Acts 12
12
The Death of James and the Imprisonment of Peter
1 Now at that time, Herod the king laid hands on some of those from the church to treat them badly. 2 So he killed James, the brother of John, with a sword. 3 And when he saw that it was pleasing to the Jews, he went ahead to arrest Peter also—now this was during the days of the Unleavened Bread*— 4 And after he had seized him, he also put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him,* intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. 5 So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer was ardently made to God by the church for him.
Peter’s Miraculous Escape
6 Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentinels before the door were keeping a close eye on the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood near him, and a light shone in the jail. And striking Peter’s side, he woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. 8 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.” 9 And he went out and began to follow him. And he did not realise that what was being done by the angel was real, but was thinking he was seeing a vision. 10 And when they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate leading to the city, which opened on its own for them. So they went out and went on along one street; and immediately, the angel departed from him. 11 And when Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know truly that the Lord has sent out his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and all the expectation of the Jewish people.”
12 And after he acknowledged this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John (who is called Mark), where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a female servant, Rhoda by name, came to answer. 14 And recognising Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. 15 But they said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she continued to assert that it was so. And they continued to say, “It is his angel!” 16 But Peter kept knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were astonished. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he narrated to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.
18 Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers regarding what then had become of Peter. 19 And when Herod had searched for him and did not find him, he interrogated the sentinels and ordered that they be led away to execution.* Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.
The Judgment of Herod
20 Now he was infuriated with the Tyrians and Sidonians. So they came to him unanimously, and after persuading Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they petitioned for peace, because their country was being supplied with sustenance from the king’s country. 21 So on an appointed day Herod, putting on his royal clothing and sitting down on the judgment seat, began to deliver a public address to them. 22 And the people were exclaiming, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 23 And immediately, an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give the glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.
24 But the word of God continued to increase and multiply.
25 And Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem when they had completed their service, taking along with them John (the one who is called Mark).
Notes
3 Greek Now these were the days of the Unleavened
4 One ancient Greek manuscript omits the infinitive phrase to guard him
19 Greek led away
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Copyright © 2026 Michael Adeyemi Adegbola. This Scripture text is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Acts 12
12
The Death of James and the Imprisonment of Peter
1 Now at that time, Herod the king laid hands on some of those from the church to treat them badly. 2 So he killed James, the brother of John, with a sword. 3 And when he saw that it was pleasing to the Jews, he went ahead to arrest Peter also—now this was during the days of the Unleavened Bread*— 4 And after he had seized him, he also put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him,* intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. 5 So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer was ardently made to God by the church for him.
Peter’s Miraculous Escape
6 Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentinels before the door were keeping a close eye on the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood near him, and a light shone in the jail. And striking Peter’s side, he woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. 8 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.” 9 And he went out and began to follow him. And he did not realise that what was being done by the angel was real, but was thinking he was seeing a vision. 10 And when they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate leading to the city, which opened on its own for them. So they went out and went on along one street; and immediately, the angel departed from him. 11 And when Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know truly that the Lord has sent out his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and all the expectation of the Jewish people.”
12 And after he acknowledged this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John (who is called Mark), where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a female servant, Rhoda by name, came to answer. 14 And recognising Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. 15 But they said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she continued to assert that it was so. And they continued to say, “It is his angel!” 16 But Peter kept knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were astonished. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he narrated to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.
18 Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers regarding what then had become of Peter. 19 And when Herod had searched for him and did not find him, he interrogated the sentinels and ordered that they be led away to execution.* Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.
The Judgment of Herod
20 Now he was infuriated with the Tyrians and Sidonians. So they came to him unanimously, and after persuading Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they petitioned for peace, because their country was being supplied with sustenance from the king’s country. 21 So on an appointed day Herod, putting on his royal clothing and sitting down on the judgment seat, began to deliver a public address to them. 22 And the people were exclaiming, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 23 And immediately, an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give the glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.
24 But the word of God continued to increase and multiply.
25 And Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem when they had completed their service, taking along with them John (the one who is called Mark).
Notes
3 Greek Now these were the days of the Unleavened
4 One ancient Greek manuscript omits the infinitive phrase to guard him
19 Greek led away
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Copyright © 2026 Michael Adeyemi Adegbola. This Scripture text is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).