy?” they said to her. But when she kept insisting, they answered, “Well, it must be his angel.” Meanwhile, Peter was still outside, knocking on the door. When they finally opened it, they were shocked to find Peter standing there. He signaled for them to be quiet as he shared with them the miraculous way the Lord brought him out of prison. Before he left he said, “Make sure you let Jacob and all of the other believers know what has happened.”