Acts 12
1 And at that time Herod the king, who was surnamed Agrippa, laid hands on some of the church, to maltreat them.
Now, about that time, King Herod arrested certain members of the Church, in order to ill-treat them;
2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
and James, John's brother, he beheaded.
3 And when he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded also to arrest Simon Cephas. And the days of unleavened bread were then passing.
Finding that this gratified the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also; these being the days of Unleavened Bread.
4 He seized him and cast him into prison, and delivered him to sixteen soldiers, who were to guard him; that he might, after the passover, deliver him up to the people of the Jews.
He had him arrested and lodged in jail, handing him over to the care of sixteen soldiers; and intended after the Passover to bring him out again to the people.
5 And while Simon was in custody in the prison, continual prayer to God in his behalf, was offered to God by the church.
So Peter was kept in prison; but long and fervent prayer was offered to God by the Church on his behalf.
6 And on the night before the morning in which he was to be delivered up, while Simon was sleeping between two soldiers, and was bound with two chains, and others were guarding the doors of the prison;
Now when Herod was on the point of taking him out of prison, that very night Peter was asleep between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards were on duty outside the door.
7 an angel of the Lord stood over him, and a light shone in all the building; and he pricked his side, and awaked him, and said to him: Arise, instantly. And the chains fell from his hands.
Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell; and, striking Peter on the side, he woke him and said, "Rise quickly." Instantly the chains dropped off his wrists.
8 And the angel said to him: Gird thy loins, and put on thy sandals. And he did so. And again he said to him: Wrap thyself in thy cloak, and come after me.
"Fasten your girdle," said the angel, "and tie on your sandals." He did so. Then the angel said, "Throw your cloak round you, and follow me."
9 And he went out and followed him, not knowing that what had been done by the angel was a reality; for he supposed, that he saw a vision.
So Peter went out, following him, yet could not believe that what the angel was doing was real, but supposed that he saw a vision.
10 And when the first ward was passed and the second, they came to the iron gate, and it opened to them of its own accord. And when they had gone out, and had passed one street, the angel departed from him.
And passing through the first ward and the second, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. This opened to them of itself; and, going out, they passed on through one of the streets, and then suddenly the angel left him.
11 Then Simon recognized where he was; and he said: Now I know, in reality, that God hath sent his angel, and delivered me from the hand of Herod the king, and from what the Jews were devising against me.
Peter coming to himself said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel and has rescued me from the power of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were anticipating."
12 And when he had considered, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John surnamed Mark; because many brethren were assembled there and praying.
So, after thinking things over, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John surnamed Mark, where a large number of people were assembled, praying.
13 And he knocked at the gate of the court; and a maid named Rhoda came to reply to him.
When he knocked at the wicket in the door, a maidservant named Rhoda came to answer the knock;
14 And she recognized the voice of Simon: and, In her joy, she did not open to him the gate, but ran back, and told them: Lo, Simon is standing at the gate of the court.
and recognizing Peter's voice, for very joy she did not open the door, but ran in and told them that Peter was standing there.
15 They said to her: Thou art delirious. But she maintained that it was a fact. They said to her: Perhaps it is his ghost.
"You are mad," they said. But she strenuously maintained that it was true. "It is his guardian angel," they said.
16 And Simon was knocking at the gate; and they went out, saw him, and were astonished.
Meanwhile Peter went on knocking, until at last they opened the door and saw that it was really he, and were filled with amazement.
17 And he beckoned to them with the hand to be still; and he went in, and related to them how the Lord had released him from the prison. And he said to them: Tell these things to James and to the brethren. And he went out, and departed to another place.
But he motioned with his hand for silence, and then described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. "Tell all this to James and the brethren," he added. Then he left them, and went to another place.
18 And when it was morning, there was a great dispute among the soldiers concerning Simon, what had become of him.
When morning came, there was no little commotion among the soldiers, as to what could possibly have become of Peter.
19 And Herod, when he sought him, and could not find him, arraigned the keepers, and sentenced them to die. And he went from Judaea, and resided at Caesarea.
And when Herod had had him searched for and could not find him, after sharply questioning the guards he ordered them away to execution. He then went down from Judaea to Caesarea and remained there.
20 And because he was angry against the Tyrians and Sidonians, they assembled and came to him in a body; and having persuaded Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they begged of him that they might have peace; because the supplies of their country were derived from the kingdom of Herod.
Now the people of Tyre and Sidon had incurred Herod's violent displeasure. So they sent a large deputation to wait on him; and having secured the good will of Blastus, his treasurer, they begged the king to be friendly with them again, because their country was dependent on his for its food supply.
21 And on a day appointed, Herod was arrayed in royal apparel, and sat on a tribunal, and made a speech to the assembly.
So, on an appointed day, Herod, having arrayed himself in royal robes, took his seat on the tribunal, and was haranguing them;
22 And all the people shouted, and said: These are the utterances of a God, and not of a mortal.
and the assembled people kept shouting, "It is the voice of a god, and not of a man!"
23 And, because he gave not the glory to God, immediately the angel of God smote him; and he was eaten of worms, and died.
Instantly an angel of the Lord struck him, because he had not given the glory to God, and being eaten up by worms, he died.
24 And the gospel of God was proclaimed, and made progress.
But God's Message prospered, and converts were multiplied.
25 And Barnabas and Saul, after they had completed their ministration, returned from Jerusalem to Antioch. And they took with them John, who was surnamed Mark.
And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, having discharged their mission, and they brought with them John, surnamed Mark.
