Acts

1Now about that time, King Herod stretched out his hands to oppress some of the assembly.

2He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword.

3When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This was during the days of unleavened bread.

4When he had arrested him, he put him in prison and delivered him to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.

5Peter therefore was kept in the prison, but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God for him.

6The same night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains. Guards in front of the door kept the prison.

7And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Stand up quickly!” His chains fell off his hands.

8The angel said to him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” He did so. He said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.”

9And he went out and followed him. He didn’t know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he saw a vision.

10When they were past the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

11When Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I truly know that the Lord has sent out his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from everything the Jewish people were expecting.”

12Thinking about that, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.

13When Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer.

14When she recognised Peter’s voice, she didn’t open the gate for joy, but ran in and reported that Peter was standing in front of the gate.

15They said to her, “You are crazy!” But she insisted that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.”

16But Peter continued knocking. When they had opened, they saw him and were amazed.

17But he, beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.

18Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir amongst the soldiers about what had become of Peter.

19When Herod had sought for him and didn’t find him, he examined the guards, then commanded that they should be put to death. He went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.

20Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They came with one accord to him and, having made Blastus, the king’s personal aide, their friend, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food.

21On an appointed day, Herod dressed himself in royal clothing, sat on the throne, and gave a speech to them.

22The people shouted, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!”

23Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he didn’t give God the glory. Then he was eaten by worms and died.

24But the word of God grew and multiplied.

25Barnabas and Saul returned toJerusalem when they had fulfilled their service, also taking with them John who was called Mark.

1And about that time, Herod the king put forth his hands, to do evil to certain of those of the assembly,

2and he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword,

3and having seen that it is pleasing to the Jews, he added to lay hold of Peter also — and they were the days of the unleavened food —

4whom also having seized, he did put in prison, having delivered [him] to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him, intending after the passover to bring him forth to the people.

5Peter, therefore, indeed, was kept in the prison, and fervent prayer was being made by the assembly unto God for him,

6and when Herod was about to bring him forth, the same night was Peter sleeping between two soldiers, having been bound with two chains, guards also before the door were keeping the prison,

7and lo, a messenger of the Lord stood by, and a light shone in the buildings, and having smitten Peter on the side, he raised him up, saying, 'Rise in haste,' and his chains fell from off [his] hands.

8The messenger also said to him, 'Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals;' and he did so; and he saith to him, 'Put thy garment round and be following me;'

9and having gone forth, he was following him, and he knew not that it is true that which is done through the messenger, and was thinking he saw a vision,

10and having passed through a first ward, and a second, they came unto the iron gate that is leading to the city, which of its own accord did open to them, and having gone forth, they went on through one street, and immediately the messenger departed from him.

11And Peter having come to himself, said, 'Now I have known of a truth that the Lord did sent forth His messenger, and did deliver me out of the hand of Herod, and all the expectation of the people of the Jews;'

12also, having considered, he came unto the house of Mary, the mother of John, who is surnamed Mark, where there were many thronged together and praying.

13And Peter having knocked at the door of the porch, there came a damsel to hearken, by name Rhoda,

14and having known the voice of Peter, from the joy she did not open the porch, but having run in, told of the standing of Peter before the porch,

15and they said unto her, 'Thou art mad;' and she was confidently affirming [it] to be so, and they said, 'It is his messenger;'

16and Peter was continuing knocking, and having opened, they saw him, and were astonished,

17and having beckoned to them with the hand to be silent, he declared to them how the Lord brought him out of the prison, and he said, 'Declare to James and to the brethren these things;' and having gone forth, he went on to another place.

18And day having come, there was not a little stir among the soldiers what then was become of Peter,

19and Herod having sought for him, and not having found, having examined the guards, did command [them] to be led away to punishment, and having gone down from Judea to Caesarea, he was abiding [there].

20And Herod was highly displeased with the Tyrians and Sidonians, and with one accord they came unto him, and having made a friend of Blastus, who [is] over the bed-chambers of the king, they were asking peace, because of their country being nourished from the king's;

21and on a set day, Herod having arrayed himself in kingly apparel, and having sat down upon the tribunal, was making an oration unto them,

22and the populace were shouting, 'The voice of a god, and not of a man;'

23and presently there smote him a messenger of the Lord, because he did not give the glory to God, and having been eaten of worms, he expired.

24And the word of God did grow and did multiply,

25and Barnabas and Saul did turn back out of Jerusalem, having fulfilled the ministration, having taken also with [them] John, who was surnamed Mark.