1 A bout that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to afflict and oppress and torment some who belonged to the church (assembly).

At that time King Herod used his power to make it hard for the Christians in the church.

2 A nd he killed James the brother of John with a sword;

He killed James, the brother of John, with a sword.

3 A nd when he saw that it was pleasing to the Jews, he proceeded further and arrested Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread.

When he saw that it made the Jews happy, he took hold of Peter also. This was during the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt.

4 A nd when he had seized, he put him in prison and delivered him to four squads of soldiers of four each to guard him, purposing after the Passover to bring him forth to the people.

Herod took Peter and put him in prison and had sixteen soldiers watch him. After the special religious gathering was over, he planned to bring Peter out to the people. Peter Goes Free

5 S o Peter was kept in prison, but fervent prayer for him was persistently made to God by the church (assembly).

So Peter was held in prison. But the church kept praying to God for him.

6 T he very night before Herod was about to bring him forth, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison.

The night before Herod was to bring him out for his trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers. He was tied with two chains. Soldiers stood by the door and watched the prison.

7 A nd suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the place where he was. And the angel gently smote Peter on the side and awakened him, saying, Get up quickly! And the chains fell off his hands.

All at once an angel of the Lord was seen standing beside him. A light shone in the building. The angel hit Peter on the side and said, “Get up!” Then the chains fell off his hands.

8 A nd the angel said to him, Tighten your belt and bind on your sandals. And he did so. And he said to him, Wrap your outer garment around you and follow me.

The angel said, “Put on your belt and shoes!” He did. The angel said to Peter, “Put on your coat and follow me.”

9 A nd went out following him, and he was not conscious that what was apparently being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

Peter followed him out. He was not sure what was happening as the angel helped him. He thought it was a dream.

10 W hen they had passed through the first guard and the second, they came to the iron gate which leads into the city. Of its own accord swung open, and they went out and passed on through one street; and at once the angel left him.

They passed one soldier, then another one. They came to the big iron door that leads to the city and it opened by itself and they went through. As soon as they had gone up one street, the angel left him. The Christians Find It Hard to Believe Peter Is Free

11 T hen Peter came to himself and said, Now I really know and am sure that the Lord has sent His angel and delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.

As Peter began to see what was happening, he said to himself, “Now I am sure the Lord has sent His angel and has taken me out of the hands of Herod. He has taken me also from all the things the Jews wanted to do to me.”

12 W hen he, at a glance, became aware of this '> comprehending all the elements of the case], he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark, where a large number were assembled together and were praying.

After thinking about all this, he went to Mary’s house. She was the mother of John Mark. Many Christians were gathered there praying.

13 A nd when he knocked at the gate of the porch, a maid named Rhoda came to answer.

When Peter knocked at the gate, a girl named Rhoda went to see who it was.

14 A nd recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she failed to open the gate, but ran in and told the people that Peter was standing before the porch gate.

She knew Peter’s voice, but in her joy she forgot to open the gate. She ran in and told them that Peter was standing outside the gate.

15 T hey said to her, You are crazy! But she persistently and strongly and confidently affirmed that it was the truth. They said, It is his angel!

They said to her, “You are crazy.” But she said again that it was so. They kept saying, “It is his angel.”

16 B ut meanwhile Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the gate and saw him, they were amazed.

Peter kept knocking. When they opened the gate and saw him, they were surprised and wondered about it.

17 B ut motioning to them with his hand to keep quiet and listen, he related to them how the Lord had delivered him out of the prison. And he said, Report all this to James and to the brethren. Then he left and went to some other place.

He raised his hand and told them not to talk but to listen to him. He told them how the Lord had brought him out of prison. He said, “Tell all these things to James and to the other Christian brothers.” Then he went to another place. The Death of Herod

18 N ow as soon as it was day, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter.

In the morning the soldiers were very troubled about what had happened to Peter.

19 A nd when Herod had looked for him and could not find him, he placed the guards on trial and commanded that they should be led away. Then went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed on there.

Herod looked for him but could not find him. He asked the soldiers who watched the prison about Peter. Herod said that the soldiers must be killed because Peter got away. Then Herod went down from the country of Judea to the city of Caesarea to stay for awhile.

20 N ow cherished bitter animosity and hostility for the people of Tyre and Sidon; and came to him in a united body, and having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was nourished by and depended on the king’s for food.

Herod was very angry with the people of the cities of Tyre and Sidon. They went to him and asked for peace to be made between them and the king. They asked this because their country got food from the king’s country. The people made friends with Blastus, the king’s helper.

21 O n an appointed day Herod arrayed himself in his royal robes, took his seat upon throne, and addressed an oration to them.

A day was set aside. On that day Herod put on purple clothes a king wears. He sat on his throne and spoke to the people.

22 A nd the assembled people shouted, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man!

They all started to speak with a loud voice, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.”

23 A nd at once an angel of the Lord smote him and cut him down, because he did not give God the glory (the preeminence and kingly majesty that belong to Him as the supreme Ruler); and he was eaten by worms and died.

The angel of the Lord knocked him down because he did not give honor to God. He was eaten by worms and died.

24 B ut the Word of the Lord continued to grow and spread.

The Word of God was heard by many people and went into more places.

25 A nd Barnabas and Saul came back from Jerusalem when they had completed their mission, bringing with them John whose surname was Mark.

Saul and Barnabas went back to Jerusalem after they had finished their work. They took John Mark with them.