Book of Common Prayer

Herod persecutes the Christians, kills James the brother of John, and puts Peter in prison, whom the Lord delivers by an angel. The shameful death of Herod.

12 In that time, Herod the king stretched forth his hand to persecute some of the congregation. ² And he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. ³ And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further and took Peter also. This was during the days of sweet bread. ⁴ And when he had caught Peter, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to be kept, intending after the Passover to bring him forth to the people.

⁵ Then Peter was kept in prison. But prayer for him was made to God without ceasing by the congregation. ⁶ And when Herod was about to bring him out to the people, that night Peter slept between two soldiers, bound with two chains; and the guards before the door kept the prison.

⁷ And behold, the angel of the Lord was there present, and a light shone in the jail. And he struck Peter on the side and awoke him, saying, Rise up quickly! And his chains fell off from his hands. ⁸ And the angel said to him, Gird yourself, and bind on your sandals. And so he did. And the angel said to him, Cast your mantle around you, and follow me.

⁹ And Peter came out and followed him, and did not know that it was really being done by the angel, but thought he had seen a vision. ¹⁰ When they were past the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them by its own accord. And they went out and passed down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

¹¹ And when Peter came to himself, he said, Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel, and has delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the Jews were waiting for. ¹² And as he considered the matter, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of one John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together in prayer.

¹³ As Peter knocked at the entry door, a maidservant named Rhoda came forth to listen. ¹⁴ And when she recognized Peter’s voice, she did not open the entry door for gladness, but ran in and said that Peter was standing before the entry. ¹⁵ And they said to her, You are mad. But she insisted that it was really so. Then they said, It is his angel. ¹⁶ But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. ¹⁷ And he motioned to them with his hand to hold their peace, and told them by what means the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go, and tell these things to James and to the brethren.

And he departed, and went to another place.

¹¹ And it happened after that, that he went into a town called Nain. And many of his disciples went with him, and crowds of people. ¹² When he came near to the gate of the town, behold, there was a dead man being carried out. He had been the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a large group of townsfolk were with her. ¹³ And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, Weep not. ¹⁴ And he went and touched the bier, and those who were bearing it stood still. And he said, Young man, I say to you, arise! ¹⁵ And the dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus delivered him to his mother.

¹⁶ And there came a fear upon them all. And they glorified God, saying, A great prophet is risen among us, and God has visited his people.

¹⁷ And this talk of him went forth throughout all Judea, and throughout all the regions that lie round about.