Act 12 | LEB | STEP | Now at that time, Herod the king laid hands on some of those from the church to harm them .

Acts 12

Herod Kills James and Imprisons Peter

1 Now at that time, Herod the king laid hands on some of those from the church to harm them. ^{▼▼*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation} 2 So he executed James the brother of John with a sword. 3 And when he ^{▼▼*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal} saw that it was pleasing to the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (⌞Now this was during the feast⌟ ^{▼▼Literally “now these were the days”} of Unleavened Bread.) 4 After he ^{▼▼*Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“had arrested”) which is understood as temporal} had arrested ⌞him⌟, ^{▼▼Literally “whom”} he also put him ^{▼▼*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation} in prison, handing him ^{▼▼*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation} over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him ⌞out for public trial⌟ ^{▼▼Literally “to the people”} after the Passover. 5 Thus Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer was fervently being made to God by the church for him.

Peter Rescued by an Angel

6 Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards before the door were watching the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood near him, ^{▼▼*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation} and a light shone in the prison cell. And striking Peter’s side, he woke him up, saying, “Get up ⌞quickly⌟!” ^{▼▼Literally “with quickness”} And his chains fell off of his ^{▼▼*Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun} hands. 8 And the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and put on your sandals!” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me!” 9 And he went out and ^{▼▼*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went out”) has been translated as a finite verb} was following him. ^{▼▼*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation} And he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but was thinking he was seeing a vision. 10 And after they ^{▼▼*Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“had passed”) which is understood as temporal} had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened for them by itself, and they went out and ^{▼▼*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went out”) has been translated as a finite verb} went forward along one narrow street, and at once the angel departed from him.

11 And when ^{▼▼*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“came”) which is understood as temporal} Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know truly that the Lord has sent out his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and all ⌞that the Jewish people expected⌟!” ^{▼▼Literally “the expectation of the people of the Jews”} 12 And when he ^{▼▼*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“realized”) which is understood as temporal} realized this, ^{▼▼*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation} he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John (who is also called Mark), where many people were gathered together and were praying. 13 And when ^{▼▼*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“knocked”)} he knocked at the door of the gateway, a female slave ⌞named⌟ ^{▼▼Literally “by name”} Rhoda came up to answer. 14 And recognizing Peter’s voice, because of her ^{▼▼*Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun} joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and ^{▼▼*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“ran in”) has been translated as a finite verb} announced that Peter was standing at the gate. 15 But they said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting ^{▼▼*This imperfect verb is translated as an iterative imperfect (“kept insisting”)} it was so. And they kept saying, ^{▼▼*This imperfect verb is translated as an iterative imperfect (“kept saying”)} “It is his angel!” 16 But Peter was continuing to knock, and when they ^{▼▼*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“opened”) which is understood as temporal} opened the door ^{▼▼*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation} they saw him and were astonished. 17 But motioning to them with his ^{▼▼*Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun} hand to be silent, he related to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to James and to the brothers,” and he departed and ^{▼▼*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“departed”) has been translated as a finite verb} went to another place.

18 Now when ^{▼▼*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“came”)} day came, there was not a little commotion among the soldiers as to what then had become of Peter. 19 And when ^{▼▼*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“had searched for”) which is understood as temporal} Herod had searched for him and did not find him, ^{▼▼*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation} he questioned the guards and ^{▼▼*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“questioned”) has been translated as a finite verb} ordered that they be led away to execution. And he came down from Judea to Caesarea and ^{▼▼*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“came down”) has been translated as a finite verb} stayed there.

Herod’s Gruesome Death

20 Now he was very angry with the Tyrians and Sidonians. So they came to him with one purpose, and after ^{▼▼*Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“persuading”) which is understood as temporal} persuading Blastus, ⌞the king’s chamberlain⌟, ^{▼▼Literally “the one over the bedroom of the king”} they asked for peace, because their country was supported with food from the king’s country. 21 So on an appointed day Herod, after ^{▼▼*Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“putting on”) which is understood as temporal} putting on royal clothing and sitting down on the judgment seat, began to deliver a public address to them. 22 But the people began to call out loudly, ^{▼▼*The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to call out loudly”)} “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 23 And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down ⌞because⌟ ^{▼▼Literally “in return for which”} he did not give the glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and ^{▼▼*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“was”) has been translated as a finite verb} died. 24 But the word of God kept on increasing ^{▼▼*This imperfect verb has been translated as customary (“kept on increasing”)} and multiplying.

25 So Barnabas and Saul returned to ^{▼▼Some manuscripts read “from”} Jerusalem when they ^{▼▼*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“had completed”) which is understood as temporal} had completed their ^{▼▼*Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun} service, having taken along with them ^{▼▼*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation} John (who is also called Mark).