Acts 12:8

8 And the angel said to him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And he did so. And he says to him, Cast thine upper garment about thee and follow me.

Acts 12:8 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 12:8

And the angel said unto him, gird thyself
He slept in his inner garment loose about him; wherefore the angel bids him gird it up with his girdle, and prepare to walk out after him:

and bind on thy sandals;
which were a sort of shoes that covered only the soles of the feet, and were fastened to the leg, with strings:

and so he did;
he did not ask any question, or the reason of these orders; he did not dispute the matter, but at once obeyed:

and he saith unto him, cast thy garment about thee;
meaning his upper garment, or cloak, which lay by him:

and follow me;
suggesting hereby, that he should take care of him, and show him his way, and bring him safe out of the prison.

Acts 12:8 In-Context

6 And when Herod was going to bring him forth, that night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards before the door kept the prison.

7 And lo, an angel of [the] Lord came there, and a light shone in the prison: and having smitten the side of Peter, he roused him up, saying, Rise up quickly. And his chains fell off his hands.

8 And the angel said to him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And he did so. And he says to him, Cast thine upper garment about thee and follow me.

9 And going forth he followed [him] and did not know that what was happening by means of the angel was real, but supposed he saw a vision.

10 And having passed through a first and second guard, they came to the iron gate which leads into the city, which opened to them of itself; and going forth they went down one street, and immediately the angel left him.