1 Now about that :season Herod the king put forth his :hands to harm certain :of the church. 2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And seeing that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. And those were the days of the unleavened loaves. 4 And when he had taken him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him; intending after the Passover to bring him forth to the people. 5 :Peter therefore was kept in the prison: but prayer was made earnestly of the church unto :God for him. 6 And when :Herod was about to bring him forth, on that :night :Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and guards before the door kept the prison. 7 And, lo, the Lord’s angel stood by him, and a light shined in the cell: and he smote :Peter on the side, and awoke him, saying, Rise up quickly. And his :chains fell off from his :hands. 8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy :sandals. And he did so. And he saith unto him, Cast thy :garment about thee, and follow me. 9 And he went out, and followed; and he knew not that what was done through the angel was true, but thought he saw a vision. 10 And when they were past the first and second guard, they came unto the iron :gate that leadeth into the city; which opened to them of its own accord: and they went out, and went on through one street; and straightway the angel departed from him. 11 And when :Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know truly, that the Lord hath sent forth his :angel and delivered me out of Herod’s hand and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. 12 And when he had considered, he came to the house of :Mary the mother of John :surnamed Mark; where many were gathered together and praying. 13 And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a maid came to answer, Rhoda by name. 14 And when she recognized the voice of Peter, she opened not the gate for :joy, but ran in, and reported that :Peter stood before the gate. 15 And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she was confidently affirming it to be so. And they said, It is his :angel. 16 But :Peter continued knocking: and when they opened, they saw him, and were amazed. 17 But he, beckoning with the hand to be silent, rehearsed to them how the Lord had brought him forth out of the prison. And he said, Report these things to James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went to another place. 18 Now when day came, no small stir was among the soldiers, What HAS become of :Peter! 19 And when Herod had sought for him and found him not, he examined the guards, and commanded that they be led away to death. And he went down from :Judæa to Cæsarea, and tarried there. 20 Now he was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: and they came with one accord unto him, and, having persuaded Blastus the chamberlain of the king, they asked for peace, because their :country was fed from the royal country. 21 And upon a set day :Herod arrayed himself in royal apparel, and sat on the †throne, and made an oration unto them. 22 And the people shouted, God’s voice, and not man’s. 23 And immediately the Lord’s angel smote him, because he gave not :God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and he expired. 24 But the word of the Lord grew and multiplied.
25 And Barnabas and Saul returned when they had fulfilled their ministration Jerusalemward, having taken along John :surnamed Mark.
