OET-RV ACTs Chapter 12

12 Around that time, King Herodes (Herod) Agrippas used his power to mistreat some of the believers from the assembly, 2 and he had Ya’akov (James; Grk. Yakobos), the brother of Yohan (John; Grk. Yoannes), executed by the sword. 3 Then when he saw that it pleased the Jewish religious leaders, he went on to seize Kefa (Peter; Grk. Petros) during the Flat Bread Celebration. 4 After being arrested, Kefa was put in prison where he was guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. After the Passover Feast, Herodes planned to display Kefa to the people, 5 but while he was being held in prison, those in the assembly were earnestly asking God to help him.

6 Herodes (Herod) planned to send for Kefa (Peter; Grk. Petros) later that evening, but meanwhile Kefa had fallen asleep chained with two chains between two soldiers. There were also prison guards at the door 7 but one of Yahweh’s messengers suddenly appeared standing by Kefa and light radiated through the prison cell. The messenger poked Kefa 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 Kefa 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 Kefa was fully awake and said to himself, “Now I know that the master really did send his messenger to rescue me from Herodes and from the plans of the Jewish leaders.”

12 Now that he realised this, he went to Miryam’s (Grk. Maria’s/Mariam’s) house (the mother of Yohan (John; Grk. Yoannes) Markos / John Mark) where many believers had met to pray. 13 He knocked at the door in the fence and a servant girl named Rode came out to see who it was. 14 But when she recognised Kefa’s voice, she was so excited that she forgot about opening the door, but ran back inside to tell everyone that Kefa 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 Kefa continued knocking, and when they eventually opened the outer door, they saw that it was him and they were amazed. 17 But Kefa 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 Ya’akov (James; Grk. Yakobos) 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 Kefa. 19 Then when King Herodes sent for Kefa and he wasn’t there, the prison guards were interrogated and then taken away to be executed.

After that, Herodes (Herod) left Yehudah (Judea) and went up to Kaisareia to stay.

20 Now King Herodes (Herod) was disputing with the people of Tsor (Tyre) and Tsidon (Sidon), 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, Herodes, 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 of the Yahweh’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 Sha’ul (Saul; Grk. Saulos/Saul) had completed their ministry and returned to[fn] Yerushalem (Jerusalem) taking Yohan (John; Grk. Yoannes) Markos (Yohan Markos) along with them.