³³ For the ears of the Lord are open to the poor, and he takes thought for his prisoners.

⁶ Those who are without friends, God puts in families; he makes free those who are in chains; but those who are turned away from him are given a dry land.

¹⁰ Have no fear of the things which you will have to undergo: see, the Evil One will send some of you into prison, so that you may be put to the test; and you will have great trouble for ten days. Be true till death, and I will give you the crown of life.

¹ For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles,

⁴ And having taken him, he put him in prison, with four bands of armed men to keep watch over him; his purpose being to take him out to the people after the Passover.

⁵ So Peter was kept in prison: but the church made strong prayer to God for him.

⁶ And when Herod was about to take him out, the same night Peter was sleeping in chains between two armed men, and the watchmen were keeping watch before the door of the prison.

⁷ And a great light was seen shining in the room, and an angel of the Lord came to Peter and, touching him on his side so that he came out of his sleep, said, Get up quickly. And his chains came off his hands.

⁸ Then the angel said, Put on your shoes and get ready to go. And he did so. And he said, Put your coat round you and come with me.

⁹ And he went out after him; and he was not certain if what was done by the angel was a fact, for it seemed to him that he was seeing a vision.

¹⁰ And when they had gone past the first and second watchmen they came to the iron door into the town, which came open by itself: and they went out and down one street; and then the angel went away.

¹¹ And when Peter came to his senses he said, Now, truly, I am certain that the Lord has sent his angel and taken me out of the hands of Herod, against all the hopes of the Jews.

¹⁸ And they took the Apostles and put them in the common prison.

¹⁹ But in the night an angel of the Lord, opening the doors of the prison, took them out and said,

¹⁸ The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because I am marked out by him to give good news to the poor; he has sent me to make well those who are broken-hearted; to say that the prisoners will be let go, and the blind will see, and to make the wounded free from their chains,

¹¹ And as for you, because of the blood of your agreement, I have sent out your prisoners from the deep hole in which there is no water.

¹² And they will come back to you, O daughter of Zion, as prisoners of hope: today I say to you that I will give you back twice as much;

² For all these things my hand has made, and they are mine, says the Lord; but to this man only will I give attention, to him who is poor and broken in spirit, fearing my word.

⁷ Who gives their rights to those who are crushed down; and gives food to those who are in need of it: the Lord makes the prisoners free;

¹⁰ Those who were in the dark, in the black night, in chains of sorrow and iron;

²⁰ Hearing the cry of the prisoner, making free those for whom death is ordered;

¹⁷ When he has given ear to the prayer of the poor, and has not put his request on one side.

¹² For he will be a saviour to the poor in answer to his cry; and to him who is in need, without a helper.

¹³ He will have pity on the poor, and be the saviour of those who are in need.

¹⁴ He will keep their souls free from evil designs and violent attacks; and their blood will be of value in his eyes.

⁶ This poor man's cry came before the Lord, and he gave him salvation from all his troubles.

⁵ Because of the crushing of the poor and the weeping of those in need, now will I come to his help, says the Lord; I will give him the salvation which he is desiring.

¹⁷ Lord, you have given ear to the prayer of the poor: you will make strong their hearts, you will give them a hearing: