| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1About that time King Herod laid hands on some from the church to harm them. | 1It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. |
| 2He had James, the brother of John, executed with a sword. | 2He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. |
| 3When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too. (This took place during the feast of Unleavened Bread.) | 3When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. |
| 4When he had seized him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him. Herod planned to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. | 4After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. |
| 5So Peter was kept in prison, but those in the church were earnestly praying to God for him. | 5So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. |
| 6On that very night before Herod was going to bring him out for trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. | 6The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. |
| 7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, "Get up quickly!" And the chains fell off Peter's wrists. | 7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists. |
| 8The angel said to him, "Fasten your belt and put on your sandals." Peter did so. Then the angel said to him, "Put on your cloak and follow me." | 8Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me," the angel told him. |
| 9Peter went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening through the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. | 9Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. |
| 10After they had passed the first and second guards, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went outside and walked down one narrow street, when at once the angel left him. | 10They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him. |
| 11When Peter came to himself, he said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from everything the Jewish people were expecting to happen." | 11Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen." |
| 12When Peter realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many people had gathered together and were praying. | 12When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. |
| 13When he knocked at the door of the outer gate, a slave girl named Rhoda answered. | 13Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. |
| 14When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she did not open the gate, but ran back in and told them that Peter was standing at the gate. | 14When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, "Peter is at the door!" |
| 15But they said to her, "You've lost your mind!" But she kept insisting that it was Peter, and they kept saying, "It is his angel!" | 15"You're out of your mind," they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, "It must be his angel." |
| 16Now Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were greatly astonished. | 16But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. |
| 17He motioned to them with his hand to be quiet and then related how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, "Tell James and the brothers these things," and then he left and went to another place. | 17Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. "Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this," he said, and then he left for another place. |
| 18At daybreak there was great consternation among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. | 18In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. |
| 19When Herod had searched for him and did not find him, he questioned the guards and commanded that they be led away to execution. Then Herod went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. | 19After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. |
| 20Now Herod was having an angry quarrel with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they joined together and presented themselves before him. And after convincing Blastus, the king's personal assistant, to help them, they asked for peace, because their country's food supply was provided by the king's country. | 20He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him. After securing the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king's country for their food supply. |
| 21On a day determined in advance, Herod put on his royal robes, sat down on the judgment seat, and made a speech to them. | 21On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. |
| 22But the crowd began to shout, "The voice of a god, and not of a man!" | 22They shouted, "This is the voice of a god, not of a man." |
| 23Immediately an angel of the Lord struck Herod down because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died. | 23Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. |
| 24But the word of God kept on increasing and multiplying. | 24But the word of God continued to spread and flourish. |
| 25So Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem when they had completed their mission, bringing along with them John Mark. | 25When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark. |
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