Modern Literal Version
[Acts 12]
{March 44 AD. Jerusalem.}
12:1 Now throughout that time, Herod the king put his hands upon some from the congregation*to mistreat them. 12:2 Now he assassinated James the brother of John with a sword. {April 44 AD.}12:3 And having seen that it is pleasing to the Jews, he also added Peter to take. (And these were the days of unleavened bread {i.e. Passover}.) 12:4 He also arrested him, and placed him in prison and gave him up to four Quarternions of soldiers {i.e. sixteen soldiers} to guard him; planning to lead him out to the people after the Passover. 12:5 Therefore indeed, Peter was being kept in the prison, but intense prayer was happening by the congregation* to God on his behalf. 12:6 But when Herod was about to lead him out, in that same night Peter, fallen-asleep between two soldiers, had been bound with two chains, and guards before the door were guarding the prison. 12:7 And behold, a messenger of the Lord stood by him and a light shined in the cell and having struck Peter on the rib-cage, he lifted him up, saying, Stand up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. 12:8 And the messenger said to him, Gird yourself and tie on your sandals. Now he did* so. And he says to him, Put your garment around you and follow me. 12:9 And having gone out, he was following him, and he did not know if true what is happening through the messenger, but he was thinking to be seeing a vision. 12:10 Now having gone through the first and second prison, they came upon the iron gate that brings them into the city; which was opened by itself for them, and they went out and went forward one lane, and immediately the messenger withdrew from him.
12:11 And Peter, became awake in himself, and said, Now I truly know, that the Lord sent forth his messenger and liberated me out of the hand of Herod and all the expectation of the people of the Jews. 12:12 And after he was conscious of it, he came upon the house of Mary the mother of John who is surnamed Mark, where a considerable number were accumulating together and were praying. 12:13Now after Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a maidservant, Rhoda by name, came near to listento who was there. 12:14 And having recognized the voice of Peter, full from the joy, she did not open the gate. But having ran in, she reported Peter to be standing before the gate.
12:15 But they said to her, You are insane.
But she was stoutly affirming to have this so.
And they were saying, It is his messenger.
12:16 But Peter was remaining and kept knocking. Now having opened the door, they saw him and were astonished. 12:17 But he, having beckoned to them with the hand to be silent, described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. Now he said, Report* these things to James and to the brethren. And having gone out, he traveled to a different place. 12:18 Now when it became day, there was not just a small disturbance among the soldiers, as to what then had become of Peter. 12:19 Now Herod sought him and did not find him, having examined the guards, he commanded them to be led away for execution. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea and was staying there.
{Around May 44 AD. Caesarea. Herod Agrippa dies. Palestine reunited to Rome.}
12:20 Now Herod was quarreling furiously with those from Tyre and Sidon. But they were united here with him, and having persuaded Blastus, the one over the king's bedroom, they were asking for peace, because the nourishing of their region is from the king's region. 12:21 Now on an appointed day, Herod clothed himself in royal apparel, and having sat upon the judicial-seat, he was publiclyaddressing toward them. 12:22 Now the public was shouting out, saying, This is a voice of a god and not of a man! 12:23 But instantly a messenger of the Lord struck him, because he did not give God theglory and he expired, and became maggot-eaten.
12:24 But the word of God was growing and being multiplied.
{Spring 44 AD. Antioch to Jerusalem back to Antioch (Acts 11:30), sending relief.}
12:25 Now Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem, having fulfilled the service and having taken together with them also John, who was surnamed Mark.
Modern Literal Version Preface & Appendix , copyright 1987, 1999, 2013 by G. Allen Walker for the MLV New Testament Committee.
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