Acts 12:9

KJV

And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

KJV (with Strong's)

And {G2532} he went out {G1831}, and followed {G190} him {G846}; and {G2532} wist {G1492} not {G3756} that {G3754} it was {G2076} true {G227} which {G3588} was done {G1096} by {G1223} the angel {G32}; but {G1161} thought {G1380} he saw {G991} a vision {G3705}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Going out, Kefa followed him but did not realize that what was happening through the angel was real — he thought he was seeing a vision.

Berean Standard Bible

So Peter followed him out, but he was unaware that what the angel was doing was real. He thought he was only seeing a vision.

American Standard Version

And he went out, and followed; and he knew not that it was true which was done by the angel, but thought he saw a vision.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Acts 12:9 captures the profound bewilderment of Peter during his miraculous escape from prison. Having been led out by an angel, past multiple layers of security and miraculously opening gates, Peter was in such a state of shock and disbelief that he could not grasp the reality of the event. Instead, he perceived the entire experience as a supernatural vision or dream, unable to reconcile the extraordinary divine intervention with his immediate physical circumstances.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is a pivotal moment within the dramatic narrative of [Peter's imprisonment and miraculous release](/acts/12 "Acts 12 - Peter's Miraculous Deliverance"). King Herod Agrippa I, seeking to appease the Jewish leaders, had already executed James, the brother of John, and had imprisoned Peter with the intention of executing him after the Passover festival. The immediate preceding verses ([Acts 12:5-8](/acts/12-5-8 "Acts 12:5-8 - The Angel's Intervention")) detail the church's fervent prayer for Peter, God's direct response through an angel, the striking off of Peter's chains, and the angel leading him past sleeping guards and through a miraculously opening iron gate. Verse 9 then vividly portrays Peter's dazed and disoriented state as he followed the angel, highlighting his inability to process the physical reality of his escape, believing it to be a mere spiritual vision.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The events of Acts 12 unfold during the reign of Herod Agrippa I, a grandson of Herod the Great, who ruled Judea from AD 41-44. His persecution of the nascent Christian community, including the execution of James and the imprisonment of Peter, was likely a political move to gain favor with the Jewish populace. Roman prison practices of the time were severe, often involving multiple guards, chains, and secure gates, making an escape virtually impossible without external aid. Within Jewish culture, angels were understood as divine messengers and agents of God's power, and visions were a recognized means through which God communicated with His prophets and servants, as seen in numerous Old Testament accounts and even in Peter's own experience on the rooftop in [Acts 10](/acts/10 "Acts 10 - Peter's Vision and Cornelius"). This cultural understanding of visions explains Peter's initial interpretation of his escape.
* **Key Themes:** The passage powerfully underscores several key themes. Foremost is **Divine Intervention and Miraculous Deliverance**, showcasing God's sovereign power to rescue His servants from seemingly insurmountable dangers, even when facing the full force of human authority. This echoes earlier divine interventions, such as the [apostles' release from prison in Acts 5](/acts/5-19 "Acts 5:19 - Angelic Deliverance of Apostles"). Another prominent theme is **Human Disbelief and Bewilderment** in the face of the supernatural. Peter, despite having witnessed countless miracles and even performing some himself, is so overwhelmed by the extraordinary nature of his own deliverance that he cannot initially comprehend its reality, defaulting to the idea of a vision. This highlights the often-unfathomable nature of God's actions, which frequently transcend human expectation and logic. Finally, the verse subtly emphasizes **The Tangible Reality of God's Power**, as Peter's escape was undeniably physical and effective, despite his initial misperception.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **went out (Greek, _exérchomai'_):** This verb (G1831) signifies to "issue forth" or "come out," whether literally or figuratively. In this context, it describes Peter's physical act of departing from the prison cell and then the prison itself, following the angel. It emphasizes the active, physical movement involved in his escape, contrasting sharply with his internal mental state.
* **wist not (Greek, _eídō'_ and _ou'_):** The phrase "wist not" combines the archaic English verb "wist" (from G1492, _eídō_), meaning "to know" or "to be aware," with the negative particle (G3756, _ou'_). Thus, it means "did not know" or "was unaware." This powerfully conveys Peter's complete lack of comprehension regarding the reality of his situation. He was not merely confused; he genuinely did not perceive the escape as a true, physical event.
* **vision (Greek, _hórama'_):** This noun (G3705) refers to something gazed at, specifically a spectacle, often one that is supernatural or a divine revelation. Peter's immediate categorization of his experience as a "vision" indicates his struggle to reconcile the miraculous with his current reality. He assumed it was a spiritual encounter, a dream, or a trance, rather than a tangible, physical deliverance from prison.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And he went out, and followed him;":** This clause describes Peter's immediate physical response to the angel's leading. Despite his internal confusion, he passively complies, indicating a degree of trust or perhaps simply an automatic reaction to the angel's commands from the preceding verses. His actions are those of a person being led, not one actively planning or executing an escape.
* **"and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel;":** This is the core of Peter's internal state. The phrase "wist not" (did not know) underscores his complete lack of understanding or awareness that the events unfolding were actual, physical occurrences. The "truth" (G227, _alēthḗs_) refers to the objective reality of the angelic intervention and his subsequent liberation. Peter's mind could not process the verifiable truth of his freedom.
* **"but thought he saw a vision.":** This final clause reveals Peter's interpretation of the extraordinary events. Instead of acknowledging the physical reality of his escape, he rationalized it as a "vision" (G3705, _hórama_), a supernatural experience detached from the physical world. This highlights the profound impact of the miracle on his senses and intellect, causing him to default to an explanation that fit within his understanding of divine communication, even if it meant denying the tangible evidence before him.

