Parallel Bible results for "acts 12"

Acts 12

Common English Bible CEB

1 About that time King Herod began to harass some who belonged to the church.

2 He had James, John's brother, killed with a sword.

3 When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he arrested Peter as well. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread.

4 He put Peter in prison, handing him over to four squads of soldiers, sixteen in all, who guarded him. He planned to charge him publicly after the Passover.

5 While Peter was held in prison, the church offered earnest prayer to God for him.

6 The night before Herod was going to bring Peter's case forward, Peter was asleep between two soldiers and bound with two chains, with soldiers guarding the prison entrance.

7 Suddenly an angel from the Lord appeared and a light shone in the prison cell. After nudging Peter on his side to awaken him, the angel raised him up and said, "Quick! Get up!" The chains fell from his wrists.

8 The angel continued, "Get dressed. Put on your sandals." Peter did as he was told. The angel said, "Put on your coat and follow me."

9 Following the angel, Peter left the prison. However, he didn't realize the angel had actually done all this. He thought he was seeing a vision.

10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself. After leaving the prison, they proceeded the length of one street, when abruptly the angel was gone.

11 At that, Peter came to his senses and remarked, "Now I'm certain that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod and from everything the Jewish people expected."

12 Realizing this, he made his way to Mary's house. (Mary was John's mother; he was also known as Mark.) Many believers had gathered there and were praying.

13 When Peter knocked at the outer gate, a female servant named Rhoda went to answer.

14 She was so overcome with joy when she recognized Peter's voice that she didn't open the gate. Instead, she ran back in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate.

15 "You've lost your mind!" they responded. She stuck by her story with such determination that they began to say, "It must be his guardian angel."

16 Meanwhile, Peter remained outside, knocking at the gate. They finally opened the gate and saw him there, and they were astounded.

17 He gestured with his hand to quiet them down, then recounted how the Lord led him out of prison. He said, "Tell this to James and the brothers and sisters." Then he left for another place.

18 The next morning the soldiers were flustered about what had happened to Peter.

19 Herod called for a thorough search. When Peter didn't turn up, Herod interrogated the guards and had them executed. Afterward, Herod left Judea in order to spend some time in Caesarea.

20 Herod had been furious with the people of Tyre and Sidon for some time. They made a pact to approach him together, since their region depended on the king's realm for its food supply. They persuaded Blastus, the king's personal attendant, to join their cause, then appealed for an end to hostilities.

21 On the scheduled day Herod dressed himself in royal attire, seated himself on the throne, and gave a speech to the people.

22 Those assembled kept shouting, over and over, "This is a god's voice, not the voice of a mere human!"

23 Immediately an angel from the Lord struck Herod down, because he didn't give the honor to God. He was eaten by worms and died.

24 God's word continued to grow and increase.

25 Barnabas and Saul returned to Antioch from Jerusalem after completing their mission, bringing with them John, who was also known as Mark.

GOD'S WORD Translation GW

1 About that time King Herod devoted his attention to mistreating certain members of the church.

2 He had James, the brother of John, executed.

3 When he saw how this pleased the Jews, he arrested Peter too. This happened during the days of Unleavened Bread.

4 After capturing Peter, Herod had him thrown into prison with sixteen soldiers in squads of four to guard him. Herod wanted to bring Peter to trial in front of the people after Passover.

5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was praying very hard to God for him.

6 The night before Herod was going to bring Peter to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers. His hands were bound with two chains, and guards were in front of the door. They were watching the prison.

7 Suddenly, an angel from the Lord stood near Peter, and his cell was filled with light. The angel nudged Peter's side, woke him up, and said, "Hurry! Get up!" At that moment the chains fell from Peter's hands.

8 The angel told him, "Put your shoes on, and get ready to go!" Peter did this. Then the angel told him, "Put your coat on, and follow me."

9 Peter followed the angel out of the cell. He didn't realize that what the angel was doing was actually happening. He thought he was seeing a vision.

10 They passed the first and second guardposts and came to the iron gate that led into the city. This gate opened by itself for them, so they went outside and up the street. The angel suddenly left Peter.

11 When Peter came to his senses, he said, "Now I'm sure that the Lord sent his angel to rescue me from Herod and from everything the Jewish people are expecting to happen to me."

12 When Peter realized what had happened, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark. Many people had gathered at her home and were praying.

13 Peter knocked on the door of the entryway, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer.

14 When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so happy that instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and reported, "Peter is standing at the door!"

15 The people told her, "You're crazy!" But she insisted that Peter was at the door. They said, "It has to be his angel."

16 But Peter kept knocking. When they opened the door, they were shocked to see him.

17 Peter motioned with his hand to quiet them down and told them how the Lord had taken him out of prison. He added, "Tell James and the other believers about this." Then he left and went somewhere else.

18 In the morning the soldiers were in an uproar over what had happened to Peter.

19 Herod searched for Peter but couldn't find him. So he questioned the guards and gave orders to have them executed. Then Herod left Judea and went to Caesarea, where he stayed for a while.

20 Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They were going to meet with Herod. They had agreed on what they wanted to do: They enlisted the help of Blastus to ask Herod for terms of peace. This was because their cities depended on Herod for their food supply. (Blastus was in charge of the king's living quarters.)

21 The appointed day came. Herod, wearing his royal clothes, sat on his throne and began making a speech to them.

22 The people started shouting, "The voice of a god and not of a man!"

23 Immediately, an angel from the Lord killed Herod for not giving glory to God. Herod was eaten by maggots, and he died.

24 But God's word continued to spread and win many followers.

25 After Barnabas and Saul delivered the contribution [to the leaders in Jerusalem], they returned [to Antioch] from Jerusalem. They brought John Mark with them.