Herod’s Violence to the Church

12 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. 2 Then he killed James athe brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during bthe Days of Unleavened Bread. 4 So cwhen he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four 1squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.

Peter Freed from Prison

5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but 2constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were 3keeping the prison. 7 Now behold, dan angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. 8 Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” 9 So he went out and followed him, and edid not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought fhe was seeing a vision. 10 When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, gwhich opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that hthe Lord has sent His angel, and ihas delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”

12 So, when he had considered this, jhe came to the house of Mary, the mother of kJohn whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together lpraying. 13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. 15 But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, m“It is his angel.”

16 Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.