Acts 12

Herods Violence to the Church

1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church.2 Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword.3 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread.4 So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.

Peter Freed from Prison

5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, Arise quickly! And his chains fell off his hands.8 Then the angel said to him, Gird yourself and tie on your sandals; and so he did. And he said to him, Put on your garment and follow me.9 So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.10 When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.12 So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer.14 When she recognized Peters voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate.15 But they said to her, You are beside yourself! Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, It is his angel.16 Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.17 But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren. And he departed and went to another place.18 Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter.19 But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.

Herods Violent Death

20 Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the kings personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the kings country. 21 So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them.22 And the people kept shouting, The voice of a god and not of a man!23 Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.

Barnabas and Saul Appointed

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

ACTS 12

Herod Causes Trouble //for the Church

1 At that time King Herodt caused terrible suffering for some members of the church. 2 He ordered soldiers to cut off the head of James, the brother of John. 3 t When Herod saw that this pleased the Jewish people, he had Peter arrested during the Festival of Thin Bread.

4 He put Peter in jail and ordered four squads of soldiers to guard him. Herod planned to put him on trial in public after the festival.

5 While Peter was being kept in jail, the church never stopped praying to God for him.

Peter Is Rescued

7 Suddenly an angel from the Lord appeared, and light flashed around in the cell. The angel poked Peter in the side and woke him up. Then he said, “Quick! Get up!”
The chains fell off his hands, 8 and the angel said, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” Peter did what he was told. Then the angel said, “Now put on your coat and follow me.” 9 Peter left with the angel, but he thought everything was only a dream.

10 They went past the two groups of soldiers, and when they came to the iron gate to the city, it opened by itself. They went out and were going along the street, when all at once the angel disappeared.
11 Peter now realized what had happened, and he said, “I am certain that the Lord sent his angel to rescue me from Herod and from everything the Jewish leaders planned to do to me.”

12 Then Peter went to the house of Mary the mother of John whose other name was Mark. Many of the Lord's followers had come together there and were praying.
13 Peter knocked on the gate, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer.

14 When she heard Peter's voice, she was too excited to open the gate. She ran back into the house and said Peter was standing there.
15 “You are crazy!” everyone told her. But she kept saying it was Peter. Then they said, “It must be his angel.”t

16 But Peter kept on knocking, until finally they opened the gate. They saw him and were completely amazed.

17 Peter motioned for them to keep quiet. Then he told how the Lord had led him out of jail. He also said, “Tell Jamest and the others what has happened.” After that, he left and went somewhere else.
18 The next morning the soldiers who had been on guard were terribly worried and wondered what had happened to Peter.

19 Herod ordered his own soldiers to search for him, but they could not find him. Then he questioned the guards and had them put to death. After this, Herod left Judea to stay in Caesarea for a while.

Herod Dies

21 and a day was set for them to meet with him.
Herod came dressed in his royal robes. He sat down on his throne and made a speech. 22 The people shouted, “You speak more like a god than a man!”

23 At once an angel from the Lord struck him down because he took the honor that belonged to God. Later, Herod was eaten by worms and died.
24 God's message kept spreading. 25 And after Barnabas and Saul had done the work they were sent to do, they went back to Jerusalemt with John, whose other name was Mark.