[1] About that time Herod the king laid violent hands upon some who
belonged to the church. [2] He killed James the brother of John with the
sword; [3] and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest
Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. [4] And when he
had seized him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of
soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the
people. [5] So Peter was kept in prison; but earnest prayer for him was
made to God by the church. [6] The very night when Herod was about to bring
him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains,
and sentries before the door were guarding the prison; [7] and behold, an
angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck
Peter on the side and woke him, saying, "Get up quickly." And the chains
fell off his hands. [8] And the angel said to him, "Dress yourself and put
on your sandals." And he did so. And he said to him, "Wrap your mantle
around you and follow me." [9] And he went out and followed him; he did not
know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a
vision. [10] When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came
to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened to them of its own
accord, and they went out and passed on through one street; and immediately
the angel left him. [11] And Peter came to himself, and said, "Now I am
sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod
and from all that the Jewish people were expecting." [12] When he realized
this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was
Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. [13] And when he
knocked at the door of the gateway, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. [14]
Recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in
and told that Peter was standing at the gate. [15] They said to her, "You
are mad." But she insisted that it was so. They said, "It is his angel!"
[16] But Peter continued knocking; and when they opened, they saw him and
were amazed. [17] But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he
described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he
said, "Tell this to James and to the brethren." Then he departed and went
to another place. [18] Now when day came, there was no small stir among the
soldiers over what had become of Peter. [19] And when Herod had sought for
him and could not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they
should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesare'a, and
remained there. [20] Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon;
and they came to him in a body, and having persuaded Blastus, the king's
chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the
king's country for food. [21] On an appointed day Herod put on his royal
robes, took his seat upon the throne, and made an oration to them. [22] And
the people shouted, "The voice of a god, and not of man!" [23] Immediately
an angel of the Lord smote him, because he did not give God the glory; and
he was eaten by worms and died. [24] But the word of God grew and
multiplied. [25] And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they
had fulfilled their mission, bringing with them John whose other name was
Mark.
