Acts 12:9-20

⁹Peter followed him out, not knowing that what was happening under the angel's guidance was real, but thinking that he was seeing a vision.

¹⁰Passing the first Guard, and then the second, they came to the iron gate leading into the city, which opened to them of itself; and, when they had passed through that, and had walked along one street, all at once the angel left him.

¹¹Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know beyond all doubt that the Lord has sent his angel, and has rescued me from Herod's hands and from all that the Jewish people have been expecting.”

¹²As soon as he realized what had happened, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also known as Mark, where a number of people were gathered together, praying.

¹³On his knocking at the door in the gate, a maidservant, named Rhoda, came to answer it.

¹⁴She recognized Peter's voice, but in her joy left the gate unopened, and ran in, and told them that Peter was standing outside.

¹⁵“You are mad!” they exclaimed. But, when she persisted that it was so, they said, “It must be his spirit!”

¹⁶Meanwhile Peter went on knocking, and, when they opened the gate and saw him, they were amazed.

¹⁷Peter signed to them with his hand to be silent, and then told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison, adding, “Tell James and the others all this.” Then he left the house, and went away to another place.

¹⁸In the morning there was a great stir among the soldiers — what could have become of Peter!

¹⁹And, when Herod had made further search for him and failed to find him, he closely questioned the Guard, and ordered them away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to stay at Caesarea.

²⁰It happened that Herod was deeply offended with the people of Tyre and Sidon, but they went in a body to him, and, having succeeded in winning over Blastus, the Chamberlain, they begged Herod for a reconciliation, because their country was dependent on the king's for its food supply.