Acts 12 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

James Killed and Peter Imprisoned

12 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 Unleavened Bread.) 4 When he had seized him, he put him in prison and handed him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. 5 While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him.

Peter Delivered from Prison

6 The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, ‘Get up quickly.’ And the chains fell off his wrists. 8 The angel said to him, ‘Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.’ He did so. Then he said to him, ‘Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.’ 9 Peter[a] went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening with the angel’s help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10 After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him. 11 Then Peter came to himself and said, ‘Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.’

12 As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many had gathered and were praying. 13 When he knocked at the outer gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. 14 On recognizing Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the gate, she ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate. 15 They said to her, ‘You are out of your mind!’ But she insisted that it was so. They said, ‘It is his angel.’ 16 Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the gate, they saw him and were amazed. 17 He motioned to them with his hand to be silent, and described for them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he added, ‘Tell this to James and to the believers.’[b] Then he left and went to another place.

18 When morning came, there was no small commotion among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 19 When Herod had searched for him and could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.

The Death of Herod

20 Now Herod[c] was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him in a body; and after winning over Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for a reconciliation, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. 21 On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat on the platform, and delivered a public address to them. 22 The people kept shouting, ‘The voice of a god, and not of a mortal!’ 23 And immediately, because he had not given the glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

24 But the word of God continued to advance and gain adherents. 25 Then after completing their mission Barnabas and Saul returned to[d] Jerusalem and brought with them John, whose other name was Mark.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 12:9 Gk He
  2. Acts 12:17 Gk brothers
  3. Acts 12:20 Gk he
  4. Acts 12:25 Other ancient authorities read from

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Acts 12 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

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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Acts 12 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

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)

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, wi...
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Acts 12 - New Living Translation (NLT)

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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The King Makes It Hard for the Church12 At that time King Herod used his power to make it hard for the Christians in the church. 2 He killed James, the brother of John, with a sword. 3 When he saw that it made the Jews happy, he took hold of Peter also. This was during the special religious gather...
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Herod’s Violence to the Church12 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. 2 Then he killed James (A)the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during (B)the...
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