Acts 12 - Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

James Martyred and Peter Jailed

12 About that time King Herod violently attacked some who belonged to the church, 2 and he executed James,(A) John’s brother, with the sword. 3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too, during the Festival of Unleavened Bread.(B) 4 After the arrest, he put him in prison and assigned four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was praying fervently to God for him.

Peter Rescued

6 When Herod was about to bring him out for trial, that very night Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while the sentries in front of the door guarded the prison. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord(C) appeared, and a light shone in the cell. Striking Peter on the side, he woke him up and said, “Quick, get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists.(D) 8 “Get dressed,” the angel told him, “and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Wrap your cloak around you,” he told him, “and follow me.” 9 So he went out and followed, and he did not know that what the angel did was really happening, but he thought he was seeing a vision.(E) 10 After they passed the first and second guards, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went outside and passed one street, and suddenly the angel left him.(F)

11 When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s grasp and from all that the Jewish people expected.”(G) 12 As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was called Mark,(H) where many had assembled and were praying. 13 He knocked at the door of the outer gate, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer. 14 She recognized Peter’s voice, and because of her joy, she did not open the gate but ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the outer gate.

15 “You’re out of your mind!” they told her. But she kept insisting that it was true, and they said, “It’s his angel.”(I) 16 Peter, however, kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were amazed.

17 Motioning to them with his hand(J) to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. “Tell these things to James(K) and the brothers,” he said, and he left and went to another place.

18 At daylight, there was a great commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. 19 After Herod had searched and did not find him, he interrogated the guards and ordered their execution. Then Herod went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.(L)

Herod’s Death

20 Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. Together they presented themselves before him. After winning over Blastus, who was in charge of the king’s bedroom, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food from the king’s country.(M) 21 On an appointed day, dressed in royal robes and seated on the throne, Herod delivered a speech to them. 22 The assembled people began to shout, “It’s the voice of a god and not of a man!” 23 At once an angel of the Lord(N) struck him because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died.(O)

24 But the word of God spread and multiplied.(P) 25 After they had completed their relief mission, Barnabas and Saul returned to[a] Jerusalem, taking along John who was called Mark.(Q)

Footnotes

  1. 12:25 Other mss read from

Cross references

  1. 12:2 : Mt 4:21; 20:23
  2. 12:3 : Ex 12:15; 23:15; Ac 12:5; 20:6; 24:27; 25:9; 2Co 1:11; Eph 6:18
  3. 12:7 : Lk 1:11; Col 4:1; Jd 5
  4. 12:7 : Lk 2:9; 5:19; 16:26; 24:4
  5. 12:9 : Ps 126:1; Ac 9:10
  6. 12:10 : Ac 5:19; 16:26
  7. 12:11 : Ps 33:18–19; 34:7; Dn 3:28; 6:22; Lk 15:17; 2Co 1:10
  8. 12:12 : Ac 12:25; 15:37,39; Col 4:10; 2Tm 4:11; Phm 24; 1Pt 5:13
  9. 12:13–15 : Mt 18:10; Lk 24:21
  10. 12:17 : Ac 13:16; 19:33; 21:40
  11. 12:17 : Ac 15:13; 21:18; Gl 1:19; 2:9,12
  12. 12:19 : Ac 8:40; 16:27; 27:42
  13. 12:20 : 1Kg 5:11; Ezr 3:7; Ezk 27:17; Mt 11:21
  14. 12:23 : Lk 1:11; Col 4:1; Jd 5
  15. 12:23 : 1Sm 25:38; 2Sm 24:16–17; Ps 115:1
  16. 12:24 : Ac 6:7; 19:20
  17. 12:25 : Ac 4:36; 11:30; 12:12

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12 And about that time, Herod the king put forth his hands, to do evil to certain of those of the assembly, 2 and he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword, 3 and having seen that it is pleasing to the Jews, he added to lay hold of Peter also -- and they were the days of the unleavened fo...
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12 And in the same time Herod the king sent power, to torment some men of the church.[a] 2 And he slew by sword James, the brother of John. 3 And he saw that it pleased to the Jews, and cast to take also Peter; and the days of therf loaves were. 4 And when he had caught Peter, he sent him into pri...
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Acts 12 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

12 ) At that time Herod the king caught some of the church people and troubled them. 2 He killed James the brother of John with a long knife or sword. 3 He saw that this pleased the leaders of the Jews, so he caught Peter also. This happened at the Jewish feast which they had each year to remember l...
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Acts 12 - World English Bible (WEB)

12 Now about that time, King Herod stretched out his hands to oppress some of the assembly. 2 He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. 3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This was during the days of unleavened bread. 4 When he had arrested him, h...
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Acts 12 - The Voice (VOICE)

12 Back in Jerusalem, hard times came to the disciples. King Herod violently seized some who belonged to the church with the intention of mistreating them. 2 He ordered James (brother of John) to be executed by the sword, the first of those appointed as emissaries to be martyred. 3 This move pleas...
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Acts 12 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Persecution and Deliverance12 Now at that time Herod the king seized some from Messiah’s community to do them harm. 2 He had Jacob, John’s brother, put to death with the sword. 3 Seeing it pleased the Judean leaders, he proceeded to capture Peter as well. This was during the Days of Matzah. 4 Aft...
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Acts 12 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

James Killed and Peter Imprisoned12 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church.[a] 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword; 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened...
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Acts 12 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

James Killed and Peter Imprisoned12 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword; 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Br...
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Acts 12 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

12 Now about that time, Herod the King stretched forth his hand to afflict some of the church, 2 And he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. 3 And when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further, to take Peter also (during the Days of Unleavened Bread.) 4 And when he had cau...
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Acts 12 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

Herod Kills James12 Around that time, King Herod began to use violence towards some people in the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 When he saw that it pleased the Judaeans, he proceeded to arrest Peter, too. (This was around the time of the Festival of Unleavened Bre...
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Acts 12 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

James Killed and Peter Imprisoned12 About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. 2 He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword. 3 After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the festival of Unleavene...
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Acts 12 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

James Killed and Peter Imprisoned12 About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. 2 He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword. 3 After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the festival of Unleavene...
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Acts 12 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

James Killed and Peter Imprisoned12 About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. 2 He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword.(A)3 After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the Festival of Unleavene...
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Acts 12 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

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James Is Killed and Peter Is Imprisoned12 About that time King Herod Agrippa[a] began to persecute some believers in the church. 2 He had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword. 3 When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter. (This took place during ...
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