The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Apostles 12
1 Now about that time, King Herod
stretched out his hands to oppress some of
the assembly.
2 He killed James, the brother of John,
with the sword.
3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews,
he proceeded to seize Peter also. This was
during the days of unleavened bread.
4 When 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.
5 Peter therefore was kept in the prison,
but constant prayer was made by the
assembly to God for him.
6 The 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.
7 And 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.
8 The 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.”
9 And 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.
10 When 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.
11 When 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.”
12 Thinking 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.
13 When Peter knocked at the door of the
gate, a servant girl named Rhoda came to
answer.
14 When she recognized 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.
15 They said to her, “You are crazy!” But
she insisted that it was so. They said, “It is
his angel.”
16 But Peter continued knocking. When
they had opened, they saw him and were
amazed.
17 But he, beckoning to them with his
hand to be silent, declared to them how the
Lordhad broughthimout ofthe prison. He
said, “Tell these things to James and to the
brothers.” Then he departed and went to
another place.
18 Now as soon as it was day, there was
no small stir among the soldiers about
what had become of Peter.
19 When 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.
20 Now 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.
21 On an appointed day, Herod dressed
himselfin royal clothing, sat on the throne,
and gave a speech to them.
22 The people shouted, “The voice of a
god, and not of a man!”
23 Immediately an angel of the Lord
struck him, because he didn’t give God the
glory. Then he was eaten by worms and died.
24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.
25 Barnabas and Saul returned to†
Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their
service, also taking with them John who
was called Mark.