Acts 12

James Killed and Peter Imprisoned

1About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. 2#Mt 4.21; 20.23He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword. 3#Ex 12.15; 23.15; Acts 24.27After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the Festival of Unleavened Bread.) 4When he had seized him, he put him in prison and handed him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. 5#Eph 6.18; 1 Thess 5.17While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him.

Peter Delivered from Prison

6 # Acts 21.33 The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. 7#Acts 5.19; 16.26Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists. 8The angel said to him, “Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.” He did so. Then he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 9#Acts 9.10Peter#12.9 Gk He went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening with the angel’s help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10#Acts 16.26After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him. 11#Dan 3.28; 6.22; Lk 15.17; 2 Cor 1.10; 2 Pet 2.9Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

12 # v 5 ; Acts 15.37As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many had gathered and were praying. 13#Jn 18.16, 17When he knocked at the outer gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. 14#Lk 24.41On recognizing Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the gate, she ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate. 15#Gen 48.16; Mt 18.10They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she insisted 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 amazed. 17#Acts 13.16; 19.33; 21.40He motioned to them with his hand to be silent and described for them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he added, “Tell this to James and to the brothers and sisters.” Then he left and went to another place.

18When morning came, there was no small commotion among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 19#Acts 16.27; 27.42When Herod had searched for him and could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.

The Death of Herod

20 # 1 Kings 5.9, 11; Ezek 27.17; Mt 11.21 Now Herod#12.20 Gk he was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him in a body, and after winning over Blastus, the king’s personal attendant, they asked for a reconciliation, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. 21On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat on the platform, and delivered a public address to them. 22The people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a mortal!” 23#1 Sam 25.38; 2 Sam 24.17And immediately, because he had not given the glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

24 # Acts 6.7; 19.20 But the word of God continued to advance and gain adherents. 25#Acts 13.5, 13; 15.37Then after completing their mission Barnabas and Saul returned to#12.25 Other ancient authorities read from Jerusalem and brought with them John, whose other name was Mark.

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Acts 12: NRSVUE

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