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12 Now during that time Herod the king laid his hands on Moshiach’s Kehillah to harm some of them.

He killed Ya’akov the ach Yochanan with a cherev (sword).

Having seen that this was pleasing to the Judeans, Herod proceeded to arrest Kefa also. This happened during the yamim of Chag HaMatzot. [SHEMOT 12:15; 23:25]

When he had Kefa seized, he put him in the beis hasohar, having handed him over to four squads of chaiyalim to guard him, intending after Pesach to bring him before the people.

Therefore, Kefa was being kept in the beis hasohar. But tefillah to Hashem was earnestly being made by Moshiach’s Kehillah for him.

But b’lailah, when Herod was about to lead him out, Kefa, bound with two sharsherot (chains), was sleeping between two chaiyalim; and, before the delet (door), were shomrim (guards) keeping watch over the beis hasohar.

Then a malach HaAdon approached and ohr (light) shone in the cheder (room), and, having struck the side of Kefa, he awoke him, saying, "Get up quickly!" And the kavlei varzel (shackles of iron) fell off his hands. [TEHILLIM 107:14; 149:8]

The malach said to Kefa, "Put on your gartel and tie your sandals." And Kefa did so. And the malach says to him, "Put on your kaftan and follow me."

And having gone out, Kefa was following the malach, and he did not have da’as that the thing was happening grahda (as a matter of fact, in reality), but he was thinking he was seeing a chazon through the malach.

10 And having gone through the shomrim (guards), the first and the second, they came upon the Sha’ar HaBarzel leading to the Ir Kodesh. This was opened to them by itself. And having gone out, they went along one rekhov (street), and immediately the malach went away from him.

11 And Kefa, having come to himself, said, "Now I have da’as for sure that HaAdon sent out his malach and delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Judean people." [TEHILLIM 34:7; DANIEL 3:28; 6:22]

12 Having realized this, Kefa came upon the bais of Miryam the Em (mother) of Yochanan, the one being called Markos, where there were many having been assembled and davening.

13 And when Kefa knocked on the delet (door) of the gate, a na’arah by name Rhoda, approached to listen.

14 And having recognized the kol (voice) of Kefa, from simcha she did not open the gate but, having run inside, she reported that Kefa stood at the gate.

15 But the ones there said to her, "You are meshuggah!" But she kept insisting it was so. But they were saying, "It is his malach."

16 But Kefa continued knocking. And having opened the gate, they saw him, and were mishpoyel (standing in awe).

17 And having motioned to them with his hand to be silent, he told them how HaAdon led him out from the beis hasohar. Then Kefa said, "Report to Ya’akov [see p.848] and to the Achim b’Moshiach these things." And having gone out, Kefa went to another place.

18 Now when it was boker, there was not a little commotion among the chaiyalim as to what had become of Kefa.

19 Now Herod, having sought after him and not having found him, after questioning the shomrim, commanded them to be led away to execution. Then Herod went down from Yehudah to Caesarea, and was staying there.

20 Now Herod was gor (very) angry with the people of Tzor and those of Tzidon, and with one mind they were coming to him; and, having won over Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they were requesting shalom, because their country was fed by the king’s lands. [MELACHIM ALEF 5:9,11; YECHEZKEL 27:17]

21 Now on the appointed day, Herod, having clothed himself with royal malbush (clothing) and having sat down on the kes hamishpat, was delivering a public address to them.

22 And the multitude was crying out, "Hinei, the kol of a g-d and not of an ish!"

23 Immediately, a malach Adonoi struck him, because he did not give the kavod to Hashem. And, having become eaten with worms, Herod died. [SHMUEL ALEF 25:38; SHMUEL BAIS 24:16,17; MELACHIM BAIS 19:35]

24 But the dvar Hashem was growing and increasing.

25 And Bar-Nabba and Sha’ul returned from Yerushalayim, having fulfilled their shlichus (mission) to deliver the tzedakah and having taken along with them [back to Antioch], Yochanan the one called Markos.

12 ) At that time Herod the king caught some of the church people and troubled them.

He killed James the brother of John with a long knife or sword.

He saw that this pleased the leaders of the Jews, so he caught Peter also. This happened at the Jewish feast which they had each year to remember leaving Egypt. (It was called the Passover Feast.)

After Herod had caught Peter, he put him in prison. He told four groups of soldiers to guard him. There were four soldiers in each group. He planned to bring him out for trial before the people. But he would do it after the Passover Feast.

So Peter was kept in prison. And the church people asked God to help him.

The night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers. He was tied to them with two chains. Guards were at the door of the prison.

An angel from the Lord came to him and a light shone in the prison. He hit Peter's side and woke him up. `Be quick,' he said. `Get up!' His chains fell off his hands.

`Put on your belt and your shoes,' said the angel. Peter did so. `And now,' said the angel, `put on your coat and follow me.'

Peter followed him out. He did not know that what the angel had done was true. He thought he was dreaming.

10 They passed the first and the second guard. Then they came to the iron gate out to the city. It opened for them by itself. So they went all the way down a street. Then the angel left him.

11 When Peter came to himself, he said, `Now I know truly that the Lord has sent his angel. He has saved me from Herod and from all that the Jewish leaders are hoping will happen to me.'

12 And when he thought about this, he went to Mary's house. Mary was John Mark's mother. Many people were meeting there, talking to God [about Peter].

13 Peter knocked at the outside door. A young servant woman named Rhoda went to answer.

14 When she knew it was Peter's voice, she was very glad. She did not open the door. But she ran in and told the people that Peter was at the door.

15 They said, `You are crazy.' But she kept on saying that Peter was really there. Then they said, `It must be his angel.'

16 Peter kept on knocking. When they opened the door and saw him, they were very much surprised.

17 He put out his hand for them to be quiet. Then he told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, `Tell James and the brothers about this.' Then he went away to another place.

18 In the morning the soldiers tried hard to find Peter.

19 Herod had looked for him and had not found him. So he questioned the guards and ordered them to be taken away and killed. And then Peter went from Judea to Caesarea to live for a while.

20 Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. But they got Blastus to speak to the king for them. Blastus was one of the men who worked in the king's house. They came to Herod together. They wanted to make peace with him because their country got its food from his country.

21 On a certain day Herod put on his king's robes and sat on his chair and made a speech.

22 The people shouted, `A god is talking to us. He is not a man.'

23 At once an angel from God put a bad sickness on Herod because he did not give God the praise. Worms ate him and he died.

24 The word of God spread further and further and more people believed.

25 Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had finished their work. They brought John Mark with them.