The Koine Bible

At that time King Herod laid hands on some who belonged to the church to mistreat them.

But he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword.

When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he added to arrest Peter also (it was the days of Unleavened Bread),

He seized him and put him in prison, delivering him to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him before the people after the Passover.

Now Peter was being kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

Now when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards were standing before the door watching the prison.

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by, and a light shone in the house; and striking the side of Peter, he raised him up, saying, Rise quickly; and the chains fell from his hands.

And the angel said to him, Live and put on your sandals. And he did so. And he said to him, Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.

And having gone out, he followed, and he did not know that what was happening through the angel was real, but he thought he was seeing a vision.

Having passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city, which opened for them by itself, and after going out, they went along one street, and immediately the angel left him.

And Peter, having come to himself, said, Now I truly know that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John called Mark, where many were gathered and praying.

And as he knocked at the gate of the courtyard, a servant girl named Rhoda came to listen.

And recognizing the voice of Peter, she did not open the gate because of joy, but running in, she reported that Peter was standing before the gate.

But they said to her, It is Mani. She kept insisting that it was so. But they said, It is his angel.

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

And after shaking his hand to silence them, he told them how the Lord had brought him out of prison, and said, Report these things to James and the brothers. Then he went out and went to another place.

When day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers about what had happened to Peter.

Herod, having sought him and not found him, interrogated the guards and ordered them to be led away, and having gone down from Judea to Caesarea, he stayed there.

There was a quarrel between the Tyrians and the Sidonians. They came together to him in agreement, and having persuaded Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace because their country was nourished by the royal provision.

On a set day Herod, having put on royal robes and seated on the throne, addressed them.

But the crowd shouted, It is the voice of God and not of a man.

Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give glory to God, and becoming eaten by worms, he died.

But the word of God grew and multiplied.

Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem, having completed the service, taking with them John who is called Mark.