| New King James Version | New International Version |
| 1Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. | 1It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. |
| 2Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. | 2He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. |
| 3And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. | 3When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. |
| 4So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover. | 4After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. |
| 5Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. | 5So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. |
| 6And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. | 6The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. |
| 7Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. | 7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists. |
| 8Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” | 8Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me," the angel told him. |
| 9So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. | 9Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. |
| 10When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. | 10They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him. |
| 11And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.” | 11Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen." |
| 12So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. | 12When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. |
| 13And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. | 13Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. |
| 14When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. | 14When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, "Peter is at the door!" |
| 15But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.” | 15"You're out of your mind," they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, "It must be his angel." |
| 16Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. | 16But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. |
| 17But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place. | 17Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. "Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this," he said, and then he left for another place. |
| 18Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. | 18In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. |
| 19But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there. | 19After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. |
| 20Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king’s personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king’s country. | 20He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him. After securing the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king's country for their food supply. |
| 21So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. | 21On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. |
| 22And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” | 22They shouted, "This is the voice of a god, not of a man." |
| 23Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. | 23Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. |
| 24But the word of God grew and multiplied. | 24But the word of God continued to spread and flourish. |
| 25And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark. | 25When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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