Acts 12:1-17 ▼

1 Now at that time, Herod the king put forth the hands to mistreat some of those of the church.

2 And he put to death James the brother of John with the sword.

3 And having seen that it is pleasing to the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also—now these were the days of the Unleavened—

4 whom also having arrested, he put in prison, having delivered him to four sets of four soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.

5 Therefore indeed Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer was fervently being made to God by the church concerning him.

6 And when Herod was about to bring him forth, on that night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, having been bound with two chains, and guards before the door were keeping the prison.

7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by, and a light shone in the cell. And having struck Peter’s side, he woke him up, saying, “Rise up in haste.” And his chains fell off the hands.

8 And the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he says to him, “Wrap around you your cloak and follow me.”

9 And having gone out, he was following, and he did not know that what is happening by means of the angel is real, but he was thinking he saw a vision.

10 And having passed through a first and a second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city, which opened to them by itself. And having gone out, they went on through one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

11 And having come to himself, Peter said, “Now I know truly that the Lord sent forth His angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod and of all the expectation of the people of the Jews.”

12 And having considered, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John who is called Mark, where there were many gathered together and praying.

13 And of him having knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer.

14 And having recognized Peter’s voice, from joy she did not open the gate, but having run in, she reported Peter to be standing before the gate.

15 And they said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting it to be so. And they kept saying, “It is his angel.”

16 But Peter continued knocking. And having opened, they saw him and were amazed.

17 And having motioned to them with the hand to be silent, he related to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to James and to the brothers.” And having gone out, he went to another place.