Book of Common Prayer

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.

⁴⁷ The person who comes from God listens to what God says. You do not come from God. That is why you do not listen to me.'

⁴⁸ The leaders of the Jews answered him, `We say what is true. We say that you come from Samaria. And we say that a bad spirit is in you.'

⁴⁹ Jesus said, `I have no bad spirit in me. I respect my Father but you do not respect me.

⁵⁰ I do not want to make myself great. There is one who makes me great. He judges the matter.

⁵¹ I tell you the truth. If anyone obeys my word, he will never die.'

⁵² The leaders of the Jews said to him, `Now we know it is true that a bad spirit is in you. Abraham died. So did the prophets. And yet you say, "If anyone obeys my word, he will never die."

⁵³ Are you greater than our father Abraham and the prophets of God who died long ago? Who do you make yourself out to be?'

⁵⁴ Jesus answered, `If I make myself great, then I am not great. But my Father makes me great. You say he is your God.

⁵⁵ But you do not know God. I know him. If I say, "I do not know him," I am a liar, just as you people are. But I know him and I obey his word.

⁵⁶ Your father Abraham was glad that he would see my coming. He did see it and he was very glad.'

⁵⁷ The Jewish leaders said to him, `You are not fifty years old yet. How could Abraham see you?'

⁵⁸ Jesus answered, `I tell you the truth. I already was before Abraham was born.'

⁵⁹ Then they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus got out of their way. He left the temple and they did not know where he went.