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

Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church.

2 H e killed James, the brother of John, with a sword.

Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

3 W hen 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.

And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread.

4 H erod 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

So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover. Peter Freed from Prison

5 S o Peter was held in prison. But the church kept praying to God for him.

Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.

6 T he 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.

And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.

7 A ll 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.

Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands.

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

Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.”

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

So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

10 T hey 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

When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

11 A s 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.”

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

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

So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.

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

And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer.

14 S he 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.

When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate.

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

But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.”

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

Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.

17 H e 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

But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place.

18 I n the morning the soldiers were very troubled about what had happened to Peter.

Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter.

19 H erod 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.

But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there. Herod’s Violent Death

20 H erod 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.

Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king’s personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king’s country.

21 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.

So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them.

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

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

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

Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.

24 T he Word of God was heard by many people and went into more places.

But the word of God grew and multiplied. Barnabas and Saul Appointed

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

And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark.