19.
The persecution by the Roman politician
12:1-23
a.
The mistreatment of some believers and the martyrdom of James
vv. 1-2
Acts 12
:1
12:1
Now about that time
1Herod the king laid hands on some from the
achurch in order to
bmistreat them.
Acts 12
:2
12:2
And he
adid away with
bJames, the brother of John, with the
csword.
b.
The arrest of Peter
vv. 3-19a
1)
Guarded in prison
vv. 3-5a
Acts 12
:3
12:3
And when he saw that it was
apleasing to the Jews, he went on to arrest Peter also (now
those were the days of
bUnleavened Bread),
Acts 12
:4
12:4
Whom also he
aseized and put in
bprison, delivering him to four
1quaternions of soldiers to guard him, intending after the
cPassover to bring him out to the people.
2)
Rescued by the Lord
vv. 5-19a
Acts 12
:5
12:5
So then Peter was kept in the prison; but
aprayer was being made fervently by the
bchurch to God concerning him.
Acts 12
:6
12:6
And when Herod was about to bring him forward, that night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers,
abound with two chains; and guards before the door were keeping the prison.
Acts 12
:7
12:7
And behold, an
aangel of the Lord
bstood by
him, and a light shined in the cell; and he
cstruck Peter's side and roused him, saying, Rise up quickly. And his
dchains fell off his hands.
Acts 12
:8
12:8
And the angel said to him, Gird yourself and tie on your
asandals. And he did so. And he said to him, Throw your cloak around
you and follow me.
Acts 12
:9
12:9
And he went out and followed
him; yet he did not know that what was taking place through the angel was real, but thought that he was seeing a
avision.
Acts 12
:10
12:10
And passing the first guard and the second, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which
aopened of itself to them. And going out, they went forward one lane; and immediately the angel departed from him.
Acts 12
:11
12:11
And Peter
1came to himself and said, Now I know truly that the Lord has sent forth His
aangel and
brescued me out of Herod's hand and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.
Acts 12
:12
12:12
And when he became aware of
this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of
aJohn, who was surnamed Mark, where there was a considerable number assembled together and
bpraying.
Acts 12
:13
12:13
And when he knocked at the door of the entry, a maiden named Rhoda came to listen.
Acts 12
:14
12:14
And when she recognized Peter's voice, she did not open the gate for joy, but ran in and reported that Peter was standing before the entry.
Acts 12
:15
12:15
But they said to her, You are crazy! But she insisted that it was so. And they said, It is
1his angel.
Acts 12
:16
12:16
But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened
the gate, they saw him and were beside themselves.
Acts 12
:17
12:17
And amotioning to them with his hand to be silent, he related to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison, and he said, Report these things to
1bJames and the
cbrothers. And going out, he went to another place.
Acts 12
:18
12:18
Now when it became day, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers,
they not knowing what had become of Peter.
c.
The fate of the persecutors
vv. 19-23
Acts 12
:19
12:19
And when Herod searched for him and did not find
him, he examined the guards and ordered that they be led off
to execution. And he went down from Judea to
aCaesarea and spent time
there.
Acts 12
:20
12:20
Now he was furious with the Tyrians and Sidonians. And they came to him with one accord; and having persuaded Blastus, the king's
1chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country was
afed from the king's
country.
Acts 12
:21
12:21
And on an appointed day Herod arrayed himself in royal clothing and sat on the judgment seat; and he delivered a public address to them.
Acts 12
:22
12:22
And the populace cried out, The voice of a god and not of a man!
Acts 12
:23
12:23
And instantly an
aangel of the Lord struck him because he did not give the
bglory to God; and he was eaten by
cworms and
1expired.
20.
The growth and multiplication of the word
12:24
Acts 12
:24
12:24
But the word of
1God agrew and multiplied.
B.
In the Gentile lands through the ministry of Paul's company
12:25—28:31
1.
The initiation
12:25
Acts 12
:25
12:25
And 1Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, having completed the
adispensing;
and they took along with them
bJohn, who was surnamed Mark.
