An Angel Frees Peter from Prison

1Now about that time [†]Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to harm them. 2And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword. 3And when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. Now [†]it was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4When he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him to four [†]squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out before the people. 5So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.

6Now on [†]the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison. 7And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him up, saying, “Rise up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands. 8And the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and [†]put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your garment around yourself and follow me.” 9And he went out and continued to follow, and he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but was thinking he was seeing a vision. 10And when they had passed the first and second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. 11When Peter came [†]to himself, he said, “Now truly I know that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all [†]that the Jewish people were expecting.” 12And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14And when she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate. But she ran in and reported that Peter was standing in front of the gate. 15And they said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, “It is his angel.” 16But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the door, they saw him and were astounded. 17But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he recounted to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to James and the brothers.” Then he left and went to another place.

18Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers as to what [†]had become of Peter. 19And when Herod had searched for him and had not found him, he examined the guards and ordered that they be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and was spending time there.

The Death of Herod

20Now he was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; and with one accord they came to him, and having won over Blastus the king’s chamberlain, they were asking for peace, because their country was fed by the king’s country. 21And on an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel and sitting on the judgment seat, began delivering an address to them. 22And the assembly kept crying out, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 23And immediately an angel of the [†]Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.

24But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.

25And Barnabas and Saul [†]returned [†]to Jerusalem, fulfilling their ministry, taking along with them John, who was also called Mark.