Acts 12:1-9

1About that time King Herod violently attacked some who belonged to the church,

2and he executed James, John’s brother, with the sword.

3When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too, during the Festival of Unleavened Bread.

4After the arrest, he put him in prison and assigned four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.

5So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was praying fervently to God for him.

6When Herod was about to bring him out for trial, that very night Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while the sentries in front of the door guarded the prison.

7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. Striking Peter on the side, he woke him up and said, “Quick, get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists.

8“Get dressed,” the angel told him, “and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Wrap your cloak around you,” he told him, “and follow me.”

9So he went out and followed, and he did not know that what the angel did was really happening, but he thought he was seeing a vision.