#### Literary Devices
The verse effectively employs **Irony** and **Contrast**. The irony lies in Peter's reaction: a man who had walked on water, witnessed countless miracles, and even experienced divine visions himself (e.g., [Acts 10:9-16](/acts/10-9-16 "Acts 10:9-16 - Peter's Vision of Unclean Animals")), is utterly bewildered by his own physical deliverance. He perceives the tangible reality as an illusion. This creates a powerful **Contrast** between the objective, physical reality of the escape and Peter's subjective, internal perception of it as a mere vision or dream. The narrative also builds **Suspense** and **Dramatic Irony**, as the reader is aware of the reality of the escape, while Peter remains in a state of unknowing, heightening the tension and anticipation of his eventual realization.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Acts 12:9 profoundly illustrates the often-paradoxical nature of divine intervention, where God's power can be so overwhelming and unexpected that human recipients struggle to comprehend its reality. It speaks to the truth that God's ways are indeed higher than our ways ([Isaiah 55:8-9](/isaiah/55-8-9 "Isaiah 55:8-9 - God's Thoughts and Ways are Higher than Ours")), and His deliverance can defy all human logic and expectation. Peter's bewilderment reminds us that even seasoned believers can be momentarily stunned by the sheer magnitude of God's grace and power, sometimes mistaking His tangible work for a mere spiritual impression. Yet, the reality of God's action persists, demonstrating His unwavering commitment to His people and His sovereignty over all earthly powers.

* [Psalm 34:7](/psalms/34-7 "Psalm 34:7 - The Angel of the LORD Encamps Around Those Who Fear Him")
* [Acts 5:19](/acts/5-19 "Acts 5:19 - Angelic Deliverance of Apostles")
* [Luke 24:36-43](/luke/24-36-43 "Luke 24:36-43 - Jesus Appears to the Disciples")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Peter's experience in Acts 12:9 offers a powerful lesson for believers today: God's deliverance often comes in ways so extraordinary that they challenge our perceptions of reality. We may pray for help, yet when God answers in a manner far beyond our expectations, we might initially struggle to recognize it as His tangible work. This verse encourages us to cultivate an openness to God working in unexpected, even miraculous, ways, and to trust His leading even when we don't fully understand the circumstances. Just as Peter followed the angel despite his confusion, we are called to obedient faith, continuing to walk in the direction God leads, even when the path seems surreal or defies our logic. It's a reminder that God's power is not confined to our understanding, and His actions in our lives are profoundly real, even when they feel like a dream.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **When has God acted in your life in a way that initially seemed too good or too impossible to be true?**
* **How do you respond when God's leading seems unclear or defies your expectations?**
* **What does Peter's reaction teach us about the tension between human perception and divine reality, especially when facing overwhelming circumstances?**

