Acts 12

¹Now about that time, Herod the king laid his hands upon certain of the church, to oppress them.

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

³And seeing that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to apprehend Peter also; (then were the days of unleavened bread;)

⁴and he seized him and put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after the passover to bring him forth to the people.

⁵Peter therefore was kept guarded in prison; but earnest prayer was made by the church to God in his behalf.

⁶And when Herod was about to bring him forth, on that night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and keepers before the door were guarding the prison.

⁷And lo! an angel of the Lord came to him, and a light shone in the room; and he smote Peter on the side, and roused him, saying, Rise up quickly. And his chains fell from his hands.

⁸And the angel said to him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals; and he did so. And he saith to him, Throw thy garment round thee, and follow me.

⁹And he went out, and followed; and he knew not that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he saw a vision.

¹⁰And when they had passed the first, and the second guard, they came to the iron gate that leadeth to the city, which opened to them of itself; and they went out and passed on through one street, and the angel immediately departed from him.

¹¹And when Peter had come to himself, he said, Now I know certainly, that the Lord hath sent forth his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

¹²And when he understood the matter, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, surnamed Mark, where many were gathered together, and praying.

¹³And as he knocked at the door of the gate, a maid-servant came to listen, named Rhoda;

¹⁴and recognizing Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness; but ran in, and told them that Peter was standing before the gate.

¹⁵And they said to her, Thou art mad. But she positively affirmed that it was even so. Then they said, It is his angel.

¹⁶But Peter continued knocking; and opening the door, they saw him, and were amazed.

¹⁷But beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, he related how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go and tell these things to James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went to another place.

¹⁸And when it was day, there was no small commotion among the soldiers, as to what had become of Peter.

¹⁹And Herod, when he had sought for him and found him not, examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be led away [to execution]. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and there abode.

²⁰And he was highly displeased with the Tyrians and Sidonians; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, sued for peace; because their country drew its nourishment from that of the king.

²¹And on a day appointed, Herod, having arrayed himself in royal apparel, and taken his seat on the throne, made a speech to them.

²²And thereupon the people shouted, The voice of a god, and not of a man!

²³But immediately an angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory, and he was eaten by worms, and expired.

²⁴But the word of God grew and was extended.

²⁵And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, having performed their service, taking with them also John, surnamed Mark.

Acts 12

¹Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

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

³And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)

⁴And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

⁵Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

⁶And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

⁷And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

⁸And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.

⁹And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

¹⁰When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.

¹¹And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

¹²And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.

¹³And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.

¹⁴And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.

¹⁵And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.

¹⁶But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.

¹⁷But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.

¹⁸Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.

¹⁹And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Cesarea, and there abode.

²⁰And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country.

²¹And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.

²²And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.

²³And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

²⁴But the word of God grew and multiplied.

²⁵And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.