Chapter 12

¹At that time Herod the king laid his hands on some of those of the assembly to do them hurt, ²and slew James, the brother of John, with the sword. ³And seeing that it was pleasing to the Jews, he went on to take Peter also: (and they were the days of unleavened bread:) ⁴whom having seized he put in prison, having delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep, purposing after the passover to bring him out to the people. ⁵Peter therefore was kept in the prison; but unceasing prayer was made by the assembly to God concerning him. ⁶And when Herod was going to bring him forth, that night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards before the door kept the prison. ⁷And lo, an angel of [the] Lord came there, and a light shone in the prison: and having smitten the side of Peter, he roused him up, saying, Rise up quickly. And his chains fell off his hands. ⁸And the angel said to him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And he did so. And he says to him, Cast thine upper garment about thee and follow me. ⁹And going forth he followed [him] and did not know that what was happening by means of the angel was real, but supposed he saw a vision. ¹⁰And having passed through a first and second guard, they came to the iron gate which leads into the city, which opened to them of itself; and going forth they went down one street, and immediately the angel left him. ¹¹And Peter, being come to himself, said, Now I know certainly that [the] Lord has sent forth his angel and has taken me out of the hand of Herod and all the expectation of the people of the Jews. ¹²And having become clearly conscious [in himself], he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was surnamed Mark, where were many gathered together and praying. ¹³And when he had knocked at the door of the entry, a maid came to listen, by name Rhoda; ¹⁴and having recognised the voice of Peter, through joy did not open the entry, but running in, reported that Peter was standing before the entry. ¹⁵And they said to her, Thou art mad. But she maintained that it was so. And they said, It is his angel. ¹⁶But Peter continued knocking: and having opened, they saw him and were astonished. ¹⁷And having made a sign to them with his hand to be silent, he related [to them] how the Lord had brought him out of prison; and he said, Report these things to James and to the brethren. And he went out and went to another place. ¹⁸And when it was day there was no small disturbance among the soldiers, what then was become of Peter. ¹⁹And Herod having sought him and not found him, having examined the guards, commanded [them] to be executed. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea and stayed [there]. ²⁰And he was in bitter hostility with [the] Tyrians and Sidonians; but they came to him with one accord, and, having gained Blastus the king`s chamberlain, sought peace, because their country was nourished by the king`s. ²¹And on a set day, clothed in royal apparel and sitting on the elevated seat [of honour], Herod made a public oration to them. ²²And the people cried out, A god`s voice and not a man`s. ²³And immediately an angel of [the] Lord smote him, because he did not give the glory to God, and he expired, eaten of worms. ²⁴But the word of God grew and spread itself. ²⁵And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, having fulfilled the service [entrusted to them], taking also with them John, surnamed Mark.