1Now about that time, Herod the king laid hands on some from the church to mistreat them.
2He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword.
3And when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (Now it was the days of Unleavened Bread.)
4When he had arrested him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.
5So Peter was kept in the prison, but earnest prayer was being made to God for him by the church.
6Now on the very night that Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison.
7And behold, an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. And he struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell from his hands.
8And the angel said to him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.”
9And he went out and followed him, and he did not know that what was happening through the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
10When 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 after going out, they went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
11Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and has rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”
12When 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 outer door, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer.
14And recognizing Peter’s voice, out of joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate.
15But they said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. And they were saying, “It is his angel.”
16But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the door, they saw him and were amazed.
17But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to James and to the brothers.” And he departed 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 after Herod had searched for him and did not find him, he examined the guards and ordered that they be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.
20Now Herod was infuriated with the people of Tyre and Sidon. But they came to him with one accord, and having won over Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they began asking for peace, because their country was supplied with food from the king’s country.
21On an appointed day, Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat on the judgment seat, and began to deliver a public address to them.
22And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!”
23Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.
24But the word of the Lord continued to grow and multiply.
25And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, after completing their ministry, taking with them John, who was also called Mark.
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