Acts 12
1 It was about this time that King Herod [Agrippa sent soldiers] [MTY] who seized [and put in prison] some of the [leaders] of the congregation [in Jerusalem. He did that] because he wanted to make the believers suffer.
It was at that time that King Herod began to ill-treat some of the members of the Church.
2 He commanded [a soldier] to cut off the head of [the apostle] James, the [older] brother of [the apostle] John.
He had James, the brother of John, beheaded;
3 When Herod realized that he had pleased the [leaders of the] Jewish people by [doing that], he commanded [soldiers] to arrest Peter [in order to kill him], too. This happened during the festival [when the Jewish people ate] bread [that] did not have yeast.
and, when he saw that the Jews were pleased with this, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the Festival of the Unleavened Bread.)
4 After [they] seized Peter, they put him in prison. They arranged for four groups of soldiers to guard Peter. Each [group] had four soldiers. [Every three hours a different group began to guard him while the others rested]. Herod wanted to bring Peter out [of prison and judge him] in front of the [Jewish] people after the Passover [Festival was finished. He then planned to command soldiers to execute Peter].
After seizing Peter, Herod put him in prison, and entrusted him to the keeping of four Guards of four soldiers each, intending, after the Passover, to bring him up before the people.
5 So [for several days] Peter was kept {they kept Peter} in prison. But the [other believers] in the congregation at [Jerusalem] were praying earnestly to God [that he would help] Peter.
So Peter was kept in prison, but meanwhile the prayers of the Church were being earnestly offered to God on his behalf.
6 The night [before] Herod planned to bring Peter out [from prison to have him executed] publicly, Peter was sleeping [in the prison] between two soldiers, with two chains binding his arms [to the arms of the soldiers. Two other] soldiers were guarding the prison doors.
Just when Herod was intending to bring him before the people, on that very night Peter was asleep between two soldiers, chained to them both, while there were sentries in front of the door, guarding the prison.
7 Suddenly an angel [from] the Lord [God] stood [beside Peter], and a [bright] light shone in his cell. The angel poked Peter in the side and woke him up and said, “Get up quickly!” [While Peter was getting up], the chains fell off from his wrists. [However, the soldiers were not aware of what was happening].
Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. The angel struck Peter on the side, and roused him with the words: “Get up quickly.”
8 Then the angel said to Peter, “Put on your clothes and sandals!” So Peter did. Then the angel said to him, “Fasten your belt/girdle [around you(sg)] and put on your sandals!” So Peter did that. Then the angel told him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me!”
The chains dropped from his wrists, and then the angel said: “Put on your girdle and sandals.” When Peter had done so, the angel added: “Throw your cloak round you and follow me.”
9 So, [after Peter put on his cloak and sandals], he followed [the angel] out [of the prison cell], but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening. He thought [that he] was seeing a vision.
Peter followed him out, not knowing that what was happening under the angel’s guidance was real, but thinking that he was seeing a vision.
10 Peter and the angel walked by the soldiers who were guarding the two doors, [but the soldiers did not see them. Then] they came to the iron gate that [led] out into the city. The gate opened by itself, and Peter and the angel walked out [of the prison]. After they had walked [a ways] along one street, the angel suddenly disappeared.
Passing the first Guard, and then the second, they came to the iron gate leading into the city, which opened to them of itself; and, when they had passed through that, and had walked along one street, all at once the angel left him.
11 Then Peter [finally] realized that [what had happened to him was not a vision, but] it had really happened. So he said [to himself], “Now I really know that the Lord [God] sent an angel [to help me]. He rescued me from what Herod planned to do [MTY] [to me], and [also] from all the things that the Jewish [leaders] [SYN] expected [that Herod would do to me].”
Then Peter came to himself and said: “Now I know beyond all doubt that the Lord has sent his angel, and has rescued me from Herod’s hands and from all that the Jewish people have been expecting.”
12 When Peter realized [that God had rescued him], he went to Mary’s house. She was the mother of John whose other name was Mark. Many [believers] had assembled there, and they were praying [that God would help Peter somehow].
As soon as he realized what had happened, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also known as Mark, where a number of people were gathered together, praying.
