Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of our fathers the apostles, may their blessings be with us.
Acts 12 : 1 - 12
Chapter 12
| 1 | Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church.
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| 2 | Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
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| 3 | And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread.
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| 4 | So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.
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| 5 | Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.
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| 6 | And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.
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| 7 | Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, "Arise quickly!" And his chains fell off his hands.
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| 8 | Then the angel said to him, "Gird yourself and tie on your sandals"; and so he did. And he said to him, "Put on your garment and follow me."
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| 9 | So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
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| 10 | When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
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| 11 | And when Peter had come to himself, he said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people."
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| 12 | So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.
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The word of the Lord shall grow, multiply, be mighty, and be confirmed, in the holy Church of God.
Amen.
