Acts 12
1 Now, about that time, King Herod arrested certain members of the Church, in order to ill-treat them;
About that time, King Herod reached out to harm some who belonged to the church.
2 and James, John's brother, he beheaded.
He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.
3 Finding that this gratified the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also; these being the days of Unleavened Bread.
And seeing that this pleased the Jews, Herod proceeded to seize Peter during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
4 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.
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 So Peter was kept in prison; but long and fervent prayer was offered to God by the Church on his behalf.
So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was fervently praying to God for him.
6 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.
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 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.
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 "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."
“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 went out, following him, yet could not believe that what the angel was doing was real, but supposed that he saw 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 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.
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 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."
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 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.
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 at the wicket in the door, a maidservant named Rhoda came to answer the knock;
He knocked at the outer gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it.
14 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.
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 are mad," they said. But she strenuously maintained that it was true. "It is his guardian angel," they said.
“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 Meanwhile Peter went on knocking, until at last they opened the door and saw that it was really he, and were filled with amazement.
But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astounded.
17 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.
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 morning came, there was no little commotion among the soldiers, as to what could possibly have become of Peter.
At daybreak there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.
19 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.
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 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.
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 So, on an appointed day, Herod, having arrayed himself in royal robes, took his seat on the tribunal, and was haranguing them;
On the appointed day, Herod donned his royal robes, sat on his throne, and addressed the people.
22 and the assembled people kept shouting, "It is the voice of a god, and not of a man!"
And they began to shout, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!”
23 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.
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 God's Message prospered, and converts were multiplied.
But the word of God continued to spread and multiply.
25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, having discharged their mission, and they brought with them John, surnamed Mark.
When Barnabas and Saul had fulfilled their mission to Jerusalem, they returned, bringing with them John, also called Mark.
