Now about that time Herod Agrippa the king laid his hands on some of the church to harm them.
And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
And when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. And those were the days of Unleavened Bread.
And when he had taken him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of four soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the People.
So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer to God for him was fervently being made by the church.
Peter Is Rescued
Now when Herod was about to bring him out, that same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison.
And look!, an angel of the Lord suddenly stood next to him, and a light shined in the cell, and he struck Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands.
And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself, and tie on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your outer garment around you, and follow me.”
And he went out, and followed, and he did not know that what was being done by the angel was true, but thought he saw a vision.
And when they were past the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city, which opened to them on its own. And having gone out they went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
And when Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I truly know that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the People, the Jews.”
And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, who is also called Mark, where many had gathered together and were praying.
And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant girl came to answer, named Rhoda.
And when she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in, and said that Peter stood at the gate.
But they said to her, “You are raving mad.” Nevertheless she kept insisting that it was so. But they kept saying, “It is his angel.”
But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the door, they saw him, and were amazed.
But he, motioning to them with his hand to be silent, told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James, and to the brothers.” And he departed, and went to another place.
Now as soon as it was day, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.
And when Herod had searched for him, and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards, and commanded that they be led away and put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and spent some time there.
The Death of Herod
Now he was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, so they came to him with one accord and, having made Blastus, the one in charge of the king’s bedroom, their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was fed from the king’s country.
Now on an appointed day Herod clothed himself in royal apparel, and sat on the judgment seat, and began addressing them.
But the people began to cry out, “It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.”
And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms, and breathed out his last breath.
And the word of God continued to grow and spread.
Now Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, having fulfilled their service, taking with them John, who is also called Mark.