Acts:12
Seeker Overlay ON
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Now ,
about that time ,
Herod ,
the king ,
laid hands on some of the congregation ,
to afflict them .
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And he slew James ,
the brother of John ,
with the sword .
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And as he saw that this was acceptable to the Jews ,
he went on to seize Peter also :
and it was in the days of unleavened bread ;
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and having seized him ,
he put him in prison ,
delivering him to the custody of four quaternions of soldiers ,
intending ,
after the passover ,
to bring him out to the people .
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In the meantime ,
therefore ,
Peter was kept in the prison ;
but earnest and continued prayer was made to God on his account ,
by the congregation .
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And when Herod was ready to have brought him out ,
even that very night ,
Peter was sleeping between two soldiers ,
bound with two chains ;
and the guards before the door were keeping the prison .
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And ,
behold ,
a messenger of the Lord presented himself ,
and a light shone in the house ;
giving Peter a blow on the side ,
he awoke him ,
saying ,
Arise quickly :
and his chains fell off from his hands .
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And the messenger said to him ,
Gird yourself ,
and bind on your sandals ;
and he did so .
And he said to him ,
Throw your mantle round you ,
and follow me .
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And going out he followed him ;
and he did not know that what was done by the messenger was real ;
but supposed that he had seen a vision .
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And passing through the first and second watch ,
they came to the iron gate that leads into the city ;
which opened to them of its own accord .
And going out ,
they went through one street ,
and immediately the messenger departed from him .
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And Peter ,
being come to himself ,
said ,
Now I know truly ,
that the Lord has sent his messenger ,
and has delivered me from the hand of Herod ,
and from all the expectations of the Jewish people .
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And recollecting ,
he came to the house of Mary ,
the mother of John ,
who was surnamed Mark ;
where many were gathered together ,
praying .
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And as Peter knocked at the door of the outer gate ,
a maiden ,
whose name was Rose ,
went to inquire who was there .
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And knowing Peter '
s voice ,
transported with joy ,
she did not open the gate :
but running in ,
told them that Peter was standing at the gate .
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And they said to her ,
You are distracted :
but she confidently affirmed that it was so .
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But Peter continued knocking ;
and when she opened the door ,
they saw him ,
and were astonished .
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And he made a sign to them with his hand to be silent ;
and related to them how the Lord had conducted him out of prison .
And he aid ,
Inform James and the brethren of these things :
and departing ,
he went to another place .
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And as soon as it was day ,
there was no small tumult among the soldiers ,
what was become of Peter .
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And Herod searching for him ,
and not finding him ,
examined the keeper ,
and ordered them to be led away to execution .
and passing from Judea to Caesarea ,
he abode there .
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And he was highly incensed against the Tyrians and Sidonians ;
but they unanimously came before him ;
and gaining Blastus ,
the king '
s chamberlain ,
to their interest ,
they begged for peace ;
because their country was nourished by that of the king .
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And upon a set day ,
Herod ,
being arrayed in a royal habit ,
and seated upon the throne ,
made an oration to them .
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And the people cried out ,
It is the voice of a God ,
and not of a man !
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But immediately a messenger of the Lord smote him ,
because he did not give glory to God :
and being eaten with worms ,
he expired .
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And the word of God grew and was multiplied .
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And Barnabas and Saul ,
having fulfilled their ministry ,
returned from Jerusalem ;
bringing along with them John ,
whose surname was Mark .