He tried to recall the events of the past few moments. He remembered falling asleep, bound between two soldiers, with his sandals and outer garments removed. He examined his person and found himself fully dressed and girded. His wrists, swollen from wearing the cruel irons, were free from the manacles. He realized that his freedom was no delusion, no dream or vision, but a blessed reality. On the morrow he was to have been led forth to die; but, lo, an angel had delivered him from prison and from death. "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."

Han prøvede at genkalde sig de sidste øjeblikkes begivenheder. Han huskede, at han var faldet i søvn, bundet mellem to soldater og uden sandaler og yderklæder. Han undersøgte sig selv og opdagede, at han var fuldt påklædt og havde sit bælte på. Hans håndled, der var ophovnede af de grusomme lænker, var befriede fra håndjernene. Han forstod, at hans frihed ikke var et selvbedrag, ingen drøm eller et syn, men den velsignede virkelighed. Næste morgen skulle han være ført hen for at dø, men se, en engel havde udfriet ham fra fængslet og døden. "Da Peter så kom til sig selv igen, sagde han: "Nu forstår jeg virkelig, at Herren har sendt sin engel og udfriet mig af Herodes hånd og fra alt det, jødefolket havde ventet!"