13 When Peter knocked at the outer entrance, a servant girl named Rhoda came to find out [who was outside the door].
On his knocking at the door in the gate, a maidservant, named Rhoda, came to answer it.
14 [When Peter answered her], she recognized his voice, but she was so happy [and excited] that she did not open the door! Instead, she ran back [into the house]. She [excitedly] announced [to the other believers] that Peter was standing outside the door.
She recognized Peter’s voice, but in her joy left the gate unopened, and ran in, and told them that Peter was standing outside.
15 But [one of] them said to her, “You [(sg)] are crazy!” But she continued saying that it was [really true. Then] they repeatedly said, “[No], [it cannot be Peter]. It is [probably] the angel [who was guarding] him [who has come] (OR, It is the angel [who has guarded/protected] him, [and he has come to tell us that] Peter [has died].)”
“You are mad!” they exclaimed. But, when she persisted that it was so, they said: “It must be his spirit!”
16 But Peter continued knocking [on the door. So when someone finally] opened the door, they saw that it was Peter, and they were completely amazed!
Meanwhile Peter went on knocking, and, when they opened the gate and saw him, they were amazed.
17 Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet. Then he told them exactly how the Lord [God] had led him out of the prison. He [also] said, “Tell James, the [leader] of our [congregation], and our [other] fellow believers what has happened.” Then [Peter left and] went away to another town.
Peter signed to them with his hand to be silent, and then told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison, adding: “Tell James and the Brethren all this.” Then he left the house, and went away to another place.
18 The next morning the soldiers [who had been guarding] Peter became terribly distressed, [because they did not know] what had happened to him.
In the morning there was a great stir among the soldiers — what could have become of Peter!
19 Then Herod [heard about it]. So he [commanded soldiers] to search for Peter, but they did not find him. Then he questioned the soldiers [who had been guarding Peter], and asked them, “[How did Peter get away when you were there guarding him?]” [But they could not explain it. So] he commanded them to be led away [to be executed] {[other soldiers] to lead them away [to execute them]}. [Afterwards], Herod went from Judea [province] down to Caesarea, where he stayed [for some time].
And, when Herod had made further search for him and failed to find him, he closely questioned the Guard, and ordered them away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to stay at Caesarea.
20 King Herod had been furiously angry with the people [who lived] in Tyre and Sidon [cities. Then] one day some men [who represented them] came unitedly [to Caesarea in order to meet with] Herod. They persuaded Blastus, who was one of Herod’s important officials, to tell [Herod] that the people [in their cities] wanted to make peace [with him. They wanted to be able to trade with the people that Herod ruled], because they needed to buy food from those regions. [Herod had commanded the people in the areas he ruled to stop selling food to the people in those cities].
It happened that Herod was deeply offended with the people of Tyre and Sidon, but they went in a body to him, and, having succeeded in winning over Blastus, the Chamberlain, they begged Herod for a reconciliation, because their country was dependent on the King’s for its food-supply.
21 On the day that Herod had planned to [meet with them], he put on (very expensive clothes that showed that he was king/his royal robes). Then he sat on his (throne/chair from which he ruled [people]), and [formally] addressed [all] the people [who had gathered there].
On an appointed day Herod, wearing his state-robes, seated himself on his throne, and delivered an oration.
22 Those who [were listening to him] shouted repeatedly, “[This man who] is speaking is a god, not a man!”
The people kept shouting: “It is the voice of God, and not of a man!”
23 So, because Herod [let the people praise him] instead of praising God, immediately an angel [from] the Lord [God] caused Herod to become seriously ill. [Many] worms ate his intestines, and [soon] he died [very painfully].
Instantly an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give God the glory; and he was attacked with worms, and died.
24 [The believers] continued telling God’s message to people in many places, and ([the number of people who believed in Jesus] was continually increasing/there were continually more and more people who were believing in Jesus).
Meanwhile the Lord’s Message kept extending, and spreading far and wide.
25 When Barnabas and Saul finished [delivering the money to help the Jewish believers in Judea], they left Jerusalem and returned [to Antioch, in Syria province]. They took John, whose other name was Mark, with them.
When Barnabas and Saul had carried out their mission, they returned to Jerusalem, and took with them John, who was also known as Mark.
