1Around that time, King Herod began to persecute some members of the church.
2He had James, the brother of John, executed with a sword.
3When he saw that this pleased the Jewish people, he went on to arrest Peter during the days of Unleavened Bread.
4After arresting him, he put him in prison and assigned sixteen soldiers to guard him, planning to bring him before the people after Passover.
5So Peter was kept in prison, but the church prayed earnestly to God for him.
6The very night before Herod planned to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains. Guards were stationed at the door watching the prison.
7Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. The angel struck Peter on the side, woke him, and said, "Quick! Get up!" And the chains fell off his wrists.
8The angel told him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” He did as he was told. Then the angel said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.”
9So he went out and followed him. He didn’t realize that what the angel was doing was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
10After they passed the first and second guards, they came to the iron gate leading into the city, which opened for them by itself. They went outside and walked down one street, and immediately the angel left him.
11When Peter came to his senses, he said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s power and from everything the Jewish people were expecting.”
12After thinking about this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John, who was also called Mark, where many people were gathered and praying.
13When Peter knocked at the gate, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer.
14Recognizing Peter’s voice, she was so happy that instead of opening the gate, she ran inside and announced that Peter was standing at the gate.
15They told her, “You’re out of your mind!” But she insisted it was true. Then they said, “It must be his angel.”
16But Peter kept on knocking. When they finally opened the door, they saw him and were amazed.
17He motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and then explained how the Lord had brought him out of prison. He said, “Tell these things to James and to the other believers.” Then he left and went to another place.
18When morning came, there was a great commotion among the soldiers because they didn't know what had happened to Peter.
19Herod searched for him but couldn’t find him. So he questioned the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then he went from Judea down to Caesarea and stayed there.
20Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They came to him united and, after getting Herod’s personal assistant, Blastus, on their side, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food.
21On an appointed day, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and gave a speech to them.
22The people shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!”
23Immediately, an angel of the Lord struck him down because he did not give glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died.
24But the word of God continued to spread and grow.
25Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem after completing their ministry, bringing John, also called Mark, with them.