Atos 12:10

Almeida Revista e Atualizada

Depois de terem passado a primeira e a segunda sentinela, chegaram ao porto de ferro que dava para a cidade, o qual se lhes abriu automaticamente; e, saindo, enveredaram por uma rua, e logo adiante o anjo se apartou dele.

Parallel Translations

A Biblia Sagrada
E, quando passaram a primeira e segunda guardas, chegaram porta de ferro, que d para a cidade, a qual se lhes abriu por si mesma; e, tendo sado, percorreram uma rua, e logo o anjo se apartou dele.

Almeida Revista e Corrigida
E, quando passaram a primeira e a segunda guarda, chegaram porta de ferro que d para a cidade, a qual se lhes abriu por si mesma; e, tendo sado, percorreram uma rua, e logo o anjo se apartou dele.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the first: Acts 12:4, Genesis 40:3, Genesis 42:17, Numbers 15:34, Isaiah 21:8

which: Acts 5:19, Acts 16:26, Isaiah 45:1, Isaiah 45:2, John 20:19, John 20:26, Revelation 3:7

Reciprocal: Matthew 17:8 - they saw

Gill's Notes on the Bible

When they were past the first and the second ward,.... Or watch, which were set within the prison, and might be some of the quaternions of soldiers to whom Peter was delivered; two of them were with him, and others might be placed at these two wards for further security; and these circumstances make the deliverance the more wonderful and remarkable; the watch must either be asleep, or their eyes were holden, or the angel and Peter passed by so swiftly that they were unobserved:

they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city: which was not one of the gates of the city, as if the prison was without the walls of it; but was the great and strong gate of the prison, which for the security of the prisoners was made of iron, and this gate led directly into the city of Jerusalem:

which opened to them of his own accord; as the gates of the temple are said to do g, forty years before the destruction of Jerusalem: this was done by a divine power; and because no human creature had any hand in it, it is said to be done of its own accord:

and they went out. The Cambridge copy of Beza's adds, "they went down seven steps"; that is, from the prison into the city:

and passed on through one street; what street this was is not certain; there were several streets in Jerusalem: :- and forthwith the angel departed from him: he being now safe and out of danger, he left him to himself, to betake himself to what house he should think fit.

g T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 39. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The first and second ward - The word which is here rendered “ward” φυλακήν phulakēn properly denotes “the act of guarding”; but it is most commonly used to denote “a prison, or place of confinement.” In this place it seems to denote the guard itself - the soldiers stationed at intervals in the entrance into the prison. These were passed silently, probably a deep sleep having been sent on them to facilitate the escape of Peter.

The iron gate - The outer gate, Secured with iron, as the doors of prisons are now.

That leadeth unto the city - Or rather into εἰς eis the city. The precise situation of the prison is unknown. It is supposed by some (compare Lightfoot on this place) that the prison was between two walls of the city, and that the entrance to the prison was immediately from the inner wall, so that the gate opened directly into the city.

Of his own accord - Itself. It opened spontaneously, without the application of any force or key, thus showing conclusively that Peter was delivered by miraculous interposition.

And passed on through one street - Until Peter was entirely safe from any danger of pursuit, and then the angel left him. God had effected his complete rescue, and now left him to his own efforts as usual.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 12:10. The first and - second ward — It is supposed that ancient Jerusalem was surrounded by three walls: if so, then passing through the gates of these three walls successively is possibly what is meant by the expression in the text. The prison in which he was confined might have been that which was at the outer wall.

Iron gate — This was in the innermost wall of the three, and was strongly plated over with iron, for the greater security. In the east, the gates are often thus secured to the present day. Pitts says so of the gates of Algiers; and Pocock, of some near Antioch. Perhaps this is all that is meant by the iron gate. One of the quaternions of soldiers was placed at each gate.

Which opened - of his own accord — Influenced by the unseen power of the angel.

The angel departed from him. — Having brought him into a place in which he no longer needed his assistance. What is proper to God he always does: what is proper to man he requires him to perform.