Acts 12:1-8 ▼

1 And about that time, Herod the king put forth his hands to do evil to certain of those of the Assembly,

2 and he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword,

3 and having seen that it is pleasing to the Jews, he added to lay hold of Peter also—and they were the days of the Unleavened [Bread]—

4 whom also having seized, he put in prison, having delivered [him] to four squads of four soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him forth to the people after the Passover.

5 Peter, therefore, indeed, was kept in the prison, and fervent prayer was being made by the Assembly to God for him,

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

7 and behold, a messenger of the LORD stood by, and a light shone in the buildings, and having struck Peter on the side, he raised him up, saying, “Rise in haste,” and his chains fell from off [his] hands.

8 The messenger also said to him, “Gird yourself, and bind on your sandals”; and he did so; and he says to him, “Cast your garment around and follow me”;