“But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,”
But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out - the miraculous deliverance happens 'during the night,' in darkness, suggesting divine action hidden from human sight. The 'angel of the Lord' (angelos kyriou) is a direct emissary of God's will, making the escape a theophanic event. This recalls similar prison deliverances in Jewish tradition (cf. 2 Kings 6:17, 1 Maccabees 2:24).
Church Fathers on Acts 5:19
But the Angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. Acts 5:19-21 This was done both for the encouragement of the disciples, and for the benefit and instruction of the others. And observe how the proceeding in the present instance is just the same as in what Christ Himself did.…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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