Acts:12

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* Now about that time , King Herod stretched out his hands to oppress some of the assembly . * He killed James , the brother of John , with the sword . * When he saw that it pleased the Jews , he proceeded to seize Peter also . This was during the days of unleavened bread . * When he had arrested him , he put him in prison , and delivered him to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him , intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover . * Peter therefore was kept in the prison , but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God for him . * The same night when Herod was about to bring him out , Peter was sleeping between two soldiers , bound with two chains . Guards in front of the door kept the prison . * And behold , an angel of the Lord stood by him , and a light shone in the cell . He struck Peter on the side , and woke him up , saying , "Stand up quickly !" His chains fell off from his hands . * The angel said to him , "Get dressed and put on your sandals ." He did so . He said to him , "Put on your cloak , and follow me ." * And he went out and followed him . He didn 't know that what was being done by the angel was real , but thought he saw a vision . * When they were past the first and the second guard , they came to the iron gate that leads into the city , which opened to them by itself . They went out , and went down one street , and immediately the angel departed from him . * When Peter had come to himself , he said , "Now I truly know that the Lord has sent out his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod , and from everything the Jewish people were expecting ." * Thinking about that , he came to the house of Mary , the mother of John whose surname was Mark , where many were gathered together and were praying . * When Peter knocked at the door of the gate , a maid named Rhoda came to answer . * When she recognized Peter 's voice , she didn 't open the gate for joy , but ran in , and reported that Peter was standing in front of the gate . * They said to her , "You are crazy !" But she insisted that it was so . They said , "It is his angel ." * But Peter continued knocking . When they had opened , they saw him , and were amazed . * But he , beckoning to them with his hand to be silent , declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison . He said , "Tell these things to James , and to the brothers ." Then he departed , and went to another place . * Now as soon as it was day , there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter . * When Herod had sought for him , and didn 't find him , he examined the guards , and commanded that they should be put to death . He went down from Judea to Caesarea , and stayed there . * Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon . They came with one accord to him , and , having made Blastus , the king 's personal aide , their friend , they asked for peace , because their country depended on the king 's country for food . * On an appointed day , Herod dressed himself in royal clothing , sat on the throne , and gave a speech to them . * The people shouted , "The voice of a god , and not of a man !" * Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him , because he didn 't give God the glory , and he was eaten by worms and died . * But the word of God grew and multiplied . * Barnabas and Saul returned to {TR reads "from " instead of "to "} Jerusalem , when they had fulfilled their service , also taking with them John whose surname was Mark .

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