James Martyred and Peter Jailed

1About that time King •Herod cruelly attacked some who belonged to the church, 2and he killed James,a John’s brother, with the sword. 3When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too, during the days of •Unleavened Bread.b 4After the arrest, he put him in prison and assigned four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the •Passover. 5So Peter was kept in prison, but prayer was being made earnestly to God for him by the church.

Peter Rescued

6On the night before Herod was to bring him out for execution, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while the sentries in front of the door guarded the prison. 7Suddenly an angel of the Lordc appeared, and a light shone in the cell. Striking Peter on the side, he woke him up and said, “Quick, get up! ” Then the chains fell off his wrists.d 8“Get dressed,” the angel told him, “and put on your sandals.” And he did so. “Wrap your cloak around you,” he told him, “and follow me.” 9So he went out and followed, and he did not know that what took place through the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.e 10After they passed the first and second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went outside and passed one street, and immediately the angel left him.f

11Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from Herod’s grasp and from all that the Jewish people expected.”g 12When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark,h, i where many had assembled and were praying. 13He knocked at the door in the gateway, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer. 14She recognized Peter’s voice, and because of her joy, she did not open the gate but ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gateway.

15“You’re crazy! ” they told her. But she kept insisting that it was true. Then they said, “It’s his angel! ”j 16Peter, however, kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astounded.

17Motioning to them with his handk to be silent, he explained to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. “Report these things to Jamesl, m and the •brothers,” he said. Then he departed and went to a different place.

18At daylight, there was a great commotionn among the soldiers as to what could have become of Peter. 19After Herod had searched and did not find him, he interrogated the guards and ordered their execution. Then Herod went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.o

Herod’s Death

20He had been very angry with the Tyrians and Sidonians.p Together they presented themselves before him. They won over Blastus, who was in charge of the king’s bedroom, and through him they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food from the king’s country.q 21So on an appointed day, dressed in royal robes and seated on the throne, Herod delivered a public address to them. 22The assembled people began to shout, “It’s the voice of a god and not of a man! ” 23At once an angel of the Lordr struck him because he did not give the glory to God, and he became infected with worms and died.s 24Then God’s message flourished and multiplied.t 25After they had completed their relief mission, Barnabas and Saul returned tou Jerusalem, taking along John who is called Mark.v