Skip to content
Journey Through the Bible

Acts 12:4-19

4 After arresting him, he put 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 the 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 an 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 off 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 that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything 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 on 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 no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.

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.

Cross References for Acts 12:4-19

Proverbs 27:1 - Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth. Click to read the verse Proverbs 27:1 Click to read the verse Proverbs 27:1

Proverbs 19:21 - Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. Click to read the verse Proverbs 19:21 Click to read the verse Proverbs 19:21

Lamentations 3:37 - Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Click to read the verse Lamentations 3:37 Click to read the verse Lamentations 3:37

Acts 5:18 - They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. Click to read the verse Acts 5:18 Click to read the verse Acts 5:18

Acts 4:3 - They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. Click to read the verse Acts 4:3 Click to read the verse Acts 4:3

Acts 8:3 - But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women a... Click to read the verse Acts 8:3 Click to read the verse Acts 8:3

Acts 4:28 - They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Click to read the verse Acts 4:28 Click to read the verse Acts 4:28

Joshua 2:3 - So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and enter... Click to read the verse Joshua 2:3 Click to read the verse Joshua 2:3

Acts 16:23 - After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commande... Click to read the verse Acts 16:23 Click to read the verse Acts 16:23

Acts 12:19 - After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guar... Click to read the verse Acts 12:19 Click to read the verse Acts 12:19

Matthew 24:9 - “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all n... Click to read the verse Matthew 24:9 Click to read the verse Matthew 24:9

Acts 16:23-24 - After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commande... Click to read the verse Acts 16:23-24 Click to read the verse Acts 16:23-24

Esther 3:13 - Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill an... Click to read the verse Esther 3:13 Click to read the verse Esther 3:13

Daniel 2:18 - He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and... Click to read the verse Daniel 2:18 Click to read the verse Daniel 2:18

Daniel 6:17 - A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own s... Click to read the verse Daniel 6:17 Click to read the verse Daniel 6:17

John 19:23 - When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one f... Click to read the verse John 19:23 Click to read the verse John 19:23

Luke 22:33 - But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” Click to read the verse Luke 22:33 Click to read the verse Luke 22:33

Esther 3:6-7 - Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. In... Click to read the verse Esther 3:6-7 Click to read the verse Esther 3:6-7

John 21:18 - I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but... Click to read the verse John 21:18 Click to read the verse John 21:18

Luke 21:12 - “But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to sy... Click to read the verse Luke 21:12 Click to read the verse Luke 21:12

John 13:36-38 - Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you canno... Click to read the verse John 13:36-38 Click to read the verse John 13:36-38

Matthew 26:5 - “But not during the Feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.” Click to read the verse Matthew 26:5 Click to read the verse Matthew 26:5

Matthew 27:64-66 - So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples ... Click to read the verse Matthew 27:64-66 Click to read the verse Matthew 27:64-66

Acts 12:10 - They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opene... Click to read the verse Acts 12:10 Click to read the verse Acts 12:10