Acts 12
12
Persecution and Deliverance
1Now at that time Herod the king seized some from Messiah’s community to do them harm.
2He had Jacob, John’s brother, put to death with the sword.
3Seeing it pleased the Judean leaders, he proceeded to capture Peter as well. This was during the Days of Matzah.
4After seizing him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads with four soldiers each to guard him. He was intending to bring him before the people after Passover.
5So Peter was kept in prison, but prayer for him was being offered fervently to God by Messiah’s community.
6Now that very night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping—bound with two chains between two soldiers, while guards before the gate were keeping watch over the prison.
7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. He poked Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up! Quick!” And the chains fell off his hands.
8Then the angel said to him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals,” and he did so. Then he tells him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.”
9Peter went out and kept following him—he didn’t know that what was happening with the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
10After they passed a first guard and a second, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them by itself. They went out and walked along a narrow street. Suddenly the angel left him.
11When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for real that the Lord has sent His angel and delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Judean people were expecting.”
12When he realized this, he went to the house of Miriam, the mother of John (also called Mark), where many were assembled together and praying.
13When he knocked on the door of the entrance gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer.
14Although she recognized Peter’s voice, out of joy she did not open the gate but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate.
15They said to her, “You’re crazy!” But she kept insisting it was so. But they were saying, “It is his angel.”
16But Peter kept on knocking. When they opened the gate, they saw him and were amazed!
17But he motioned with his hand for them to be silent, and he explained to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, “Go tell these things to Jacob and the brothers.” Then he left and went to another place.
18When day came, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.
19After Herod made a search for him and did not find him, he interrogated the guards and commanded that they be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea and stayed in Caesarea.
Herod Gets His Due
20Now it happened that Herod was furious with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him, united. Having won over Blastus, the king’s personal aide, they began asking for peace—because their country was supplied with food from the king’s country.
21On an appointed day, Herod donned his royal robes and, taking his seat upon the throne, began to make a speech to them.
22The people were shouting, “The voice of a god and not a human!”
23Immediately, an angel of the Lord struck him down—because he did not give God the glory. And he was eaten by worms and died.
24But the word of God kept on growing and multiplying.
25And Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their service, taking along John (who was also called Mark).
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Acts 12
12
Peter’s Arrest and Escape
1Now at that time #12:1 I.e. Herod Agrippa I was the grandson of Herod the Great. Since he was of Hasmonean descent he was partly Jewish.Herod [Agrippa I] the king [of the Jews] arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to harm them. 2And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword; 3and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to have Peter arrested as well. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread [the Passover week]. 4When he had seized Peter, he put him in prison, turning him over to four squads of soldiers of four each to guard him [in rotation throughout the night], planning after the Passover to bring him out before the people [for execution]. 5So Peter was kept in prison, but fervent and persistent prayer for him was being made to God by the church.
6The very night before Herod was to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries were in front of the door guarding the prison. 7Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared [beside him] and a light shone in the cell. The angel struck Peter’s side and awakened him, saying, “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off his hands. 8The angel said to him, “Prepare yourself and strap on your sandals [to get ready for whatever may happen].” And he did so. Then the angel told him, “Put on your robe and follow me.” 9And Peter went out following the angel. He did not realize that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10When they had passed the first guard and the second, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city. Of its own accord it swung open for them; and they went out and went along one street, and at once the angel left him. 11When Peter came to his senses, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel and has rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting [to do to me].” 12When he realized what had happened, he went to the house of #12:12 According to Col 4:10 this Mary was the aunt of Barnabas, so her son John Mark and Barnabas were cousins.Mary the mother of John, who was also called #12:12 John Mark wrote the Gospel of Mark.Mark, where many [believers] were gathered together and were praying continually [and had been praying all night]. 13When he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she failed to open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gateway. 15They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, “It is his angel!” [Matt 18:10; Heb 1:14] 16But [meanwhile] Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were completely amazed. 17But motioning to them with his hand to be quiet and listen, he described how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to #12:17 James, the oldest of the Lord’s half brothers, was the leader of the Jerusalem church and wrote the Letter of James.James and the brothers and sisters.” Then he left and went to another place.
18Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 19When Herod had searched for him and could not find him, he interrogated the guards and commanded that they be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea [Maritima] and spent some time there.
Death of Herod
20Now Herod [Agrippa I] was #12:20 Nothing is known about the reason for Herod’s hatred. It may have had something to do with competition between Caesarea Maritima and the two northern cities, since all three were major sea ports.extremely angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; and their delegates came to him in a united group, and after persuading Blastus, #12:20 I.e. a trusted, highly regarded chief officer.the king’s chamberlain [to support their cause], they asked for peace, because their country was fed by [imports of grain and other goods from] the king’s country. 21On an appointed day Herod dressed himself in his #12:21 The Jewish historian Josephus describes this as a glittering silver garment.royal robes, sat on his throne (tribunal, rostrum) and began delivering a speech to the people. 22The assembled people kept shouting, “It is the voice of a god and not of a man!” 23And at once an angel of the Lord struck him down because he did not give God the glory [and instead permitted himself to be worshiped], and #12:23 Herod’s painful death over a five day period in a.d. 44 is recorded by Josephus, the Jewish historian.he was eaten by worms and died [five days later].
24But the word of the Lord [the good news about salvation through Christ] continued to grow and spread [increasing in effectiveness].
25Barnabas and Saul came back #12:25 Two early mss read to Jerusalem.from Jerusalem when they had completed their mission, bringing with them John, who was also called Mark. [Acts 11:28-30]
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