Deeds (Act) of Apostles 12:5-23

⁵And Peter was kept in prison; but prayer was made of the church without ceasing to God for him.

⁶But when Herod should bring him forth, in that night Peter was sleeping betwixt two knights, and was bound with two chains; and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

⁷And lo! an angel of the Lord stood nigh, and light shone in the prison house. And when he had smitten the side of Peter, he raised, or waked, him, and said, Rise thou swiftly. And anon the chains felled down from his hands.

⁸And the angel said to him, Gird thee, and do on thine hoses. And he did so. And he said to him, Do about thee thy clothes, and pursue me.

⁹And he went out, and pursued him; and he wist not that it was sooth, that was done by the angel; for he guessed himself to have seen a vision.

¹⁰And they passed the first and the second ward, and came to the iron gate that leadeth to the city, which anon was opened to them. And they went out, and came forth into one street, and anon the angel passed away from him.

¹¹And Peter turned again to himself, and said, Now I know verily, that the Lord sent his angel, and delivered me from the hand of Herod, and from all the abiding of the people of Jews.

¹²And he beheld, and came to the house of Mary, the mother of John, that is named Mark, where many were gathered together, and praying.

¹³And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel or a wench, Rhoda by name, came forth to see.

¹⁴And when she knew the voice of Peter, for joy she opened not the gate, but ran in, and told, that Peter stood at the gate.

¹⁵And they said to her, Thou mad-dest or Thou art mad. But she affirmed, that it was so. And they said, It is his angel.

¹⁶But Peter abode still, and knocked. And when they had opened the door, they saw him, and wondered.

¹⁷And he beckoned to them with his hand to be still, and told how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, Tell ye to James and to the brethren these things. And he went out, and went into another place.

¹⁸And when the day was come, there was not little troubling among the knights, what was done of Peter.

¹⁹And when Herod had sought him, and found not, after that he had made inquiring of the keepers, he commanded them to be brought to him. And he came down from Judea into Caesarea, and dwelled there.

²⁰And he was wroth to men of Tyre and of Sidon. And they of one accord came to him, when they had counselled with Blastus, that was the king’s chamberlain, they asked peace, for as much as their countries were victualed of him or were nourished by him.

²¹And in a day that was ordained, Herod was clothed with king’s clothing, and sat for doomsman, and spake to them.

²²And the people cried, The voice of God, and not of man.

²³And anon an angel of the Lord smote him, for he had not given honour to God; and he was wasted of worms, and died.