|
Chapter 12 |
|
1 | Now about that time Herod the king
stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. |
| 2 | And he killed
James the brother of John with the sword. |
|
3 | And because he saw it
pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days
of unleavened bread.) |
| 4 | And when he had apprehended him, he put him
in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him;
intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. |
| 5 | Peter
therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church
unto God for him. |
|
6 | And when Herod would have brought him forth, the
same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and
the keepers before the door kept the prison. |
|
7 | And, behold, the angel of
the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on
the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off
from his hands. |
|
8 | And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind
on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about
thee, and follow me. |
| 9 | And he went out, and followed him; and wist
not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a
vision. |
| 10
| When they were past the first and the second ward, they
came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his
own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith
the angel departed from him. |
|
11 | And when Peter was come to himself, he
said, Now I know of a surety, that the LORD hath sent his angel, and hath
delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the
people of the Jews. |
| 12 | And when he had considered the thing, he
came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where
many were gathered together praying. |
| 13 | And as Peter knocked at the
door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. |
| 14 | And when
she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and
told how Peter stood before the gate. |
| 15 | And they said unto her, Thou
art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is
his angel. |
| 16
| But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened
the door, and saw him, they were astonished. |
|
17 | But he, beckoning unto
them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had
brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James,
and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place. |
| 18 |
Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was
become of Peter. |
|
19 | And when Herod had sought for him, and found him
not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death.
And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode. |
| 20 | And
Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one
accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend,
desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country.
|
| 21 | And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne,
and made an oration unto them. |
| 22 | And the people gave a shout,
saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. |
| 23 | And
immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory:
and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. |
| 24 | But the word
of God grew and multiplied. |
|
25 | And Barnabas and Saul returned from
Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John,
whose surname was Mark. |
