Acts 12:7-9 New English Translation

⁷Suddenly^[a] an angel of the Lord^[b] appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell. He struck^[c] Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off Peter’s^[d] wrists.^[e] ⁸The angel said to him, “Fasten your belt^[f] and put on your sandals.” Peter^[g] did so. Then the angel^[h] said to him, “Put on your cloak^[i] and follow me.” ⁹Peter^[j] went out^[k] and followed him;^[l] he did not realize that what was happening through the angel was real,^[m] but thought he was seeing a vision.

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Footnotes

Acts 12:7 tn Grk “And behold.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here. The interjection ἰδού (idou), often difficult to translate into English, expresses the suddenness of the angel’s appearance.
Acts 12:7 tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 5:19.
Acts 12:7 tn Grk “striking the side of Peter, he awoke him saying.” The term refers to a push or a light tap (BDAG 786 s.v. πατάσσω 1.a). The participle πατάξας (pataxas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
Acts 12:7 tn Grk “his”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Acts 12:7 tn Grk “the hands,” but the wrist was considered a part of the hand.
Acts 12:8 tn While ζώννυμι (zōnnumi) sometimes means “to dress,” referring to the fastening of the belt or sash as the final act of getting dressed, in this context it probably does mean “put on your belt” since in the conditions of a prison Peter had probably not changed into a different set of clothes to sleep. More likely he had merely removed his belt or sash, which the angel now told him to replace. The translation “put on your belt” is given by L&N 49.14 for this verse. The archaic English “girdle” for the sash or belt has an entirely different meaning today.
Acts 12:8 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Acts 12:8 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Acts 12:8 tn Or “outer garment.”
Acts 12:9 tn Grk “And going out he followed.”
Acts 12:9 tn Grk “Peter going out followed him.” The participle ἐξελθών (exelthōn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
Acts 12:9 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
Acts 12:9 tn Grk “what was done through the angel was a reality” (see BDAG 43 s.v. ἀληθής 3).

New English Translation (NET)