Acts 12
12
1Around this time King Herod began to persecute some members of the church. 2He had James, John's brother, executed by the sword. 3When he saw that the Jews were pleased by this, he had Peter arrested too. (This was during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.) 4After having Peter arrested, he threw him in prison, with four squads of four soldiers each to guard him. He planned to have Peter brought out for a public trial after the Passover.
5While Peter was kept in prison the church prayed earnestly to God for him. 6The night before Herod was to have him put on trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, chained to each of them, and with guards at the door keeping watch. 7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. The angel shook Peter awake, saying “Quick! Get up!” The chains fell from his wrists, 8and the angel told him, “Get dressed, and put on your sandals.” So he did. Then the angel told him, “Put on your coat and follow me.” 9So Peter followed the angel out. He didn't realize that what the angel was doing was actually happening—he thought he was seeing a vision.
10They passed the first and second sets of guards, and came to the iron gate that led into the city. This opened for them by itself. They went out and down the street, when suddenly the angel left him. 11When Peter came to his senses, he said, “Now I realize this really happened! The Lord sent an angel to rescue me from Herod's power, and from everything that the Jewish people had planned.”
12Now that he was conscious of what had happened, Peter went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark. Many believers had gathered there, and were praying. 13When he knocked on the gateway door, a servant girl called Rhoda came to open up. 14But recognizing Peter's voice, in her excitement she didn't open the door. Instead she ran back inside shouting, “Peter's at the door!”
15“You're mad!” they told her. But she kept on insisting it was true. So they said, “It must be his angel.”#12:15. “His angel.” Some at the time believed people had a spiritual equivalent that existed whether the individual was alive or dead. Perhaps today the expression would be, “It's his ghost!” 16Peter continued knocking. When they did eventually open the door, they saw it was him, and were totally shocked.
17Peter held up his hand for them to be quiet, and then explained to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. “Let James and the brothers know about this,” he told them, and then left to go somewhere else.
18When daylight came the soldiers were totally confused as to what had happened to Peter. 19Herod had a thorough search made for him, but he couldn't be found. After interrogating the guards, Herod ordered that they should be executed.#12:19. The Greek actually says, “that they be led away.” However, most commentators understand this to mean “led away to their deaths,” since the punishment for allowing prisoners to escape was execution. Then Herod left Judea and went to stay in Caesarea.
20Now Herod had become furious with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They sent a joint delegation to see him and managed to win Blastus, the king's personal assistant, over to their side. They pleaded for peace with Herod because they were dependent on the king's territory for food. 21When the day came for their appointment with the king, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and gave a speech to them. 22The audience shouted in response, “This is the voice of a god, not that of a man!” 23Immediately the angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory. He was consumed by worms and died.
24But the word of God spread, and more and more people believed. 25Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem once they had finished their mission, taking John Mark with them.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
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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