### FAQ
**Why was Peter so confused if he had seen miracles before?**

Answer: Peter's confusion, despite his history with miracles, highlights the overwhelming and immediate nature of his predicament. He was facing imminent execution, chained between two guards, with more guards at the door, and a massive iron gate. The sudden appearance of an angel, the falling chains, the silent passing of guards, and the automatic opening of a heavy gate would have been an astonishing sensory overload. While Peter had witnessed and even performed miracles, experiencing such a direct, personal, and physically impossible deliverance from mortal danger would have been profoundly disorienting. His mind, under extreme stress, defaulted to the familiar concept of a "vision" as a way to process an event that defied all natural explanation, much like someone might think they are dreaming during an unbelievable experience. This reaction underscores the sheer magnitude of God's intervention, which truly transcended the ordinary.

**What is the significance of "wist not" in this verse?**

Answer: The phrase "wist not" is an archaic English expression from the King James Version, meaning "did not know" or "was unaware." Its significance lies in emphasizing the depth of Peter's bewilderment and his complete lack of comprehension regarding the reality of his situation. It's not merely that he was surprised, but that his mind literally could not process the events as true, physical occurrences. This archaic phrasing powerfully conveys Peter's dazed, almost trance-like state, underscoring the miraculous and unbelievable nature of God's deliverance. It highlights the stark contrast between the undeniable physical reality of the escape and Peter's internal, mistaken perception of it as a supernatural illusion.

**How does this event relate to other prison breaks in Acts?**

Answer: Peter's miraculous release in [Acts 12](/acts/12 "Acts 12 - Peter's Miraculous Deliverance") is one of several instances in the book of Acts where God supernaturally intervenes to free His servants from prison. Earlier, in [Acts 5:19](/acts/5-19 "Acts 5:19 - Angelic Deliverance of Apostles"), an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought the apostles out, instructing them to continue preaching in the temple. Later, in [Acts 16:26](/acts/16-26 "Acts 16:26 - Paul and Silas's Earthquake Release"), Paul and Silas were freed from a Philippian jail by an earthquake that unfastened their chains and opened the prison doors. These repeated miraculous prison breaks serve as a powerful recurring theme in Acts, demonstrating God's sovereign power over human authorities, His direct care for His persecuted church, and His unwavering commitment to ensuring the spread of the Gospel, even when faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Peter's bewilderment at his physical deliverance, initially perceiving it as a mere vision, foreshadows a deeper spiritual reality found in Christ. Just as Peter was freed from literal chains and a death sentence, humanity, in its natural state, is bound by the chains of sin and subject to the sentence of spiritual death. Jesus Christ, the ultimate deliverer, came not merely to provide visions or temporary escapes, but to accomplish a tangible, eternal freedom. His death on the cross and glorious resurrection are the ultimate "true" events that liberate us from the power of darkness and the dominion of sin. Like Peter, we often struggle to grasp the profound reality of this spiritual freedom; our spiritual eyes may be dim, perceiving the transformative power of the Gospel as something less real or impactful than it truly is. Yet, through Christ, we are truly made free ([John 8:36](/john/8-36 "John 8:36 - Freedom in Christ")), delivered from the power of darkness and transferred into His kingdom ([Colossians 1:13-14](/colossians/1-13-14 "Colossians 1:13-14 - Delivered from Darkness into Light")). He is the one who, through His death, destroyed him who had the power of death, the devil, and delivered those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage ([Hebrews 2:14-15](/hebrews/2-14-15 "Hebrews 2:14-15 - Christ's Victory Over Death")). Peter's temporary confusion gives way to the glorious reality of Christ's finished work, which opens our eyes to the true, unshakeable freedom that is ours in Him.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Psalms 126:1

¶ A Song of degrees. When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

Hebrews 11:8

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Acts 26:19

Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

2 Corinthians 12:1

¶ It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 12:3

And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)

Genesis 45:26

And told him, saying, Joseph [is] yet alive, and he [is] governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not.

Acts 10:3

He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.