Acts 12
1 Around this time King Herod began to persecute some members of the church.
About that time, King Herod reached out to harm some who belonged to the church.
2 He had James, John's brother, executed by sword.
He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.
3 When he saw that the Jews were pleased by this, he had Peter arrested too. (This was during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.)
And seeing that this pleased the Jews, Herod proceeded to seize Peter during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
4 After having Peter arrested, he threw him in prison, with four squads of four soldiers each to guard him. He planned to have Peter brought out for a public trial after the Passover.
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 While Peter was kept in prison the church prayed earnestly to God for him.
So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was fervently praying to God for him.
6 The night before Herod was to have him put on trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, chained to each of them, and with guards at the door keeping watch.
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. The angel shook Peter awake, saying “Quick! Get up!” The chains fell from his wrists,
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 and the angel told him, “Get dressed, and put on your sandals.” So he did. Then the angel told him, “Put on your coat and follow me.”
“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 the angel out. He didn't realize that what the angel was doing was actually happening—he thought he was seeing a vision.
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 sets of guards, and came to the iron gate that led into the city. This opened for them by itself. They went out and down the street, when suddenly the angel left him.
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 When Peter came to his senses, he said, “Now I realize this really happened! The Lord sent an angel to rescue me from Herod's power, and from everything that the Jewish people had planned.”
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 Now that he was conscious of what had happened, Peter went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark. Many believers had gathered there, and were praying.
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 When he knocked on the gateway door, a servant girl called Rhoda came to open up.
He knocked at the outer gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it.
14 But recognizing Peter's voice, in her excitement she didn't open the door. Instead she ran back inside shouting, “Peter's at the door!”
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're mad!” they told her. But she kept on insisting it was true. So they said, “It must be his angel.”
“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 Peter continued knocking. When they did eventually open the door, they saw it was him, and were totally shocked.
But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astounded.
17 Peter held up his hand for them to be quiet, and then explained to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. “Let James and the brothers know about this,” he told them, and then left to go somewhere else.
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 When daylight came the soldiers were totally confused as to what had happened to Peter.
At daybreak there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.
19 Herod had a thorough search made for him, but he couldn't be found. After interrogating the guards, Herod ordered that they should be executed. Then Herod left Judea and went to stay in Caesarea.
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 had become furious with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They sent a joint delegation to see him and managed to win Blastus, the king's personal assistant, over to their side. They pleaded for peace with Herod because they were dependent on the king's territory for food.
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 When the day came for their appointment with the king, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and gave a speech to them.
On the appointed day, Herod donned his royal robes, sat on his throne, and addressed the people.
22 The audience shouted in response, “This is the voice of a god, not that of a man!”
And they began to shout, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!”
23 Immediately the angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory. He was consumed by worms and died.
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 spread, and more and more people believed.
But the word of God continued to spread and multiply.
25 Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem once they had finished their mission, taking John Mark with them.
When Barnabas and Saul had fulfilled their mission to Jerusalem, they returned, bringing with them John, also called Mark.
