James Killed, Peter Imprisoned
Jesus had clearly predicted persecution and hardship for...
- Jesus had clearly predicted persecution and hardship for his followers (Luke 11:49–51). For the first time since Jesus’ death, Roman authorities took direct violent action against the church. James, the brother of John, was one of the first called to be a disciple (Mark 1:16–20; Luke 5:1–11), and he was one of the first Christians to be martyred for his faith.
- King Herod Agrippa attacked the church (cp. Acts 12:20–23), a move that he found to be politically helpful with the Jewish people. The letter of James, the brother of Jesus, was probably written after this persecution to the scattered Christians (see 8:1–4; James Book Introduction, “Date of Writing”).
1About that time, King Herod† reached out to harm† some who belonged to the church. 2He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.
3And seeing that this pleased the Jews, Herod proceeded to seize Peter during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.† 4He arrested him and put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out to the people after the Passover.
The Rescue of Peter
5So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was fervently praying to God for him.
God, through an angel, led Peter out, reunited...
God, through an angel, led Peter out, reunited him with his praying friends, and sent him out to carry on the work of spreading the Good News. The message advanced despite determined opposition.
6On the night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, with sentries standing guard at the entrance to the prison.
See “ Angels ” Theme Note.
See “Angels” Theme Note.
7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists. 8“Get dressed and put on your sandals,” said the angel. Peter did so, and the angel told him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.”
9So Peter followed him out, but he was unaware that what the angel was doing was real. He thought he was only seeing a vision. 10They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city, which opened for them by itself. When they had gone outside and walked the length of one block, the angel suddenly left him.
11Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from Herod’s grasp and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.”
12And when he had realized this, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered together and were praying.
Rhoda was so surprised when Peter appeared that...
Rhoda was so surprised when Peter appeared that she left him standing at the closed door. Both she and the other believers were amazed by God’s answer to their prayers (12:5).
13He knocked at the outer gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it. 14When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that she forgot to open the gate, but ran inside and announced, “Peter is standing at the gate!”
15“You are out of your mind,” they told her. But when she kept insisting it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”
16But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astounded. 17Peter motioned with his hand for silence, and he described how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. “Send word to James and to the brothers,” he said, and he left for another place.
When Peter couldn’t be found after a careful...
When Peter couldn’t be found after a careful search, Herod interrogated the guards and put them to death (cp. 16:27). However, Herod met his own painful end as a divine judgment on his conceit when he accepted the people’s worship. Josephus records the death of Herod Agrippa I in greater detail (Josephus, Antiquities 19.8.1–2).
18At daybreak there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. 19After Herod had searched for him unsuccessfully, he examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent some time there.
The Death of Herod
20Now Herod was in a furious dispute† with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they convened before him. Having secured the support of Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their region depended on the king’s country for food. 21On the appointed day, Herod donned his royal robes, sat on his throne, and addressed the people. 22And they began to shout, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!”
23Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.
Herod’s demise from a terrible illness (12:23) contrasts...
Herod’s demise from a terrible illness (12:23) contrasts with the growth of the Christian church and the unhindered message of Good News (28:31).
24But the word of God continued to spread and multiply.
25When Barnabas and Saul had fulfilled their mission to Jerusalem, they returned,† bringing with them John, also called Mark.