Peter's
Miraculous Escape From Prison
It
was about this time that King Herod
Arrested
some who belonged to the Church,
2
He had James, the brother of John,
Put
to Death with the Sword.
3
When he saw tht this pleased the Jews,
He
proceeded to seize Peter also.
This
happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
4
After arresting him,
He
pit him in Prison,
Handing
him over to be Guarded
By
four Squads of four Soldiers each.
Herod
intended to bring him out for Public Trial
After
Passover.
5
So Peter was kept in Prison,
BUT
THE CHURCH WAS EARNESTLY PRAYING TO GOD FOR HIM.
6
The night before Herod was to bring him to Trial,
Peter
was sleeping between two Soldiers,
Bound
with two chains,
And
Sentries stood guard at the entrance.
7
SUDDENLY AND ANGEL OF THE LORD APPEARED
AND
A LIGHT SHONE IN THE CELL.
HE
STRUCK PETER ON THE SIDE AND WOKE HIM UP.
'QUICK,
GET UP!' he said,
AND
THE CHAINS FELL OF PETER'S WRISTS.
8
Then the Angel said to him,
'PUT
ON YOUR CLOTHES AND SANDALS.'
And
Peter did so.
'WRAP
YOUR CLOAK AROUND YOU AND FOLLOW ME,'
The
Angel told him.
9
Peter followed him out of the Prison,
But
he had no idea
That
what the Angel was doing was really happening;
He
thought he was seeing a Vision.
10
They passed the First and Second guards
And
came to the Iron Gate
Leading
to the City.
IT
OPENED FOR THEM BY ITSELF,
AND
THEY WENT THROUGH IT.
When
they had walked the length of one street,
SUDDENLY
THE ANGEL LEFT HIM.
11
Then Peter came to himself and said,
'NOW
I KNOW WITHOUT A DOUBT
THT
THE LORD SENT HIS ANGEL
AND
RESUCED ME FROM HEROD'S CLUTCHES
AND
FROM EVERYTING
THE
JEWISH PEOPLE WERE ANTICIPATING.'
12
When this had Dawned on him,
He
went to the house of Mary the mother of John,
Also
called Mark,
Where
many people had gathered and were praying.
13
Peter knocked at the Outer Entrance,
And
a servant girl named Rhoda
Came
to answer the door.
14
When she recognized Peter's voice,
She
was so Overjoyed
She
ran back without opening it
And
Exclaimed,
'PETER
IS AT THE DOOR!'
15
YOU'RE OUT OF YOUR MIND,'
They
told her.
When
she kept insisting that it was so,
They
said,
'IT
MUST BE HIS ANGEL.'
16
But Peter kept knocking,
And
when they opened the door and saw him,
THEY
WERE ASTONISHED.
17
Peter motioned with his hand
For
them to be quiet
And
described how the Lord
Had
brought him out of Prison.
'Tell
James and the Brothers about this,'
He
said,
And
then he left for another place.
18
In the Morning,
THERE
WAS A GREAT COMMOTION AMONG THE SOLDIERS
'WHAT
COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO PETER?'
They
asked.
19
After Herod had a thorough search made for him
And
did not find him,
He
cross-examined the guards
And
ordered that they be Executed.
Herod's
Death
Then
Herod went from Judea to Caesarea
And
stayed there a while.
20
He had been Quarreling
With
the people of Tyre and Sidon;
They
joined together
And
sought an Audience with him.
Having
Secured the support of Blastus,
A
Trusted personal servant of the king,
They
asked for Peace,
Because
they depended on the king's Country
For
their food supply.
21
On the Appointed Day Herod
Wearing
his Royal Robes,
Sat
on his Throne
And
delivered a Public Address to the people.
22 They shouted,
'THIS
IS THE VOICE OF A GOD,
NOT
OF A MAN.'
23
IMMEDIATELY,
BECAUSE
HEROD DID NOT GIVE PRAISE TO GOD,
AN
ANGEL OF THE LORD STRUCK HIM DOWN,
AND
HE WAS EATEN BY WORMS AND DIED.
24
BUT THE WORD OF GOD
CONTINUED
TO INCREASE AND SPREAD.
25
When Barnabas and Saul had finished their Mission,
They
returned from Jerusalem,
Taking
with them John, also called Mark.
(Acts
12)
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