Acts 5:19

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

Acts 5:19 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 5:19

But the angel of the Lord
Or "of God", as the Arabic and Ethiopic versions read, whether Michael, as some have thought, or Gabriel, or what particular angel, is not material to know. However, it was a good angel, an elect angel, one of those ministering spirits sent by God to minister to the heirs of promise; one of those angels that excel in strength, as appears by what he did: for he

by night opened the prison doors;
where the apostles were put, and which had more doors than one, and these strong and close shut, and guarded by keepers; but were easily opened by the angel. It was very likely at, or towards the evening, when the apostles were taken, and therefore they were committed to prison, there to lie all night, till next morning, when the sanhedrim would meet together to consult what to do with them:

and brought them forth;
out of the prison, leading them out at the doors he had opened for them:

and said;
the Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions add, "to them"; that is, to the apostles, as follows.

Acts 5:19 In-Context

17 But the cohen hagadol and his associates, who were members of the party of the Tz'dukim, were filled with jealousy.

18 They arrested the emissaries and put them in the public jail.

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

20 "Go, stand in the Temple court and keep telling the people all about this new life!"

21 After hearing that, they entered the Temple area about dawn and began to teach. Now the cohen hagadol and his associates came and called a meeting of the Sanhedrin (that is, of Isra'el's whole assembly of elders) and sent to the jail to have them brought.