Acts, 12

1. It was about this time that King Herod started persecuting certain members of the church.

1. About that time Herod the king laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church.

2. He had James the brother of John beheaded,

2. He killed James the brother of John with the sword;

3. and when he saw that this pleased the Jews he went on to arrest Peter as well.

3. and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread.

4. As it was during the days of Unleavened Bread that he had arrested him, he put him in prison, assigning four sections of four soldiers each to guard him, meaning to try him in public after the Passover.

4. And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people.

5. All the time Peter was under guard the church prayed to God for him unremittingly.

5. So Peter was kept in prison; but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

6. On the night before Herod was to try him, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened with two chains, while guards kept watch at the main entrance to the prison.

6. The very night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison;

7. Then suddenly an angel of the Lord stood there, and the cell was filled with light. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him. 'Get up!' he said, 'Hurry!' -- and the chains fell from his hands.

7. and behold, an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, "Get up quickly." And the chains fell off his hands.

8. The angel then said, 'Put on your belt and sandals.' After he had done this, the angel next said, 'Wrap your cloak round you and follow me.'

8. And the angel said to him, "Dress yourself and put on your sandals." And he did so. And he said to him, "Wrap your mantle around you and follow me."

9. He followed him out, but had no idea that what the angel did was all happening in reality; he thought he was seeing a vision.

9. And he went out and followed him; he did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

10. They passed through the first guard post and then the second and reached the iron gate leading to the city. This opened of its own accord; they went through it and had walked the whole length of one street when suddenly the angel left him.

10. When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened to them of its own accord, and they went out and passed on through one street; and immediately the angel left him.

11. It was only then that Peter came to himself. And he said, 'Now I know it is all true. The Lord really did send his angel and save me from Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.'

11. And Peter came to himself, and said, "Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting."

12. As soon as he realised this he went straight to the house of Mary the mother of John Mark, where a number of people had assembled and were praying.

12. When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.

13. He knocked at the outside door and a servant called Rhoda came to answer it.

13. And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a maid named Rhoda came to answer.

14. She recognised Peter's voice and was so overcome with joy that, instead of opening the door, she ran inside with the news that Peter was standing at the main entrance.

14. Recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and told that Peter was standing at the gate.

15. They said to her, 'You are out of your mind,' but she insisted that it was true. Then they said, 'It must be his angel!'

15. They said to her, "You are mad." But she insisted that it was so. They said, "It is his angel!"

16. Peter, meanwhile, was still knocking. When they opened the door, they were amazed to see that it really was Peter himself.

16. But Peter continued knocking; and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed.

17. He raised his hand for silence and described to them how the Lord had led him out of prison. He added, 'Tell James and the brothers.' Then he left and went elsewhere.

17. But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, "Tell this to James and to the brethren." Then he departed and went to another place.

18. When daylight came there was a great commotion among the soldiers, who could not imagine what had become of Peter.

18. Now when day came, there was no small stir among the soldiers over what had become of Peter.

19. Herod put out an unsuccessful search for him; he had the guards questioned, and before leaving Judaea to take up residence in Caesarea he gave orders for their execution.

19. And when Herod had sought for him and could not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesare'a, and remained there.

20. Now Herod was on bad terms with the Tyrians and Sidonians. Yet they sent a joint deputation which managed to enlist the support of Blastus, the king's chamberlain, and through him negotiated a treaty, since their country depended for its food supply on the king's territory.

20. Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; and they came to him in a body, and having persuaded Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king's country for food.

21. A day was fixed, and Herod, wearing his robes of state and seated on a throne, began to make a speech to them.

21. On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and made an oration to them.

22. The people acclaimed him with, 'It is a god speaking, not a man!'

22. And the people shouted, "The voice of a god, and not of man!"

23. and at that moment the angel of the Lord struck him down, because he had not given the glory to God. He was eaten away by worms and died.

23. Immediately an angel of the Lord smote him, because he did not give God the glory; and he was eaten by worms and died.

24. The word of God continued to spread and to gain followers.

24. But the word of God grew and multiplied.

25. Barnabas and Saul completed their task at Jerusalem and came back, bringing John Mark with them.

25. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, bringing with them John whose other name was Mark.