Acts 12:13-25 ▼

13 When he knocked at the door of the courtyard, a little girl named Rhoda came out to answer.

14 And when she recognized Simon’s voice, because of her joy she did not open the door to him, but ran back and told, Behold Simon Peter stands at the gate of the courtyard.

15 They said to her, You are confused. But she argued that it was so. Then said they, Perhaps it is his angel.

16 But Simon Peter continued knocking at the door; and they went out, and saw him, and were astonished.

17 But he motioned to them with his hand to keep quiet; then he entered and related to them how the LORD had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Tell these things to James, and to our brethren. And he went out, and departed for another place.

18 Now when it was morning, there was great tumult among the soldiers as to what had become of Simon Peter.

19 When Herod had sought him and could not find him, he sentenced the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And Simon Peter left Ju-dæ’a and stayed at Cæs-a-re’a.

20 Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, but they assembled together and came to him, and they appealed to Blas’tus, the king’s chamberlain, and asked him that they might have peace, because their country was dependent upon the kingdom of Herod for food supplies.

21 Upon the set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon the throne and addressed the assembly.

22 And all the people shouted, saying, This sounds like the voice of God speaking and not that of a man.

23 And because he did not give the glory to God, in that very hour an angel of the LORD smote him, and he was eaten by disease and died.

24 But the gospel of God continued to be preached and to reach many.

25 Bar’na-bas and Saul, after they had fulfilled their ministry, returned from Jerusalem to An’ti-och, and took with them John whose surname was Mark.