Acts 12:10

They 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.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Peter and an angel move through a prison courtyard under Herod’s watch, approaching the city’s main exit after a supernatural intervention. The moment occurs just before Peter’s sensory confusion gives way to concrete recognition of divine rescue.

The words — διελθόντες (dielthontes) translates literally to “having passed through,” and φυλακήν (phulakēn) means “guard.” These terms anchor the narrative in a physical progression past sequential security measures.

The thread — The motif of divine gate-opening recurs in Acts 5:19 and Acts 16:26, where angelic or earthquake interventions breach prison barriers. Isaiah 45:1 similarly frames unimpeded access as sovereign enablement.

Why it lands — The text records a physical escape that forces Peter to abandon his initial assumption of a vision. It demands acknowledgment that deliverance operates through concrete, observable events rather than internal impressions alone.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.

Cross-references

Acts 5:19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying,
Acts 16:26 Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.
Isaiah 45:1 This is what the LORD says to Cyrus His anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings, to open the doors before him, so that the gates will not be shut:
Genesis 40:3 and imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard, the same prison where Joseph was confined.
Genesis 42:17 So Joseph imprisoned them for three days,
Numbers 15:34 and because it had not been declared what should be done to him, they placed him in custody.
John 20:19 It was the first day of the week, and that very evening, while the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you!” He said to them.
Isaiah 21:8 Then the lookout shouted: “Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; night after night I stay at my post.
Acts 12:4 He arrested him and put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out to the people after the Passover.
John 20:26 Eight days later, His disciples were once again inside with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”