| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. | 1About that time King Herod laid hands on some from the church to harm them. |
| 2Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. | 2He had James, the brother of John, executed with a sword. |
| 3And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it 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.) |
| 4So 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. | 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. |
| 5Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. | 5So Peter was kept in prison, but those in the church were earnestly praying to God for him. |
| 6And 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. | 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. |
| 7Now 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. | 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. |
| 8Then 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.” | 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." |
| 9So 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. | 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 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. | 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. |
| 11And 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.” | 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." |
| 12So, 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. | 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 as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. | 13When he knocked at the door of the outer gate, a slave girl named Rhoda answered. |
| 14When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before 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. |
| 15But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “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!" |
| 16Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. | 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 keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And 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. |
| 18Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. | 18At daybreak there was great consternation among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. |
| 19But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed 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 had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king’s personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king’s country. | 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. |
| 21So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave 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 kept 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!" |
| 23Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. | 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 grew and multiplied. | 24But the word of God kept on increasing and multiplying. |
| 25And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark. | 25So Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem when they had completed their mission, bringing along with them John Mark. |
|
