Acts 12

1About that time Herod the king laid hands on some from the church to mistreat them.

2And he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword.

3And when he saw that it was pleasing to the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (Now these were the days of Unleavened Bread.)

4After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.

5So Peter was being kept in the prison, but earnest prayer was being made to God by the church for him.

6When Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards before the door were keeping watch over the prison.

7And behold, an angel of the Lord stood near, and a light shone in the cell. Striking Peter on the side, he woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off from his hands.

8And the angel said to him, “Tie on your belt and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he says to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.”

9And he went out and followed, and he did not know that what was happening through the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

10After they had passed the first guard and the second, they came to the iron gate leading into the city, which opened to them by itself; and after they went out, they went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

11And Peter, coming to himself, said, “Now I truly know that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s hand and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.”

12And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was called Mark, where many had gathered together and were praying.

13When he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer.

14And when she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate.

15But they said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so. And they kept saying, “It is his angel.”

16But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door, they saw him and were astonished.

17But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he explained 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.

18When day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter.

19But Herod, after searching for him and not finding him, examined the guards and ordered them to be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.

20He was very angry with the Tyrians and Sidonians. But they came to him with one accord, and after persuading Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they were asking for peace, because their country was fed from the king’s domain.

21On an appointed day, Herod, having put on royal clothing and having sat down on the tribunal, was delivering a public address to them.

22And the crowd kept shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!”

23Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give the glory to God, and becoming worm-eaten, he died.

24But the word of God continued to grow and multiply.

25But Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem after completing the ministry, taking along John, who was called Mark.