Enter Herod

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

2James, the brother of John, he put to death by sword. ²⁷⁴

3When he saw that it was pleasing to the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter as well (it was during the days of the unleavened loaves)

4—upon seizing him he put him in prison, turning him over to sixteen soldiers ²⁷⁵to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.

Enter angel

5Well Peter was being held in the prison all right, but the congregation was making earnest prayer to God on his behalf.

6So when Herod was about to bring him out, ²⁷⁶that night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, with guards protecting the prison in front of the doors.

7Suddenly, an angel of the Lord was there, and a light shone in the cell; striking Peter on the side he roused him saying, “Quick, get up!” and the chains fell away from his wrists.

8Then the angel said to him, “Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.” So he did. Then he said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.”

9So he went out and started following him, not realizing that what the angel was doing was real; he supposed he was seeing a vision.

10Passing through the first and second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, that opened for them by itself; ²⁷⁷upon exiting they advanced one block, and suddenly the angel left him.

Enter Rhoda

11When Peter had come to himself he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord sent His angel and delivered me out of Herod's hand and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”

12Upon reflection he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John (the one called Mark), where a considerable number had gathered and were praying.

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

14Upon recognizing Peter's voice, she was so glad she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing before the gate!

15But they said to her, “You're crazy!” but she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.”

16But Peter kept on knocking; so when they opened the door and saw him, they were astounded. ²⁷⁸

17Motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he related to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. Then he said, “Tell these things to James ²⁷⁹and the brothers.” And going out he went off to a different place. ²⁸⁰

Poor guards!

18Now as soon as it was day, there was no small commotion among the soldiers about what had become of Peter!

19Well after searching for him and not finding him, Herod examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Going down from Judea to Caesarea, he stayed there. ²⁸¹

Herod gets his ‘comeuppance’

20Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; so they came with one accord to him, and having won over Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food from the king's. ²⁸²

21So on an appointed day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on the throne and started to deliver an address to them.

22But the crowd started calling out, “The voice of a god and not of a man!”

23Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give glory to God, and being eaten by worms, he died. ²⁸³

24And the Word of God kept growing and multiplying. ²⁸⁴

25Now Barnabas and Saul returned to Antioch, ²⁸⁵having fulfilled their mission, also taking with them John, the one called Mark.