Acts 12
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
During This Time, King Herod Kills The Apostle James And Imprisons Peter
12 And about that time, Herod[a] the king put hands on some of the ones from the church to mistreat them. 2 And he killed James[b], the brother of John, with a sword. 3 And having seen that it was pleasing to the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also (now the days of the Feast of Unleavened-Bread were taking place)— 4 whom indeed having seized, he put into prison, having handed him over to four squads[c] of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him up to the people after the Passover [Feast]. 5 So indeed Peter was being kept in the prison. And prayer was fervently being made by the church to God for him.
An Angel Releases Peter
6 And when Herod was about to bring him forth, on that night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, having been bound with two chains. And guards in front of the door were keeping-watch-over the prison. 7 And behold— an angel of the Lord stood near, and light[d] shined in the cell. And having struck the side of Peter, he woke him, saying, “Arise quickly”. And his chains fell off of his hands. 8 And the angel said to him, “Gird-yourself [e] and tie-on your sandals”. And he did so. And he says to him, “Put-on your cloak and be following me”. 9 And having gone forth, he was following. And he did not know that the thing taking place by-means-of the angel was real, but he was thinking that he was seeing a vision. 10 And having gone through a first guard-post[f] and a second, they came to the iron gate leading into the city, which by-itself was opened for them. And having gone out, they went ahead one lane[g], and immediately the angel departed from him.
Peter Goes To The House of The Mother of John Mark, Where They Were Praying
11 And Peter, having become within[h] himself, said, “Now I know truly that the Lord sent-out His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews”. 12 And having become-aware[i], he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John (the one being called Mark), where there were many assembled-together and praying. 13 And he having knocked-on the door of the gate, a servant-girl went to it to answer— Rhoda by name. 14 And having recognized the voice of Peter, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but having run in, she reported that Peter was standing in front of the gate. 15 But the ones said to her, “You are mad[j]”. But the one was insisting that it was holding so. But the ones were saying, “It is his angel”. 16 But Peter was continuing-on knocking. And having opened, they saw him and were astonished. 17 And having motioned to them with his hand to be silent, he related to them how the Lord led him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to James[k] and the brothers”. And having gone out, he proceeded to another place.
When Peter Can’t Be Found, The Guards Are Executed. Herod Dies In Caesarea
18 Now having become day, there was no small disturbance[l] among the soldiers as to what then became of Peter. 19 And Herod, having searched-for him and not having found him, having examined the guards, ordered that they be led[m] away. And having gone down from Judea to Caesarea, he was spending-time there. 20 Now he was being very-angry with the Tyrians and Sidonians. And they were coming to him with-one-accord. And having won-over[n] Blastus, the one over the bedroom[o] of the king, they were asking-for peace, because of their country being provided-for[p] from the royal land. 21 And on an appointed day, Herod— having put on the royal clothing, and having sat on the judgment-seat— was giving-a-public-address to them. 22 And the public-assembly was calling-out, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 23 And at once an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give the glory to God. And having become eaten-by-worms, he expired[q].
Barnabas And Saul Return To Antioch From Judea, With John Mark
24 But the word of God was growing and being multiplied. 25 And Barnabas and Saul returned, having fulfilled the ministry to Jerusalem, having taken along John[r] with them (the one having been called Mark).
Footnotes
- Acts 12:1 That is, Herod Agrippa I, the last king of Israel. His death, mentioned in verse 23, occurred in a.d. 44.
- Acts 12:2 That is, the apostle James.
- Acts 12:4 Or, quaternians. That is, four four-man squads working three-hour watches overnight, two men inside chained to the prisoner and two outside at the door. This was the Roman custom.
- Acts 12:7 Or, a light.
- Acts 12:8 That is, put on your belt, which was worn over the tunic (undergarment) and under the cloak.
- Acts 12:10 Or, prison-ward.
- Acts 12:10 Or, alley.
- Acts 12:11 That is, having collected himself and seen that it was real.
- Acts 12:12 That is, of where he was.
- Acts 12:15 Or, out-of-your-mind.
- Acts 12:17 That is, the brother of the Lord, and leader of the Jerusalem church.
- Acts 12:18 Or, commotion.
- Acts 12:19 That is, to execution, the Roman custom.
- Acts 12:20 Or, persuaded, convinced.
- Acts 12:20 That is, the chamberlain, a trusted attendant.
- Acts 12:20 Or, providing-for itself. In either case, the port cities of Tyre and Sidon, which were not part of Herod’s kingdom, were economically dependent on his land, and so sought peace with him.
- Acts 12:23 Josephus, who also speaks of this, adds that Herod died five days later.
- Acts 12:25 John-Mark is the cousin of Barnabas, Col 4:10.
Acts 12
American Standard Version
12 Now about that time Herod the king put forth his hands to afflict certain of the church. 2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. And those were the days of unleavened bread. 4 And when he had taken him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him; intending after the Passover to bring him forth to the people. 5 Peter therefore was kept in the prison: but prayer was made earnestly of the church unto God for him. 6 And when Herod was about to bring him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and guards before the door kept the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shined in the cell: and he smote Peter on the side, and awoke him, saying, Rise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. 8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And he did so. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. 9 And he went out, and followed; and he knew not that it was true which was done [a]by the angel, but thought he saw a vision. 10 And when they were past the first and the second guard, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth into the city; which opened to them of its own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and straightway the angel departed from him. 11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a truth, that the Lord hath sent forth his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. 12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a maid came to answer, named Rhoda. 14 And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for joy, but ran in, and told that Peter stood before the gate. 15 And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she confidently affirmed that it was even so. And they said, It is his angel. 16 But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened, they saw him, and were amazed. 17 But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him forth out of the prison. And he said, Tell these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went to another place. 18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter. 19 And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the guards, and commanded that they should be [b]put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and tarried there.
20 Now he was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: and they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was fed from the king’s country. 21 And upon a set day Herod arrayed himself in royal apparel, and sat on the [c]throne, and made an oration unto them. 22 And the people shouted, saying, The voice of a god, and not of a man. 23 And immediately an angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.
25 And Barnabas and Saul returned [d]from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministration, taking with them John whose surname was Mark.
Footnotes
- Acts 12:9 Greek through.
- Acts 12:19 Greek led away to death.
- Acts 12:21 Or, judgment-seat. See Mt. 27:19.
- Acts 12:25 Many ancient authorities read to Jerusalem.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
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