Acts 12:1-25, NLT
Acts of the Apostles 12
James Is Killed and Peter Is Imprisoned
1About that time King Herod Agrippa*12:1 Greek Herod the king. He was the nephew of Herod Antipas and a grandson of Herod the Great. began to persecute some believers in the church.
Peter’s Miraculous Escape from Prison
6The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate.
9So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn’t realize it was actually happening.
11Peter finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders*12:11 Or the Jewish people. had planned to do to me!”
12When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer.
15“You’re out of your mind!” they said. When she insisted, they decided, “It must be his angel.”
16Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed.
18At dawn there was a great commotion among the soldiers about what had happened to Peter.
The Death of Herod Agrippa
20Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they sent a delegation to make peace with him because their cities were dependent upon Herod’s country for food. The delegates won the support of Blastus, Herod’s personal assistant,
23Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the people’s worship instead of giving the glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died.
24Meanwhile, the word of God continued to spread, and there were many new believers.
25When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission to Jerusalem, they returned,*12:25 Or mission, they returned to Jerusalem. Other manuscripts read mission, they returned from Jerusalem; still others read mission, they returned from Jerusalem to Antioch. taking John Mark with them.