Open English Translation ACTs Chapter 12

12 Around that time, King Herod Agrippa used his power to mistreat some of the believers from the assembly, 2 and he had Yacob, the brother of Yohan, executed by the sword. 3 Then when he saw that it pleased the Jewish religious leaders, he went on to seize Peter during the Festival of Flat Bread. 4 After being arrested, Peter was put in prison where he was guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. After the Passover Feast, Herod planned to display Peter to the people, 5 but while he was being held in prison, those in the assembly were earnestly asking God to help him.

6 Herod planned to send for Peter later that evening, but meanwhile Peter had fallen asleep chained with two chains between two soldiers. There were also prison guards at the door 7 but one of the master’s messengers suddenly appeared standing by Peter and light radiated through the prison cell. The messenger poked Peter in the side to wake him up, saying, “Quickly, get up!” The chains fell off his wrists 8 and the messenger said, “Get dressed and put on your sandals,” so he did. Then the messenger said, “Now put on your coat and follow me.” 9 So Peter followed the messenger out of the cell, not really knowing if it was real or if he was still dreaming. 10 They went past the first guard and then the second, and then came to the iron gate which led out of the prison into the city. The gate opened by itself and they went out onto the street, then at the end of the street the messenger suddenly left him.

11 By now Peter was fully awake and said to himself, “Now I know that the master really did send his messenger to rescue me from Herod and from the plans of the Jewish leaders.”

12 Now that he realised this, he went to Maria’s house (the mother of Yohan Mark) where many believers had met to pray. 13 He knocked at the door in the fence and a servant girl named Rhoda came out to see who it was. 14 But when she recognised Peter’s voice, she was so excited that she forgot about opening the door, but ran back inside to tell everyone that Peter was standing out there. 15 They told her that she must be raving mad, but she insisted it was true, but they said that it must be his messenger.

16 Meanwhile Peter continued knocking, and when they eventually opened the outer door, they saw that it was him and they were amazed. 17 But Peter signalled them with his hand to be quiet, and then he explained how the master had led him out of the prison, and instructed them, “Tell this to Yacob and the brothers.” Then he left and went off to another place.

18 Once daylight came, there was pandemonium among the soldiers in the prison as they tried to figure out what had happened to Peter. 19 Then when King Herod sent for Peter and he wasn’t there, the prison guards were interrogated and then taken away to be executed.

After that, Herod left Yudea and went up to Caesarea to stay.

20 Now King Herod was disputing with the people of Tyre and Tsidon, and so they got together and persuaded Blastos, a close personal servant of the king, to be their spokesman in asking for peace because they were dependent on food from the king’s provinces.

21 On the agreed day, Herod dressed in his royal garments and seated on his throne, started to address them. 22 The crowd shouted out, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” 23 Because he didn’t attribute the honour to God, one the master’s messengers immediately struck him down and he stopped breathing as a result of a worm infestation.

24 Meanwhile God’s message continued to spread and multiply.

25 By then Barnabas and Saul had completed their ministry and returned to[fn] Yerusalem taking Yohan Mark along with them.