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- Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them.
- And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword.
- When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also Now it was during the days of Unleavened Bread.
- When he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out before the people.
- So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.
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- It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them.
- He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.
- When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
- After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
- So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
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- On the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison.
- And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter's side and woke him up, saying, "Get up quickly " And his chains fell off his hands.
- And the angel said to him, "Gird yourself and put on your sandals." And he did so. And he said to him, "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me."
- And he went out and continued to follow, and he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
- When they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
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- The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance.
- Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists.
- Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me," the angel told him.
- Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.
- They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.
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- When Peter came to himself, he said, "Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting."
- And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.
- When he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer.
- When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate.
- They said to her, "You are out of your mind!" But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, "It is his angel."
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- Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating."
- When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.
- Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door.
- When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, "Peter is at the door!"
- "You're out of your mind," they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, "It must be his angel."
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- But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed.
- But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison And he said, "Report these things to James and the brethren." Then he left and went to another place.
- Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers as to what could have become of Peter.
- When Herod had searched for him and had not found him, he examined the guards and ordered that they be led away to execution Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and was spending time there.
- Now he was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; and with one accord they came to him, and having won over Blastus the king's chamberlain, they were asking for peace, because their country was fed by the king's country.
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- But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.
- Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. "Tell James and the brothers about this," he said, and then he left for another place.
- In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.
- After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there a while.
- He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him. Having secured the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king's country for their food supply.
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- On an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them.
- The people kept crying out, "The voice of a god and not of a man!"
- And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.
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- On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people.
- They shouted, "This is the voice of a god, not of a man."
- Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.
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