1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hands to mistreat some of the church.
2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
3 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he went on to seize Peter also. (Those were the days of Unleavened Bread.)
4 And having apprehended him, he put him in prison and handed him over to four squads of four soldiers each to keep him, intending after the Passover to bring him forth to the people.
5 So Peter was being kept in the prison; but prayer was being made earnestly by the church to God for him.
6 And when Herod was about to bring him forth, that same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains; and the keepers before the door were guarding the prison.
7 And look, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter's side and raised him up, saying, "Arise quickly." And his chains fell off from his hands.
8 And the angel said to him, "Gird yourself and bind on your sandals." And he did so. And he said to him, "Cast your cloak about you and follow me."
9 And he went out and followed him, and did not know that it was true which was done by the angel, but thought he saw a vision.
10 When they were past the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself; and they went out and passed on through one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, "Now I know of a truth that the Lord has sent his angel and has delivered me out of the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews."
12 And when he had considered the matter, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.
13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a servant girl named Rhoda came to listen;
14 and recognizing Peter's voice, for joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and told them that Peter stood before the gate.
15 But they said to her, "You are raving." But she kept affirming that it was so. Then they said, "It is his angel."
16 But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.
17 But beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, he declared to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, "Report these things to James and to the brothers." And he went out and went to another place.
18 When day came, there was no small stir among the soldiers over what had become of Peter.
19 And when Herod had sought for him and did not find him, he examined the guards and commanded that they be led away to execution. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.
20 Now Herod was furiously angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus, the king's chamberlain, their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was fed by the king's country.
21 And on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on the judgment seat and made a public address to them.
22 And the people kept shouting, "The voice of a god and not of a man!"
23 And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give the glory to God; and he was eaten by worms and expired.
24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.
25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, having fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.