Acts 12

1 About that time, King Herod reached out to harm some who belonged to the church.

2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.

3 And seeing that this pleased the Jews, Herod proceeded to seize Peter during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

4 He arrested him and put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out to the people after the Passover.

5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

6 On the night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, with sentries standing guard at the entrance to the prison.

7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists.

8 “Get dressed and put on your sandals,” said the angel. Peter did so, and the angel told him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.”

9 So Peter followed him out, but he was unaware that what the angel was doing was real. He thought he was only seeing a vision.

10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city, which opened for them by itself. When they had gone outside and walked the length of one block, the angel suddenly left him.

11 Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from Herod’s grasp and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.”

12 And when he had realized this, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered together and were praying.

13 Peter knocked at the outer gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it.

14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that she forgot to open the gate, but ran inside and announced, “Peter is standing at the gate!”

15 “You are out of your mind,” they told her. But when she kept insisting it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”

16 But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astounded.

17 Peter motioned with his hand for silence, and he described how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. “Send word to James and to the brothers,” he said, and he left for another place.

18 At daybreak there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.

19 After Herod had searched for him unsuccessfully, he examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent some time there.

20 Now Herod was in a furious dispute with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they convened before him. Having secured the support of Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their region depended on the king’s country for food.

21 On the appointed day, Herod donned his royal robes, sat on his throne, and addressed the people.

22 And they began to shout, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!”

23 Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

24 But the word of God continued to spread and multiply.

25 When Barnabas and Saul had fulfilled their mission to Jerusalem, they returned, bringing with them John, also called Mark.

1 ¶ Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth [his] hands to vex certain of the church.

2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)

4 And when he had apprehended him, he put [him] in prison, and delivered [him] to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

5 ¶ Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon [him], and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from [his] hands.

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

9 And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

10 When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.

11 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.

12 And when he had considered [the thing], he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.

13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.

14 And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.

15 And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.

16 But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened [the door], and saw him, they were astonished.

17 But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.

18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.

19 And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that [they] should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and [there] abode.

20 ¶ And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's [country].

21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.

22 And the people gave a shout, [saying, It is] the voice of a god, and not of a man.

23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.

25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled [their] ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.

1 About the same time Herod the king laid hands on some of the congregation to chastise them.

2 And he slew James the brother of John with the sword.

3 And when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he went on, and caught Peter also. Now these were the days of sweet bread.

4 And when he had taken him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quarters of soldiers to keep him, intending to present him to the people after the feast.

5 And Peter was kept in prison, but the church prayed to God for him without ceasing.

6 And when Herod was about to present him, that night Peter slept between two soldiers bound with two chains; and the keepers of the door kept the prison.

7 And, behold, the angel of the LORD came, and a light shined in the chamber, and smote Peter on the side, and awoke him, saying, Arise quickly. And the chains fell from his hands.

8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and put on thy shoes. And he did so. And he said unto him, Cast thy cloak about thee, and follow me.

9 And he went out, and followed him, and knew not that these things were truly done unto him by the angel; but it seemed unto him that he saw a vision.

10 And they passed through the first and second ward, and came to the iron door that leadeth into the city, which opened of itself unto them. And they went out, and walked along the street: and straightway the angel departed from him.

11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now verily I know that the LORD hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the waiting of the people of the Jews].

12 And when he had considered, he came into the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.

13 And when Peter knocked at the door of the gate, there came forth a maid to hear, named Rhode.

14 And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for joy, but ran in, and told them that Peter stood at the gate.

15 And they said unto her, Thou art foolish. But she insisted it was so. They said: It is his angel.

16 And Peter knocked again. And when they opened, they saw him, and were amazed.

17 And he beckoned them with his hand to hold their peace, and told them how the LORD had brought him out of prison, saying, Declare this unto James and the brethren. And he went out, and departed into another place.

18 And when it was day, there was not the least anxiety among the soldiers, how Peter might have fared.

19 And Herod, when he had required him, and found him not, justified the keepers, and commanded them to be carried away, and went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and kept his company there.

20 For he was minded to war against the men of Tyre and Sidon. And they came unto him with one accord, and persuaded the king's chamberlain Blastus, and asked peace, that their lands might feed upon the king's land.

21 But on a certain day Herod put on the royal robe, and sat on the judgment seat, and made a speech to them.

22 And the people cried out, saying, This is the voice of God, and not of man.

23 Immediately the angel of the LORD smote him, because he gave not the glory to God; and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

24 But the word of God increased and multiplied.

25 And Barnabas and Saul came again to Jerusalem, and delivered up the hand, taking with them John, whose surname was Mark.