Rescued by an Angel

¹Around that time, King Herod stretched out his hands to persecute some members of the church. ²He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword. ³When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he went on to arrest Peter as well. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. ⁴After seizing him, he put him in prison and handed him over to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after Easter. ⁵So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him without ceasing. ⁶The night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. ⁷Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the prison. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, "Get up quickly!" And the chains fell off his hands. ⁸The angel told him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." He did so. Then the angel said, "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me." ⁹Peter followed him out but did not realize that what the angel was doing was actually happening. He thought he was seeing a vision. ¹⁰They passed the first guard post, then the second, and came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them by itself. They went out and walked down one street, and immediately the angel left him. 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 who was also called Mark, where many had gathered together and were praying. ¹³Peter knocked at the door of the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. ¹⁴When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed that instead of opening the gate, she ran back inside and announced that Peter was standing at the gate. ¹⁵They told her, "You're out of your mind!" But she kept insisting it was true. Then they said, "It must be his angel." ¹⁶But Peter kept knocking. When they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. ¹⁷He motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and explained how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, "Report these things to James and to the brothers." Then he left and went to another place. ¹⁸When morning came, there was no small commotion among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. ¹⁹When Herod searched for him and could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered that they be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.