Acts 12:8
in Acts 12“Get dressed and put on your sandals,” said the angel. Peter did so, and the angel told him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And he did so. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
KJV
And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
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This verse in Acts 12
Commentary
13 notes on this verseGird thyself - It seems Peter had put off the principal part of his clothes, that he might sleep with more comfort. His resuming all that he had thrown off was a proof that every thing had been done leisurely. There was no evidence of any hurry; nor of any design to elude justice, or even to avoid meeting his accusers in any legal way. It appears that the two soldiers were overwhelmed by a deep sleep, which fell upon them from God.
This site's exposition
bound with two chains
on Acts 12:6-8
On the night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, at rest on the eve of his trial. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell, and at his touch the chains fell off his wrists. The orders that follow are ordinary and unhurried, to dress, put on sandals and wrap his cloak around him, a rescue without haste.
This site's exposition
Get dressed and put on your sandals
The angel's commands come in Passover week and match the dress of Exodus 12:11, cloak wrapped and sandals on for the road. Gill reads them as a traveller's preparation. Peter follows the angel out ready to walk.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
And the angel said to him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. Here again it shows, that it was not done of craft: for one that is in haste and wishes to break out of prison, is not so particular as to take his sandals, and gird himself. And he did so. And he said unto him, Put on thy cloak, and follow me.
"Rise," says he, "quickly:" this is not to hurry him but to persuade him not to delay. And immediately his chains fell off from his hands. How? answer me: where are the heretics? - let them answer. And the Angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals: by this also convincing him that it is no fancy: to this end he bids him gird himself and put on his shoes, that he may shake off his sleep, and know that it is real.
The Lord having said to the disciples, "Do not acquire gold nor silver, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a belt, nor a staff," (Matt. 10:9-10, Mark 6:8, Luke 9:3) how did Peter act contrary to the command, having garments and a belt and sandals? …
The Medieval Church2 voices
How is it that Peter acted contrary to the command not to take "neither gold, nor silver, nor copper in your belts, nor a bag for the journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff" (Matt. 10:9–10)? Yet he had both clothing and sandals, …
Gird yourself, and put on your boots. Instead of boots or sandals, as some manuscripts have, in Greek it says sandals. We read in the Gospel that a type of footwear was permitted to the apostles, not without a symbolic mystical sense. For the apostles' …
5 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Gird yourself and put on your sandals. And we read that prophets and apostles used belts, which Peter had loosened for a moment due to the rigidity of the prison, so that, with his tunic lowered around his feet, he could somewhat temper the cold …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And the angel said unto him, gird thyself,....
Those whose bonds are loosed by the power of divine grace must have their feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. (3.) He must cast his garments about him, and come away as he was, and follow the angel; and he might go with a great deal of courage and cheerfulness who had a messenger from heaven for his guide and guard.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
about thee . . . follow me--In such graphic minuteness of detail we have a charming mark of reality: while the rapidity and curtness of the orders, and the promptitude with which they were obeyed, betoken the despatch which, in the circumstances, was necessary.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Gird thyself - When they slept the outer garment was thrown off, and the girdle with which they bound their inner garment, or tunic, was loosed. He was directed now to gird up that inner garment as they usually wore it; that is, to dress himself, and prepare to follow him. Bind on thy sandals - Put on thy sandals; prepare to walk. See the notes on Mat 3:11. Cast thy garment about thee - The outer garment, that was thrown loosely around the shoulders. It was nearly square, and was laid aside when they slept, or worked, or ran. The direction was that he should dress himself in his usual apparel. See the notes on Mat 5:38-42.
The words behind it
25 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἶπεν | eipen | Said | G2036 → | 925 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἄγγελος | angelos | angel | G32 → | 175 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| αὐτόν· | auton | him; | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ζῶσαι | zosai | do dress yourself | G2224 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὑπόδησαι | hupodesai | do yourself put on | G5265 → | |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σανδάλιά | sandalia | sandals | G4547 → | |
| σου. | sou | of you. | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐποίησεν | epoiesen | He did | G4160 → | 569 times |
| δὲ | de | and | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| οὕτως. | houtos | so. | G3779 → | 208 times |
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| λέγει | legei | he says | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| αὐτῷ· | auto | to him; | G846 → | 5565 times |
| περιβαλοῦ | peribalou | do yourself wrap around | G4016 → | |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἱμάτιόν | himation | cloak | G2440 → | 60 times |
| σου | sou | of you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἀκολούθει | akolouthei | do follow | G190 → | 90 times |
| μοι. | moi | me. | G3165 → | 1936 times |
εἶπενSaid
eipenG2036 →925 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἄγγελοςangel
angelosG32 →175 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
αὐτόν·him;
autonG846 →5565 times
ζῶσαιdo dress yourself
zosaiG2224 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὑπόδησαιdo yourself put on
hupodesaiG5265 →
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
σανδάλιάsandals
sandaliaG4547 →
σου.of you.
souG4771 →2973 times
ἐποίησενHe did
epoiesenG4160 →569 times
δὲand
deG1161 →2765 times
οὕτως.so.
houtosG3779 →208 times
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
λέγειhe says
legeiG3004 →1325 times
αὐτῷ·to him;
autoG846 →5565 times
περιβαλοῦdo yourself wrap around
peribalouG4016 →
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
ἱμάτιόνcloak
himationG2440 →60 times
σουof you
souG4771 →2973 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀκολούθειdo follow
akoloutheiG190 →90 times
μοι.me.
moiG3165 →1936 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Acts
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on Acts; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Retractions on Acts; Bede, Commentary on Acts; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 26; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.