Acts 5:19

But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,

But {G1161} the angel {G32} of the Lord {G2962} by {G1223} night {G3571} opened {G455} the prison {G5438} doors {G2374}, and {G5037} brought {G1806} them {G846} forth {G1806}, and said {G2036},

But during the night, an angel of Adonai opened the doors of the prison, led them out and said,

But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying,

But an angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them out, and said,

Commentary

Acts 5:19 describes a dramatic moment of divine intervention in the early days of the Christian church. The apostles, having been arrested and imprisoned by the Jewish religious authorities—the high priest and the Sadducees—for continuing to preach the Gospel and perform signs and wonders, experienced a miraculous deliverance.

Context of Acts 5:19

Leading up to this verse, the apostles, particularly Peter, had been boldly proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus and performing many healing miracles in Jerusalem, drawing large crowds and adding believers to the church (Acts 5:12-16). This success, however, provoked intense jealousy and indignation from the religious establishment, who viewed the apostles' teaching as a threat to their authority and tradition. They arrested the apostles and placed them in public custody (Acts 5:18), intending to deal with them the next day. Verse 19 reveals God's immediate and powerful response to this persecution, demonstrating His sovereignty over human opposition.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Intervention and Protection: The primary message is God's active involvement in protecting His servants and advancing His kingdom. The angel's appearance and actions underscore that God's plan cannot be thwarted by human efforts or earthly prisons. This echoes instances of God's care for His people throughout Scripture.
  • Unstoppable Gospel: Despite attempts to silence them, the apostles' mission to preach the Gospel was divinely protected. This miraculous release was not just for their freedom but to ensure the continued spread of the message of Jesus Christ, as confirmed by the angel's instruction in the very next verse (Acts 5:20).
  • Supernatural Power: The opening of prison doors "by night" and the bringing forth of the prisoners highlight the supernatural power at work, transcending natural limitations and human security measures. This serves as a powerful testament to God's omnipotence.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "the angel of the Lord" (Greek: angelos Kyriou, ἄγγελος Κυρίου) signifies a divine messenger, often appearing in significant moments of biblical history. While sometimes used in the Old Testament to refer to a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ, in the New Testament, particularly in Acts, it typically denotes a literal angelic being sent by God to perform a specific task. The swift and silent nature of the release emphasizes the efficiency of this divine agent.

Related Scriptures

This event is not isolated in the book of Acts. God's miraculous intervention to free His messengers from prison is seen again with Peter's release in Acts 12 and with Paul and Silas's deliverance from the Philippian jail in Acts 16. These recurring themes reinforce the idea that God actively supports and enables the spread of His Word, despite opposition. It also reminds us that the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him.

Practical Application

Acts 5:19 offers immense encouragement to believers facing opposition, persecution, or seemingly insurmountable obstacles in their walk of faith or service. It reminds us that God is sovereign over all earthly powers and circumstances. When human efforts fail or opposition seems overwhelming, God has the power to intervene supernaturally. This verse encourages faithfulness and boldness in proclaiming the truth, trusting that God will provide the means and protection necessary to accomplish His purposes, even if it means opening prison doors in the middle of the night.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Acts 16:26

    And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

  • Psalms 34:7

    The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

  • Acts 12:7

    And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon [him], and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from [his] hands.

  • Acts 12:11

    And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and [from] all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

  • Psalms 105:17

    He sent a man before them, [even] Joseph, [who] was sold for a servant:

  • Psalms 105:20

    The king sent and loosed him; [even] the ruler of the people, and let him go free.

  • Acts 27:23

    For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
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