1 About that time, king Herod
Agrippa began to persecute
some of the church.
2 he
caus'd James the brother of
John to be beheaded.
3 and
perceiving that the Jews were
pleas'd with this, he proceeded
to secure Peter during
the feast of unleavened
bread:
4 having apprehended
Peter, he put him into prison,
appointing a detachment
of sixteen soldiers to guard him,
intending to have him brought
to publick execution, after
Easter.
5 thus Peter was kept
in prison, but the Church
prayed to God, without ceasing,
-- --
for him,
6 now the very
night preceding the day
which Herod design'd for his
execution, Peter bound with
two chains, was sleeping between
two soldiers, while the
other guards secured the prison
door; when an angel of
7 the Lord suddenly appear'd
and fill'd the room with light,
and touching Peter on the
side, awak'd him, saying, rise,
be quick. and immediately his
chains fell from his hands.
8 put on your girdle, continu'd
the angel, and bind on your
sandals: which he did. throw
your cloak over you, said the
angel, and follow me.
9 so he
went out after the angel without
knowing that what the
angel had done, was real;
but thinking it was all a vision.
10 when they had pass'd
the first and second guard,
they came to the iron-gate that
leads to the city, which open'd
to them of itself: so they went
out and pass'd together thro'
one street: when all of a sudden
the angel quitted Peter.
Then coming to himself;
now,
11 said he, I know for certain,
that the Lord has sent
his angel, and has deliver'd
me from the hands of Herod,
and from what the Jews
were in expectation of.
12 then
recollecting where he was, he
went to the house of Mary the
-- --
mother of John, surnam'd
Mark, where many were assembled
at prayers.
13 when he
had knock'd at the door of the
gate, a servant named Rhoda
came to ask who was
there.
14 upon hearing Peter
tell his name, instead of opening
the gate, she ran, out of
joy, to tell them, that Peter
was there.
15 are you mad?
said they. but she persisting
that it was even so, they reply'd,
it is then his angel.
16 as
Peter still continued knocking,
they let him in, and seeing it
was he, they were extremely
surpriz'd:
17 but he made a
sign to them with his hand,
to be silent: and related to
them, how the Lord had
brought him out of the prison.
go, said he, and acquaint James
and the other brethren with
this affair. after which he
departed and went to another
place.
18 As soon as it was day, the
soldiers were in a world of
confusion to know what was
become of Peter.
19 Herod having
caus'd diligent search to
be made, without being able
to find him, after examining
the guards, he order'd them
to execution. after which he
departed from Judea, and
went to Cesarea, where he
resided.
-- --
20 Herod was then making
warlike preparations against
the Tyrians, and Sidonians:
but they unanimously sent a
deputation to court: where
having gain'd Blastus the
king's chamberlain, they
brought matters to an accommodation:
for their country
was subsisted by the king's
territorys.
21 one court-day, Herod
array'd in his robes of
state, and seated upon the
throne, made a publick oration:
22 at which the people
gave a shout, saying, it is
the voice of a God, and not
of a man.
23 but at the instant
an angel of the Lord smote
him, because he did not glorify
God: so that he became
a prey to worms and died.
In the mean time, the
24 word of God made continual
progress. and after Barnabas
25 and Saul had executed their
commission, they return'd to
Jerusalem, and took with
them John who was surnam'd
Mark.
Mace [1729], THE NEW TESTAMENT IN Greek and English. Containing the ORIGINAL TEXT Corrected from the Authority of the most Authentic Manuscripts: AND A NEW VERSION Form'd agreeably to the Illustrations of the most Learned Commentators and Critics: WITH NOTES and VARIOUS READINGS, AND A Copious Alphabetical Index (Printed for J. ROBERTS [etc.], LONDON) [word count] [B11200].