< Acts 12 >

1 About that time, King Herod reached out to harm some who belonged to the church.
In that tyme Herode the kynge stretched forthe his handes to vexe certayne of the congregacion.
2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.
And he kylled Iames the brother of Iohn with the swerde:
3 And seeing that this pleased the Jews, Herod proceeded to seize Peter during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
and because he sawe that it pleased ye Iewes he proceded forther and toke Peter also. Then were the dayes of swete breed.
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.
And when he had caught him he put him in preson and delyvered him to. iiii. quaternios of soudiers to be kepte entendynge after ester to brynge him forth to the people.
5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was fervently praying to God for him.
Then was Peter kepte in preson. But prayer was made with out ceasynge of the congregacion vnto 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.
And when Herode wolde have brought him oute vnto the people the same nyght slepte Peter bitwene two soudiers bounde with two chaynes and the kepers before the dore kepte the preson.
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.
And beholde the angell of ye Lorde was there present and a lyght shyned in the lodge. And smote Peter on the syde and steryd him vp sayinge: aryse vp quyckly. And his cheynes fell of fro his hondes.
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.”
And the angell sayd vnto him: gyrde thy selfe and bynde on thy sandales. And so he dyd. And he sayde vnto him: cast thy mantle aboute the and folowe 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.
And he came oute and folowed him and wist not that it was truthe which was done by the angell but thought he had sene 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.
When they were past ye fyrst and ye seconde watche they came vnto yt yron gate yt ledeth vnto the cyte which opened to them by his awne accorde. And they went out and passed thorowe one strete and by and by the angell departed fro 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.”
And when Peter was come to him selfe he sayde: now I knowe of a surety that the Lorde hath sent his angell and hath delyvered me out of the honde of Herode and from all the waytynge for of the people of ye Iewes.
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.
And as he consydred the thinge he cam to ye housse of Mary the mother of one Iohn which was called Marke also where many were gaddered to gedder in prayer.
13 He knocked at the outer gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it.
As Peter knocked at the entry dore a damsell cam forth to herken named Rhoda.
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!”
And when she knew Peters voyce she opened not the entrey for gladnes but ran in and told how Peter stode before the entrey.
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.”
And they sayde vnto her: thou arte mad. And she bare them doune yt it was even so. Then sayde they: it is his angell.
16 But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astounded.
Peter cotynued knockinge. When they had opened the dore and sawe him they were astonyed.
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.
And he beckened vnto them with ye honde to holde their peace and tolde them by what meanes ye Lorde had brought him oute of the preson. And sayde: goo shew these thinges vnto Iames and to the brethren. And he departed and went into a nother place.
18 At daybreak there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.
Assone as it was daye ther was no lyttell a doo amoge the soudyers what was becum 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.
When Herode had called for him and founde him not he examined the kepers and comaunded to departe. And he descended from Iewry to Cesarea and ther abode.
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.
Herode was displeased with them of Tyre and Sydon. And they came all at once and made intercession vnto Blastus the kynges chamberlen and desyred peace because their countrey was norysshed by the kynges londe.
21 On the appointed day, Herod donned his royal robes, sat on his throne, and addressed the people.
And upon a daye appoynted Herode arayed him in royall apparell and set him in his seate and made an oraycon vnto them.
22 And they began to shout, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!”
And the people gave a shoute sayinge: it is ye voyce of a God and not of 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.
And immediatly the angell of ye Lorde smote him because he gave not God the honoure and he was eatyn of wormes and gave vp the goost.
24 But the word of God continued to spread and multiply.
And ye worde of God grewe and multiplied.
25 When Barnabas and Saul had fulfilled their mission to Jerusalem, they returned, bringing with them John, also called Mark.
And Barnabas and Paul returned to Ierusalem when they had fulfilled their office and toke with them Iohn which was also called Marcus.

< Acts 12 >