Acts 12
12
An Angel Helps Peter Escape From Prison
1About this time, King Herod arrested some people who belonged to the church. He planned to make them suffer greatly. 2He had James killed with a sword. James was John’s brother. 3Herod saw that the death of James pleased some Jews. So he arrested Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 4After Herod arrested Peter, he put him in prison. Peter was placed under guard. He was watched by four groups of four soldiers each. Herod planned to put Peter on public trial. It would take place after the Passover Feast.
5So Peter was kept in prison. But the church prayed hard to God for him.
6It was the night before Herod was going to bring him to trial. Peter was sleeping between two soldiers. Two chains held him there. Lookouts stood guard at the entrance. 7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared. A light shone in the prison cell. The angel struck Peter on his side. Peter woke up. “Quick!” the angel said. “Get up!” The chains fell off Peter’s wrists.
8Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” Peter did so. “Put on your coat,” the angel told him. “Follow me.” 9Peter 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. 10They passed the first and second guards. Then they came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself. They went through it. They walked the length of one street. Suddenly the angel left Peter.
11Then Peter realized what had happened. He said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent his angel. He set me free from Herod’s power. He saved me from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”
12When Peter understood what had happened, he went to Mary’s house. Mary was the mother of John Mark. Many people had gathered in her home. They were praying there. 13Peter knocked at the outer entrance. A servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14She recognized Peter’s voice. She was so excited that she ran back without opening the door. “Peter is at the door!” she exclaimed.
15“You’re out of your mind,” they said to her. But she kept telling them it was true. So they said, “It must be his angel.”
16Peter kept on knocking. When they opened the door and saw him, they were amazed. 17Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet. He explained how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this,” he said. Then he went to another place.
18In the morning the soldiers were bewildered. They couldn’t figure out what had happened to Peter. 19So Herod had them look everywhere for Peter. But they didn’t find him. Then Herod questioned the guards closely. He ordered that they be put to death.
Herod Dies
Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. 20He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they got together and asked for a meeting with him. This was because they depended on the king’s country to supply them with food. They gained the support of Blastus and then asked for peace. Blastus was a trusted personal servant of the king.
21The appointed day came. Herod was seated on his throne. He was wearing his royal robes. He made a speech to the people. 22Then they shouted, “This is the voice of a god. It’s not the voice of a man.” 23Right away an angel of the Lord struck Herod down. Herod had not given praise to God. So he was eaten by worms and died.
24But God’s word continued to spread and many people believed the message.
Barnabas and Saul Are Sent Off
25Barnabas and Saul finished their task. Then they returned from Jerusalem. They took John Mark with them.
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Acts 12
12
James Killed and Peter Imprisoned
1About that time King Herod extended his hands to harm certain ones from the church. 2#Mt 20:23; Heb 11:37He killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3#Ex 23:15; Ac 24:27Seeing that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to arrest Peter also. This happened during the Days of Unleavened Bread. 4#Lk 21:12When he had seized him, he put him in prison and handed him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him before the people after the Passover.
5#2Co 1:11So Peter was kept in prison. But the church prayed to God without ceasing for him.
Peter Delivered From Prison
6#Ac 21:33The very night when Herod would have brought him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains. And the guards before the door were securing the prison. 7#Ac 16:26; 5:19And suddenly an angel of the Lord approached him, and a light shone in the prison. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Rise up, quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands.
8Then the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put your sandals on.” And he did so. Then he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 9#Ps 126:1He went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10#Ac 5:19; 16:26When they had passed the first and the second guards, they came to the iron gate leading to the city, which opened to them by itself. And they went out and went forward one street. And immediately the angel left him.
11#Da 3:28; 6:22When Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I certainly know that the Lord has sent His angel and delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”
12#Ac 12:5; 12:25Realizing this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John, whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. 13As Peter knocked at the door of the porch, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14#Lk 24:41When she recognized Peter’s voice, from joy she did not open the door, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the door.
15#Mt 18:10They said to her, “You are insane.” But she insisted that it was really so. So they said, “It is his angel.”
16But Peter continued knocking. And when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17#Ac 13:16; 15:13Motioning to them with his hand to be quiet, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.
18Now when day came, there was a great disturbance among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. 19#Ac 16:27When Herod had searched for him and did not find him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death.
Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.
The Death of Herod
20#Eze 27:17; Ezr 3:7Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. But they came to him in unity, and having made Blastus, the king’s personal servant, their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was fed by the king’s country.
21On an appointed day, Herod, dressed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave a public speech to them. 22The mob shouted, “It is the voice of a god, and not of a man!” 23#1Sa 25:38; 2Sa 24:16–17Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give God the glory. And he was eaten by worms and died.
24#Ac 6:7; 19:20But the word of God spread and increased.
25#Ac 12:12; 4:36When Barnabas and Saul had fulfilled their ministry, they returned from Jerusalem and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.
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