1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth [his] hands to vex certain of the church.
2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)
4 And when he had apprehended him, he put [him] in prison, and delivered [him] to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon [him], and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from [his] hands.
8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
9 And he went out, and followed him; and wist not 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 ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.
11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath 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 thing], 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 damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.
14 And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.
15 And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.
16 But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened [the door], and saw him, they were astonished.
17 But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.
18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.
19 And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that [they] should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and [there] abode.
20 And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's [country].
21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.
22 And the people gave a shout, [saying, It is] the voice of a god, and not of a man.
23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.
25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled [their] ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.
Versículos relacionados com Acts, 12:
Acts of the Apostles 12 reports the arrest of Peter and his subsequent supernatural liberation by the angels of God. Also mentioned is the death of James, John's brother, at the hands of Herod. The selected verses are:
Isaiah 43:2: "When I pass through the waters, I will be with you, and when through the rivers they will not submerge you; when you pass through fire, you will not burn you, nor the flame will burn in you." Peter went through a moment of great danger and anguish as he was arrested and placed in prison, but the Lord was with him, protecting him from Herod's wrath.
Psalm 34:19: "There are many afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him from all." Peter was a fair man who was unjustly arrested. However, the Lord delivered him from Herod's hands and freed him from prison.
Proverbs 21:1: "The King's heart is in the hand of the Lord as deep waters; He tilts it wherever you want." Herod was determined to kill Peter, but God had other plans. He used an angel to free him from prison and frustrate the king's plans.
John 16:33: "In the world, you will have afflictions; but it tends good courage; I have overcome the world." James' death and Peter's arrest are examples of the afflictions that the disciples of Jesus faced. However, Jesus gave them the promise that they would have peace in the midst of tribulations, for he had won the world.
Acts of the Apostles 12:24: "But the Word of God grew and multiplied." Despite persecution and attempts to silence the Gospel message, God's Word continued to spread and reach more people. Peter's arrest and James' death failed to stop the advance of the Kingdom of God.
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