Acts:12:1-19

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* Now about that time , Herod the king laid his hands upon certain of the church , to oppress them . * And he slew James , the brother of John , with the sword . * And seeing that it pleased the Jews , he proceeded to apprehend Peter also ; (then were the days of unleavened bread ;) * and he seized him and put him in prison , and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him ; intending after the passover to bring him forth to the people . * Peter therefore was kept guarded in prison ; but earnest prayer was made by the church to God in his behalf . * And when Herod was about to bring him forth , on that night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers , bound with two chains , and keepers before the door were guarding the prison . * And lo ! an angel of the Lord came to him , and a light shone in the room ; and he smote Peter on the side , and roused him , saying , Rise up quickly . And his chains fell from his hands . * And the angel said to him , Gird thyself , and bind on thy sandals ; and he did so . And he saith to him , Throw thy garment round thee , and follow me . * And he went out , and followed ; and he knew not that what was done by the angel was real , but thought he saw a vision . * And when they had passed the first , and the second guard , they came to the iron gate that leadeth to the city , which opened to them of itself ; and they went out and passed on through one street , and the angel immediately departed from him . * And when Peter had come to himself , he said , Now I know certainly , that the Lord hath sent forth his angel , and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod , and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews . * And when he understood the matter , he came to the house of Mary the mother of John , surnamed Mark , where many were gathered together , and praying . * And as he knocked at the door of the gate , a maid –servant came to listen , named Rhoda ; * and recognizing Peter ’s voice , she opened not the gate for gladness ; but ran in , and told them that Peter was standing before the gate . * And they said to her , Thou art mad . But she positively affirmed that it was even so . Then they said , It is his angel . * But Peter continued knocking ; and opening the door , they saw him , and were amazed . * But beckoning to them with his hand to be silent , he related how 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 . * And when it was day , there was no small commotion among the soldiers , as to what had become of Peter . * And Herod , when he had sought for him and found him not , examined the keepers , and commanded that they should be led away . And he went down from Judea to Caesarea , and there abode .

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