James Killed and Peter Imprisoned

1About that time King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church in order to harm them.

2He killed James the brother of John with the sword.

3And when he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This took place during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.)

4After seizing him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod planned to bring him out to the people after the Passover.

5So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

An Angel Frees Peter from Prison

6The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, while the guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison.

7And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before Peter, and a light shone in the cell. The angel struck Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off Peter's hands.

8Then the angel said to him, “Get dressed and put on yoʋr sandals.” And Peter did so. Then the angel said to him, “Put on yoʋr cloak and follow me.”

9So Peter went out and followed him, but he did not realize that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.

10After they passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them on its own, and they went out. When they had gone the length of one street, the angel immediately left him.

11When Peter came to his senses, he said, “Now I truly know that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from everything the Jewish people were expecting to happen.”

12When Peter 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.

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

14When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed that she did not open the gate, but ran in and reported that Peter was standing in front of the gate.

15They said to her, “Yoʋ are out of yoʋr mind.” But when she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It is his angel.”

16Meanwhile Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the gate, they saw him and were astonished.

17But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he told them how the Lord had brought him out of prison. He also said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he left and went to another place.

18When daybreak came, there was a great commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.

19When Herod searched for him but did not find him, he questioned the guards and ordered them to be led away and executed. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent time there.

The Death of Herod

20Now Herod was having an angry dispute with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him with one accord, and having won over Blastus, the king's personal attendant, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food from the king's country.

21On an appointed day Herod dressed himself in royal clothing, sat down on the platform, and made a speech to them.

22The people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!”

23Immediately an angel of the Lord struck Herod down because he did not give ¹⁴⁴glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last breath.

24But the word of ¹⁴⁵God increased and multiplied.

25And when Barnabas and Saul completed their ministry, they returned ¹⁴⁶to Jerusalem and brought with them John, who was called Mark.