I know that Peter thanked God for his kindness. Peter did not stay all night in the street. He went to the house of a good woman whom he knew, and he knocked at the door.
Were the people in the house asleep?
No, they were all awake, though it was night.
Why were they not in bed?
This good woman had heard how the king would kill Peter to-morrow; so she and her friends were praying for Peter, and while they were praying they heard a knock: it was a strange thing to hear a knock in the night; but they never guessed who it was.
A maid named Rhoda went to the door, but she was afraid to open it, lest it should be some of the wicked people come to kill the poor woman and her friends; so she stopped at the door without opening it, to hear who it was: but when she heard Peter speak, how much pleased she was! she knew his voice. She did not say, Are you Peter? She was sure it was Peter. She was so much surprised that she forgot to open the door; but ran back to her mistress and the rest of the disciples, and said, Peter is standing before the gate; but they said, No, it cannot be Peter; he is shut up in prison.
The maid said, It is Peter; I am sure it is. While they were talking, Peter was standing outside, and he went on knocking, because nobody opened the door. Soon his friends ran and opened the door, and when they saw Peter they were quite surprised.
How did you get out of prison? they said.
Then Peter made a sign with his hand to make them all quiet, that he might tell them how he got out of prison.
God sent an angel, said Peter, who brought me out of the prison. Go and tell all my friends what has happened, for I must go away. So Peter went and hid himself in a place where the wicked king could not find him.