| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. | 1About that time King Herod laid hands on some from the church to harm them. |
| 2He killed James the brother of John with the sword, | 2He had James, the brother of John, executed with a sword. |
| 3and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. | 3When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too. (This took place during the feast of Unleavened Bread.) |
| 4And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. | 4When he had seized him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him. Herod planned to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. |
| 5So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. | 5So Peter was kept in prison, but those in the church were earnestly praying to God for him. |
| 6Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. | 6On that very night before Herod was going to bring him out for trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. |
| 7And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. | 7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, "Get up quickly!" And the chains fell off Peter's wrists. |
| 8And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” | 8The angel said to him, "Fasten your belt and put on your sandals." Peter did so. Then the angel said to him, "Put on your cloak and follow me." |
| 9And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. | 9Peter went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening through the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. |
| 10When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. | 10After they had passed the first and second guards, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went outside and walked down one narrow street, when at once the angel left him. |
| 11When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” | 11When Peter came to himself, he said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from everything the Jewish people were expecting to happen." |
| 12When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. | 12When Peter realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many people had gathered together and were praying. |
| 13And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. | 13When he knocked at the door of the outer gate, a slave girl named Rhoda answered. |
| 14Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. | 14When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she did not open the gate, but ran back in and told them that Peter was standing at the gate. |
| 15They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!” | 15But they said to her, "You've lost your mind!" But she kept insisting that it was Peter, and they kept saying, "It is his angel!" |
| 16But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. | 16Now Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were greatly astonished. |
| 17But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place. | 17He motioned to them with his hand to be quiet and then related how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, "Tell James and the brothers these things," and then he left and went to another place. |
| 18Now when day came, there was no little disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. | 18At daybreak there was great consternation among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. |
| 19And after Herod searched for him and did not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent time there. | 19When Herod had searched for him and did not find him, he questioned the guards and commanded that they be led away to execution. Then Herod went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. |
| 20Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. | 20Now Herod was having an angry quarrel with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they joined together and presented themselves before him. And after convincing Blastus, the king's personal assistant, to help them, they asked for peace, because their country's food supply was provided by the king's country. |
| 21On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. | 21On a day determined in advance, Herod put on his royal robes, sat down on the judgment seat, and made a speech to them. |
| 22And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” | 22But the crowd began to shout, "The voice of a god, and not of a man!" |
| 23Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last. | 23Immediately an angel of the Lord struck Herod down because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died. |
| 24But the word of God increased and multiplied. | 24But the word of God kept on increasing and multiplying. |
| 25And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had completed their service, bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark. | 25So Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem when they had completed their mission, bringing along with them John Mark. |
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