Peter, asleep in chains

“Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. ‘Quick, get up!’ he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.”

Acts 12:7 (NIV)

THE QUESTION

The night before his trial, he was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, when an angel woke him and the chains fell off. Who was he?

A) Paul

B) John

C) Peter ✓

D) Silas

A closer look

King Herod had just put James, the brother of John, to death, and he planned to bring Peter to trial next (Acts 12:1-4). Yet on that last night, Peter was asleep between two soldiers, while the church kept praying for him (Acts 12:5-6). The angel had to strike him on the side just to wake him up (Acts 12:7).

If you picked Paul or Silas, you’re thinking of another night in prison, when an earthquake shook the jail and everyone’s chains came loose (Acts 16:26). And if you picked John, an angel once opened the jail doors for him and the other apostles (Acts 5:18-19).

In today’s verse, Paul calls it being “persecuted, but not abandoned” (2 Corinthians 4:9). Peter learned it in a prison cell: even there, God had not left him.

We hope this helped you grow in God’s Word today. Now head back to your email and tell us how you liked today’s devotional. 🙏