1 Now about that time 1I.e. Herod Agrippa IHerod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them. 2 And he AMatt 4:21; 20:23had James the brother of John BMark 10:39put to death with a sword. 3 When he saw that it AActs 24:27; 25:9pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. Now 1Lit they were the daysit was during BEx 12:15; 23:15; Acts 20:6the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 When he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him to four 1Lit quaternions; a quaternion was composed of four soldiersAJohn 19:23squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after BEx 12:1-27; Mark 14:1; Acts 12:3the Passover to bring him out before the people. 5 So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.

6 On 1Lit that nightthe very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, AActs 21:33bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison. 7 And behold, AActs 5:19an angel of the Lord suddenly BLuke 2:9; 24:4appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And CActs 16:26his chains fell off his hands. 8 And the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and 1Lit bindput on your sandals.” And he did so. And he *said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 9 And he went out and continued to follow, and he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing AActs 9:10a vision. 10 When they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which AActs 5:19; 16:26opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. 11 When Peter ALuke 15:17came 1Lit in himselfto himself, he said, “Now I know for sure that BDan 3:28; 6:22the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all 2Lit the expectation of the people of the Jewsthat the Jewish people were expecting.” 12 And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of AActs 12:25; 13:5, 13; 15:37, 39; Col 4:10; 2 Tim 4:11; Philem 24; 1 Pet 5:13John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and BActs 12:5were praying. 13 When he knocked at the door of the gate, AJohn 18:16fa servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, ALuke 24:41because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate. 15 They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, “It is AMatt 18:10his angel.” 16 But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed. 17 But AActs 13:16; 19:33; 21:40motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to 1Or JacobBMark 6:3; Acts 15:13; 21:18; 1 Cor 15:7; Gal 1:19; 2:9, 12James and CActs 1:15the brethren.” Then he left and went to another place.

18 Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers as to 1Lit what therefore had becomewhat could have become of Peter. 19 When Herod had searched for him and had not found him, he examined the guards and ordered that they AActs 16:27; 27:42be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to BActs 8:40Caesarea and was spending time there.

20 Now he was very angry with the people of AMatt 11:21Tyre and Sidon; and with one accord they came to him, and having won over Blastus the king’s chamberlain, they were asking for peace, because B1 Kin 5:11; Ezra 3:7; Ezek 27:17their country was fed by the king’s country. 21 On an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the 1Or judgment seatrostrum and began delivering an address to them. 22 The people kept crying out, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 23 And immediately A2 Sam 24:16; 2 Kin 19:35; Acts 5:19an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and 1Lit breathed his last breathdied.

24 But AActs 6:7; 19:20the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.

25 And AActs 4:36; 13:1ffBarnabas and AActs 4:36; 13:1ffSaul returned 1Two early mss read to Jerusalemfrom Jerusalem BActs 11:30when they had fulfilled their 2Lit ministrymission, taking along with them CActs 12:12John, who was also called Mark.