Acts 12 :: English Standard Version (ESV)

James Killed and Peter Imprisoned

Act 12:1About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church.

Act 12:2He killed James the brother of John with the sword,

Act 12:3and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread.

Act 12:4

Act 12:4And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people.

Act 12:5

Act 12:5So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

Peter Is Rescued

Act 12:6

Act 12:6Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison.

Act 12:7

Act 12:7And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands.

Act 12:8

Act 12:8And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.”

Act 12:9

Act 12:9And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

Act 12:10

Act 12:10When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him.

Act 12:11

Act 12:11When Peter came to himself, he 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.”

Act 12:12

Act 12:12When 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.

Act 12:13

Act 12:13And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer.

Act 12:14

Act 12:14Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate.

Act 12:15

Act 12:15They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!”

Act 12:16

Act 12:16But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed.

Act 12:17

Act 12:17But 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 these things to James and to the brothers.”[fn] Then he departed and went to another place.

Act 12:18

Act 12:18Now when day came, there was no little disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter.

Act 12:19

Act 12:19And after Herod searched for him and did not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent time there.

The Death of Herod

Act 12:20

Act 12:20Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king’s chamberlain,[fn] they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food.

Act 12:21

Act 12:21On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them.

Act 12:22

Act 12:22And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!”

Act 12:23

Act 12:23Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.

Act 12:24

Act 12:24But the word of God increased and multiplied.

Act 12:25

Act 12:25And Barnabas and Saul returned from[fn] Jerusalem when they had completed their service, bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark.

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ESV Footnotes

(12:17)

Or brothers and sisters

(12:20)

That is, trusted personal attendant

(12:25)

Some manuscripts to

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Acts Chapter 12 — Additional Translations: