Acts Chapter 12

1 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.

2 And it came to pass in those days, that she fell sick, and died: and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper chamber.

3 And as Lydda was nigh unto Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men unto him, entreating him, Delay not to come on unto us.

4 And Peter arose and went with them. And when he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.

5 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning to the body, he said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes; and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

6 And he gave her his hand, and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

7 And it became known throughout all Joppa: and many believed on the Lord.

8 And it came to pass, that he abode many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.

9 Now

10 there was a certain man in Cæsarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of the band called the Italian

11 band,

12 a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always.

13 He saw in a vision openly, as it were about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in unto him, and saying to him, Cornelius.

14 And he, fastening his eyes upon him, and being affrighted, said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are gone up for a memorial before God.

15 And now send men to Joppa, and fetch one Simon, who is surnamed Peter:

16 he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side.

17 And when the angel that spake unto him was departed, he called two of his household-servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;

18 and having rehearsed all things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.

19 Now on the morrow, as they were on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour:

20 and he became hungry, and desired to eat: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance;

21 and he beholdeth the heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth:

22 wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts and creeping things of the earth and birds of the heaven.

23 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill and eat.

24 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common and unclean.

25 And a voice

darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext

1 At that time Herod the king laid his hands on some of those of the assembly to do them hurt,

2 and slew James, the brother of John, with the sword.

3 And seeing that it was pleasing to the Jews, he went on to take Peter also: (and they were the days of unleavened bread:)

4 whom having seized he put in prison, having delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep, purposing after the passover to bring him out to the people.

5 Peter therefore was kept in the prison; but unceasing prayer was made by the assembly toGod concerning him.

6 And when Herod was going to bring him forth, that night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards before the door kept the prison.

7 And lo, an angel of [the] Lord came there, and a light shone in the prison: and having smitten the side of Peter, he roused him up, saying, Rise up quickly. And his chains fell off his hands.

8 And the angel said to him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And he did so. And he says to him, Cast thine upper garment about thee and follow me.

9 And going forth he followed [him] and did not know that what was happening by means of the angel was real, but supposed he saw a vision.

10 And having passed through a first and second guard, they came to the iron gate which leads into the city, which opened to them of itself; and going forth they went down one street, and immediately the angel left him.

11 And Peter, being come to himself, said, Now I know certainly that [the] Lord has sent forth his angel and has taken me out of the hand of Herod and all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

12 And having become clearly conscious [in himself], he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was surnamed Mark, where were many gathered together and praying.

13 And when he had knocked at the door of the entry, a maid came to listen, by name Rhoda;

14 and having recognised the voice of Peter, through joy did not open the entry, but running in, reported that Peter was standing before the entry.

15 And they said to her, Thou art mad. But she maintained that it was so. And they said, It is his angel.

16 But Peter continued knocking: and having opened, they saw him and were astonished.

17 And having made a sign to them with his hand to be silent, he related [to them] how the Lord had brought him out of prison; and he said, Report these things to James and to the brethren. And he went out and went to another place.

18 And when it was day there was no small disturbance among the soldiers, what then was become of Peter.

19 And Herod having sought him and not found him, having examined the guards, commanded [them] to be executed. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea and stayed [there].

20 And he was in bitter hostility with [the] Tyrians and Sidonians; but they came to him with one accord, and, having gained Blastus the king's chamberlain, sought peace, because their country was nourished by the king's.

21 And on a set day, clothed in royal apparel and sitting on the elevated seat [of honour], Herod made a public oration to them.

22 And the people cried out, Agod's voice and not a man's.

23 And immediately an angel of [the] Lord smote him, because he did not give the glory toGod, and he expired, eaten of worms.

24 But the word ofGod grew and spread itself.

25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, having fulfilled the service [entrusted to them], taking also with them John, surnamed Mark.

vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)

1 Eodem autem tempore misit Herodes rex manus, ut affligeret quosdam de Ecclesia.

2 Occidit autem Iacobum fratrem Ioannis gladio.

3 Videns autem quia placeret Iudæis, apposuit ut apprehenderet et Petrum. Erant autem dies Azymorum.

4 Quem cum apprehendisset, misit in carcerem, tradens quattuor quaternionibus militum custodiendum, volens post Pascha producere eum populo.

5 Et Petrus quidem servabatur in carcere. Oratio autem fiebant sine intermissione ab Ecclesia ad Deum pro eo.

6 Cum autem producturus eum esset Herodes, in ipsa nocte erat Petrus dormiens inter duos milites, vinctus catenis duabus: et custodes ante ostium custodiebant carcerem.

7 Et ecce Angelus Domini astitit: et lumen refulsit in habitaculo: percussoque latere Petri, excitavit eum, dicens: Surge velociter. Et ceciderunt catenæ de manibus eius.

8 Dixit autem Angelus ad eum: Præcingere, et calcea te caligas tuas. Et fecit sic. Et dixit illi: Circumda tibi vestimentum tuum, et sequere me.

9 Et exiens sequebatur eum, et nesciebat quia verum est, quod fiebat per angelum: existimabat autem se visum videre.

10 Transeuntes autem primam et secundam custodiam, venerunt ad portam ferream, quæ ducit ad civitatem: quæ ultro aperta est eis. Et exeuntes processerunt vicum unum: et continuo discessit Angelus ab eo.

11 Et Petrus ad se reversus, dixit: Nunc scio vere quia misit Dominus Angelum suum, et eripuit me de manu Herodis, et de omni expectatione plebis Iudæorum.

12 Consideransque venit ad domum Mariæ matris Ioannis, qui cognominatus est Marcus, ubi erant multi congregati, et orantes.

13 Pulsante autem eo ostium ianuæ, processit puella ad audiendum, nomine Rhode.

14 Et ut cognovit vocem Petri, præ gaudio non aperuit ianuam, sed intro currens nunciavit stare Petrum ante ianuam.

15 At illi dixerunt ad eam: Insanis. Illa autem affirmabat sic se habere. Illi autem dicebant: Angelus eius est.

16 Petrus autem perseverabat pulsans. Cum autem aperuissent, viderunt eum, et obstupuerunt.

17 Annuens autem eis manu ut tacerent, narravit quomodo Dominus eduxisset eum de carcere, dixitque: Nunciate Iacobo, et fratribus hæc. Et egressus abiit in alium locum.

18 Facta autem die, erat non parva turbatio inter milites, quidnam factum esset de Petro.

19 Herodes autem cum requisisset eum, et non invenisset, inquisitione facta de custodibus, iussit eos duci: descendensque a Iudæa in Cæsaream, ibi commoratus est.

20 Erat autem iratus Tyriis, et Sidonis. At illi unanimes venerunt ad eum, et persuaso Blasto, qui erat super cubiculum regis, postulabant pacem, eo quod alerentur regiones eorum ab illo.

21 Statuto autem die Herodes vestitus veste regia, sedit pro tribunali, et concionabatur ad eos.

22 Populus autem acclamabat: Dei voces, et non hominis.

23 Confestim autem percussit eum Angelus Domini, eo quod non dedisset honorem Deo: et consumptus a vermibus, expiravit.

24 Verbum autem Domini crescebat, et multiplicabatur.

25 Barnabas autem et Saulus reversi sunt ab Ierosolymis expleto ministerio, assumpto Ioanne, qui cognominatus est Marcus.

web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV

1 Now about that time, King Herod stretched out his hands to oppress some of the assembly.

2 He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword.

3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This was during the days of unleavened bread.

4 When he had arrested him, he put him in prison and delivered him to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.

5 Peter therefore was kept in the prison, but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God for him.

6 The same night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains. Guards in front of the door kept the prison.

7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Stand up quickly!” His chains fell off his hands.

8 The angel said to him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” He did so. He said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.”

9 And he went out and followed him. He didn’t know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he saw a vision.

10 When they were past the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

11 When Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I truly know that the Lord has sent out his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from everything the Jewish people were expecting.”

12 Thinking about that, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.

13 When Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer.

14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she didn’t open the gate for joy, but ran in and reported that Peter was standing in front of the gate.

15 They said to her, “You are crazy!” But she insisted that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.”

16 But Peter continued knocking. When they had opened, they saw him and were amazed.

17 But he, beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.

18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter.

19 When Herod had sought for him and didn’t find him, he examined the guards, then commanded that they should be put to death. He went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.

20 Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They came with one accord to him and, having made Blastus, the king’s personal aide, their friend, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food.

21 On an appointed day, Herod dressed himself in royal clothing, sat on the throne, and gave a speech to them.

22 The people shouted, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!”

23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he didn’t give God the glory. Then he was eaten by worms and died.

24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.

25 Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their service, also taking with them John who was called Mark.

wh1881 (wh1881) - Westcott-Hort Greek NT 1881 eBible USFM

1 κατ εκεινον δε τον καιρον επεβαλεν ηρωδης ο βασιλευς τας χειρας κακωσαι τινας των απο της εκκλησιας

2 ανειλεν δε ιακωβον τον αδελφον ιωαννου μαχαιρη

3 ιδων δε οτι αρεστον εστιν τοις ιουδαιοις προσεθετο συλλαβειν και πετρον ησαν δε ημεραι των αζυμων

4 ον και πιασας εθετο εις φυλακην παραδους τεσσαρσιν τετραδιοις στρατιωτων φυλασσειν αυτον βουλομενος μετα το πασχα αναγαγειν αυτον τω λαω

5 ο μεν ουν πετρος ετηρειτο εν τη φυλακη προσευχη δε ην εκτενως γινομενη υπο της εκκλησιας προς τον θεον περι αυτου

6 οτε δε ημελλεν προσαγαγειν αυτον ο ηρωδης τη νυκτι εκεινη ην ο πετρος κοιμωμενος μεταξυ δυο στρατιωτων δεδεμενος αλυσεσιν δυσιν φυλακες τε προ της θυρας ετηρουν την φυλακην

7 και ιδου αγγελος κυριου επεστη και φως ελαμψεν εν τω οικηματι παταξας δε την πλευραν του πετρου ηγειρεν αυτον λεγων αναστα εν ταχει και εξεπεσαν αυτου αι αλυσεις εκ των χειρων

8 ειπεν δε ο αγγελος προς αυτον ζωσαι και υποδησαι τα σανδαλια σου εποιησεν δε ουτως και λεγει αυτω περιβαλου το ιματιον σου και ακολουθει μοι

9 και εξελθων ηκολουθει και ουκ ηδει οτι αληθες εστιν το γινομενον δια του αγγελου εδοκει δε οραμα βλεπειν

10 διελθοντες δε πρωτην φυλακην και δευτεραν ηλθαν επι την πυλην την σιδηραν την φερουσαν εις την πολιν ητις αυτοματη ηνοιγη αυτοις και εξελθοντες προηλθον ρυμην μιαν και ευθεως απεστη ο αγγελος απ αυτου

11 και ο πετρος εν εαυτω γενομενος ειπεν νυν οιδα αληθως οτι εξαπεστειλεν ο κυριος τον αγγελον αυτου και εξειλατο με εκ χειρος ηρωδου και πασης της προσδοκιας του λαου των ιουδαιων

12 συνιδων τε ηλθεν επι την οικιαν της μαριας της μητρος ιωαννου του επικαλουμενου μαρκου ου ησαν ικανοι συνηθροισμενοι και προσευχομενοι

13 κρουσαντος δε αυτου την θυραν του πυλωνος προσηλθεν παιδισκη υπακουσαι ονοματι ροδη

14 και επιγνουσα την φωνην του πετρου απο της χαρας ουκ ηνοιξεν τον πυλωνα εισδραμουσα δε απηγγειλεν εσταναι τον πετρον προ του πυλωνος

15 οι δε προς αυτην ειπαν μαινη η δε διισχυριζετο ουτως εχειν οι δε ελεγον ο αγγελος εστιν αυτου

16 ο δε πετρος επεμενεν κρουων ανοιξαντες δε ειδαν αυτον και εξεστησαν

17 κατασεισας δε αυτοις τη χειρι σιγαν διηγησατο αυτοις πως ο κυριος αυτον εξηγαγεν εκ της φυλακης ειπεν τε απαγγειλατε ιακωβω και τοις αδελφοις ταυτα και εξελθων επορευθη εις ετερον τοπον

18 γενομενης δε ημερας ην ταραχος ουκ ολιγος εν τοις στρατιωταις τι αρα ο πετρος εγενετο

19 ηρωδης δε επιζητησας αυτον και μη ευρων ανακρινας τους φυλακας εκελευσεν απαχθηναι και κατελθων απο της ιουδαιας εις καισαριαν διετριβεν

