Acts 12
1 About that time, King Herod reached out to harm some who belonged to the church.
Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church so that he might mistreat them.
2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.
He killed James the brother of John with the sword.
3 And seeing that this pleased the Jews, Herod proceeded to seize Peter during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
After he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. That was during the days 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.
After arresting him, he put him in prison, assigning him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him; he was intending to bring him to the people after the Passover.
5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was fervently praying to God for him.
So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer was made earnestly to God for him by those in the church.
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.
On the night before Herod was going to bring him out for trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over 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.
Behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared by him, and a light shone in the prison cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him and said, “Get up quickly,” and his chains fell off his hands.
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.”
The angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” Peter did so. The angel said to him, “Put on your outer garment 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.
So Peter followed the angel and went out. He did not know that what was done by the angel was real. He thought he was 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.
After they had passed by the first guard and the second, they came to the iron gate that led into the city; it opened for them by itself. They went out and went down a street, and the angel left him right away.
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.”
When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I truly know that the Lord has sent his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from everything the Jewish people were expecting.”
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.
When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.
13 He knocked at the outer gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it.
When he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer.
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!”
When she recognized Peter's voice, out of joy she failed to open the door; instead, she came running into the room; she reported that Peter was standing at the door.
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.”
So they said to her, “You are insane.” But she insisted that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.”
16 But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astounded.
But Peter continued knocking, and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed.
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.
Peter motioned to them with his hand to be silent, and he told them how the Lord had brought him out of prison. He said, “Report these things to James and the brothers.” Then he left and went to another place.
18 At daybreak there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.
Now when it became day, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers over what had happened to 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.
After Herod had searched for him and could not find him, he questioned the guards and ordered them to be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed 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.
Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They went to him together. They persuaded Blastus, the king's assistant, to help them. Then they asked for peace, because their country received its food from the king's country.
21 On the appointed day, Herod donned his royal robes, sat on his throne, and addressed the people.
On a set day Herod dressed himself in royal clothing and sat on a throne; he made a speech to them.
22 And they began to shout, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!”
The people shouted, “This is the voice of a god, 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.
Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give God the glory; he was eaten by worms and died.
24 But the word of God continued to spread and multiply.
But the word of God increased and multiplied.
25 When Barnabas and Saul had fulfilled their mission to Jerusalem, they returned, bringing with them John, also called Mark.
So when Barnabas and Saul had completed their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, bringing with them John, also called Mark.
