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.

³³ They answered him, We are Abraham’s seed, and were never bond to any man. Why do you say then, You shall be made free?

³⁴ Jesus answered them, Truly truly I say to you that whoever commits sin, is the servant of sin. ³⁵ And the servant does not abide in the house forever. But the Son abides forever. ³⁶ If the Son therefore makes you free, then you are free indeed. ³⁷ I know that you are Abraham’s seed. But you seek means to kill me, because my sayings have no place in you. ³⁸ I speak that which I have seen with my Father, and you do that which you have seen with your father.

³⁹ They answered and said to him, Abraham is our father.

Jesus said to them, If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the deeds of Abraham.  ⁴⁰ But now you are going about to kill me, a man who has told you the truth, which I have heard from God. This Abraham did not do. ⁴¹ You do the deeds of your father.

Then they said to him, We were not born of fornication. We have one Father, who is God.

⁴² Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, then you would love me. For I proceeded forth and come from God. Neither did I come of myself, but he sent me. ⁴³ Why do you not know my speech? Even because you cannot abide the hearing of my words. ⁴⁴ You are of your father, the devil, and your will is to follow the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and did not abide in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own nature. For he is a liar and the father of lies. ⁴⁵ And because I tell you the truth, therefore you do not believe me. ⁴⁶ Which of you can rebuke me of sin? If I speak the truth, why do you not believe me? ⁴⁷ He who is of God hears God’s words. You therefore do not hear them, because you are not of God.