20 ην δε θυμομαχων τυριοις και σιδωνιοις ομοθυμαδον δε παρησαν προς αυτον και πεισαντες βλαστον τον επι του κοιτωνος του βασιλεως ητουντο ειρηνην δια το τρεφεσθαι αυτων την χωραν απο της βασιλικης

21 τακτη δε ημερα [ο] ηρωδης ενδυσαμενος εσθητα βασιλικην καθισας επι του βηματος εδημηγορει προς αυτους

22 ο δε δημος επεφωνει θεου φωνη και ουκ ανθρωπου

23 παραχρημα δε επαταξεν αυτον αγγελος κυριου ανθ ων ουκ εδωκεν την δοξαν τω θεω και γενομενος σκωληκοβρωτος εξεψυξεν

24 ο δε λογος του κυριου ηυξανεν και επληθυνετο

25 βαρναβας δε και σαυλος υπεστρεψαν εις ιερουσαλημ πληρωσαντες την διακονιαν συμπαραλαβοντες ιωαννην τον επικληθεντα μαρκον

ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8

1 And about that time, Herod the king put forth his hands, to do evil to certain of those of the assembly,

2 and he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword,

3 and having seen that it is pleasing to the Jews, he added to lay hold of Peter also--and they were the days of the unleavened food--

4 whom also having seized, he did put in prison, having delivered <FI>him<Fi> to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him, intending after the passover to bring him forth to the people.

5 Peter, therefore, indeed, was kept in the prison, and fervent prayer was being made by the assembly unto God for him,

6 and when Herod was about to bring him forth, the same night was Peter sleeping between two soldiers, having been bound with two chains, guards also before the door were keeping the prison,

7 and lo, a messenger of the Lord stood by, and a light shone in the buildings, and having smitten Peter on the side, he raised him up, saying, `Rise in haste,' and his chains fell from off <FI>his<Fi> hands.

8 The messenger also said to him, `Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals;' and he did so; and he saith to him, `Put thy garment round and be following me;'

9 and having gone forth, he was following him, and he knew not that it is true that which is done through the messenger, and was thinking he saw a vision,

10 and having passed through a first ward, and a second, they came unto the iron gate that is leading to the city, which of its own accord did open to them, and having gone forth, they went on through one street, and immediately the messenger departed from him.

11 And Peter having come to himself, said, `Now I have known of a truth that the Lord did sent forth His messenger, and did deliver me out of the hand of Herod, and all the expectation of the people of the Jews;'

12 also, having considered, he came unto the house of Mary, the mother of John, who is surnamed Mark, where there were many thronged together and praying.

13 And Peter having knocked at the door of the porch, there came a damsel to hearken, by name Rhoda,

14 and having known the voice of Peter, from the joy she did not open the porch, but having run in, told of the standing of Peter before the porch,

15 and they said unto her, `Thou art mad;' and she was confidently affirming <FI>it<Fi> to be so, and they said, `It is his messenger;'

16 and Peter was continuing knocking, and having opened, they saw him, and were astonished,

17 and having beckoned to them with the hand to be silent, he declared to them how the Lord brought him out of the prison, and he said, `Declare to James and to the brethren these things;' and having gone forth, he went on to another place.

18 And day having come, there was not a little stir among the soldiers what then was become of Peter,

19 and Herod having sought for him, and not having found, having examined the guards, did command <FI>them<Fi> to be led away to punishment, and having gone down from Judea to Caesarea, he was abiding <FI>there<Fi> .

20 And Herod was highly displeased with the Tyrians and Sidonians, and with one accord they came unto him, and having made a friend of Blastus, who <FI>is<Fi> over the bed-chambers of the king, they were asking peace, because of their country being nourished from the king's;

21 and on a set day, Herod having arrayed himself in kingly apparel, and having sat down upon the tribunal, was making an oration unto them,

22 and the populace were shouting, `The voice of a god, and not of a man;'

23 and presently there smote him a messenger of the Lord, because he did not give the glory to God, and having been eaten of worms, he expired.

24 And the word of God did grow and did multiply,

25 and Barnabas and Saul did turn back out of Jerusalem, having fulfilled the ministration, having taken also with <FI>them<Fi> John, who was surnamed Mark.

Explanations by Age Level

Explain Like I'm 5

A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!

Explain Like I'm 10

Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.

Explain Like I'm 15

Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).