Acts of the Apostles 12

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 It was about this time that King Herod started persecuting certain members of the church.	1 About that time King Herod laid hands upon some members of the church to harm them.
2 He had James the brother of John beheaded,	2 He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword,
3 and when he saw that this pleased the Jews he went on to arrest Peter as wel .	3 and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (It was (the) feast of Unleavened Bread.)
4 As it was during the days of Unleavened Bread that he had arrested him, he put him in prison,assigning four sections of four soldiers each to guard him, meaning to try him in public after the Passover.	4 He had him taken into custody and put in prison under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. He intended to bring him before the people after Passover.
5 Al the time Peter was under guard the church prayed to God for him unremittingly.	5 Peter thus was being kept in prison, but prayer by the church was fervently being made to God on his behalf.
6 On the night before Herod was to try him, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened with twochains, while guards kept watch at the main entrance to the prison.	6 On the very night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter, secured by double chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while outside the door guards kept watch on the prison.
7 Then suddenly an angel of the Lord stood there, and the cel was fil ed with light. He tapped Peter onthe side and woke him. 'Get up!' he said, 'Hurry!' -- and the chains fel from his hands.	7 Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying, "Get up quickly." The chains fell from his wrists.
8 The angel then said, 'Put on your belt and sandals.' After he had done this, the angel next said, 'Wrapyour cloak round you and fol ow me.'	8 The angel said to him, "Put on your belt and your sandals." He did so. Then he said to him, "Put on your cloak and follow me."
9 He followed him out, but had no idea that what the angel did was all happening in reality; he thought hewas seeing a vision.	9 So he followed him out, not realizing that what was happening through the angel was real; he thought he was seeing a vision.
10 They passed through the first guard post and then the second and reached the iron gate leading tothe city. This opened of its own accord; they went through it and had walked the whole length of one street whensuddenly the angel left him.	10 They passed the first guard, then the second, and came to the iron gate leading out to the city, which opened for them by itself. They emerged and made their way down an alley, and suddenly the angel left him.
11 It was only then that Peter came to himself. And he said, 'Now I know it is all true. The Lord real y didsend his angel and save me from Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.'	11 Then Peter recovered his senses and said, "Now I know for certain that (the) Lord sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people had been expecting."
12 As soon as he realised this he went straight to the house of Mary the mother of John Mark, where anumber of people had assembled and were praying.	12 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who is called Mark, where there were many people gathered in prayer.
13 He knocked at the outside door and a servant called Rhoda came to answer it.	13 When he knocked on the gateway door, a maid named Rhoda came to answer it.
14 She recognised Peter's voice and was so overcome with joy that, instead of opening the door, she raninside with the news that Peter was standing at the main entrance.	14 She was so overjoyed when she recognized Peter's voice 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 true. Then they said, 'It mustbe his angel!'	15 They told her, "You are out of your mind," but she insisted that it was so. But they kept saying, "It is his angel."
16 Peter, meanwhile, was stil knocking. When they opened the door, they were amazed to see that itreal y was Peter himself.	16 But Peter continued to knock, and when they opened it, they saw him and were astounded.
17 He raised his hand for silence and described to them how the Lord had led him out of prison. Headded, 'Tell James and the brothers.' Then he left and went elsewhere.	17 He motioned to them with his hand to be quiet and explained (to them) how the Lord had led him out of the prison, and said, "Report this to James and the brothers." Then he left and went to another place.
18 When daylight came there was a great commotion among the soldiers, who could not imagine whathad become of Peter.	18 At daybreak there was no small commotion among the soldiers over what had become of Peter.
19 Herod put out an unsuccessful search for him; he had the guards questioned, and before leavingJudaea to take up residence in Caesarea he gave orders for their execution.	19 Herod, after instituting a search but not finding him, ordered the guards tried and executed. Then he left Judea to spend some time in Caesarea.
20 Now Herod was on bad terms with the Tyrians and Sidonians. Yet they sent a joint deputation whichmanaged to enlist the support of Blastus, the king's chamberlain, and through him negotiated a treaty, since theircountry depended for its food supply on the king's territory.	20 He had long been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, who now came to him in a body. After winning over Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they sued for peace because their country was supplied with food from the king's territory.
21 A day was fixed, and Herod, wearing his robes of state and seated on a throne, began to make aspeech to them.	21 On an appointed day, Herod, attired in royal robes, (and) seated on the rostrum, addressed them publicly.
22 The people acclaimed him with, 'It is a god speaking, not a man!'	22 The assembled crowd cried out, "This is the voice of a god, not of a man."
23 and at that moment the angel of the Lord struck him down, because he had not given the glory toGod. He was eaten away by worms and died.	23 At once the angel of the Lord struck him down because he did not ascribe the honor to God, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.
24 The word of God continued to spread and to gain fol owers.	24 But the word of God continued to spread and grow.
25 Barnabas and Saul completed their task at Jerusalem and came back, bringing John Mark with them.	25 After Barnabas and Saul completed their relief mission, they returned to Jerusalem, taking with them John, who is called Mark.