¹Now about that time , King Herod stretched out his hands to oppress some of the assembly .

²He killed James , the brother of John , with the sword .

³When he saw that it pleased the Jews , he proceeded to seize Peter also . This was during the days of unleavened bread.

⁴When he had arrested him , he put him in prison and delivered him to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him , intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover .

⁵Peter therefore was kept in the prison , but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God for him .

⁶The same night when Herod was about to bring him out , Peter was sleeping between two soldiers , bound with two chains . Guards in front of the door kept the prison .

⁷And behold , an angel of the Lord stood by him , and a light shone in the cell . He struck Peter on the side and woke him up , saying , “Stand up quickly !” His chains fell off his hands .

⁸The angel said to him , “Get dressed and put on your sandals .” He did so . He said to him , “Put on your cloak and follow me .”

⁹And he went out and followed him . He didn’t know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he saw a vision .

¹⁰When they were past the first and the second guard , they came to the iron gate that leads into the city , which opened to them by itself. They went out and went down one street , and immediately the angel departed from him .

¹¹When Peter had come to himself , he said , “Now I truly know that the Lord has sent out his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod , and from everything the Jewish people were expecting .”

¹²Thinking about that , he came to the house of Mary , the mother of John who was called Mark , where many were gathered together and were praying .

¹³When Peter knocked at the door of the gate , a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer .

¹⁴When she recognised Peter ’s voice , she didn’t open the gate for joy , but ran in and reported that Peter was standing in front of the gate .

¹⁵They said to her , “You are crazy!” But she insisted that it was so . They said , “It is his angel.”

¹⁶But Peter continued knocking . When they had opened, they saw him and were amazed .

¹⁷But he , beckoning to them with his hand to be silent , declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison . He said , “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place .

¹⁸Now as soon as it was day , there was no small stir amongst the soldiers about what had become of Peter .

¹⁹When Herod had sought for him and didn’t find him , he examined the guards , then commanded that they should be put to death. He went down from Judea to Caesarea , and stayed there .

²⁰Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon . They came with one accord to him and , having made Blastus, the king ’s personal aide, their friend , they asked for peace , because their country depended on the king ’s country for food.

²¹On an appointed day , Herod dressed himself in royal clothing , sat on the throne, and gave a speech to them .

²²The people shouted , “The voice of a god , and not of a man !”

²³Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him , because he didn’t give God the glory . Then he was eaten by worms and died .

²⁴But the word of God grew and multiplied .

²⁵Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their service , also taking with them John who was called Mark .[#12:25 TR reads “from” instead of “to”]