Acts 12
1 Now about that time Herod the
king stretched
forth his
hands to
vex certain of the
church. 2 And he
killed James the
brother of
John with the
sword. 3 And because he
saw it pleased the
Jews, he proceeded
further to
take Peter also. (Then
were the
days of unleavened bread.)
4 And 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. 5 Peter therefore was
kept in prison: but prayer was made without
ceasing of the
church unto God for him. 6 And 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. 7 And, 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. 8 And 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. 9 And 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. 10 When 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. 11 And 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. 12 And 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.
13 And as
Peter knocked
at the
door of the
gate, a
damsel came to
hearken,
named Rhoda. 14 And when she
knew Peter's voice, she
opened not the
gate for gladness, but ran
in, and told
how Peter stood before the
gate. 15 And they
said unto her, Thou art
mad.
But she constantly
affirmed that it
was even
so. Then said
they, It
is his angel. 16 But Peter continued knocking:
and when they had
opened the door, and
saw him, they were
astonished.
17 But 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. 18 Now as soon as it
was day, there
was no small stir among the
soldiers, what was become of
Peter. 19 And 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 Judaea to Caesarea, and there
abode.
20 And 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.
21 And upon a
set day Herod, arrayed in
royal apparel, sat upon his
throne, and made an
oration unto them. 22 And the
people gave a
shout, saying, It is the
voice of a
god, and not of a
man. 23 And 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.
24 But the
word of
God grew and multiplied.
25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had
fulfilled their
ministry, and took with
them John, whose surname
was Mark.