Herod Agrippa

1Around that time, King Herod began to hurt some people in the church. The church was the group of people who followed Jesus.

Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

NoteHerod was a king in that land. He ruled because the Romans, who were in charge, let him. The word "church" means the people who follow Jesus. It does not mean a building.

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

And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

NoteThis James was one of Jesus' twelve closest friends. Killing someone "with the sword" meant soldiers put him to death.

3Herod saw that this made the Jewish people glad. So he arrested Peter too. It was the week called the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when people ate flat bread made without yeast.

And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)

NoteThe Feast of Unleavened Bread was a special week each year. Yeast is what makes bread puff up and get soft. During that week people ate flat bread with no yeast in it. It helped them remember a time long ago when they left Egypt in a hurry.

4Herod took Peter and put him in prison. He gave him to four groups of four soldiers to guard. Herod planned to bring Peter out to the people after Passover.

And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

NotePassover was the holiday at the start of that same week. Herod did not want to hurt Peter during the holy days. Four groups of soldiers meant they took turns watching, so someone guarded Peter all night.

5So Peter stayed in prison. But the church kept praying to God for him, again and again.

Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

NotePraying means talking to God. The church did it over and over, day after day, without stopping.

6The night before Herod planned to bring him out, Peter was asleep. He lay between two soldiers, tied with two chains. More guards stood watch at the door.

And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

NotePeter was chained to a soldier on each side. That was how soldiers kept a prisoner from slipping away at night.

7Then an angel of the Lord came, and a light shone in the room. The angel tapped Peter's side and woke him. He said, "Get up, quickly!" The chains fell off Peter's hands.

And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

NoteAn angel is a messenger God sends. "The angel of the Lord" means an angel God sent himself. The old words say the angel "smote" Peter, but that just means he gave him a tap to wake him.

8The angel said, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." Peter did it. Then the angel said, "Put your coat on and follow me."

And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.

NoteThe King James says "Gird thyself." People then wore long robes. To get ready to walk fast, you pulled the robe up and tied a belt around it.

9Peter went out and followed him. He did not know that this was really happening. He thought he was seeing a picture in his mind.

And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

NoteA vision is a picture God puts in someone's mind, like a dream while you are awake. Peter thought he was seeing one. He did not think he was really walking out.

10They walked past the first guard post, and then the second one. They came to the iron gate that led into the city. The gate opened all by itself. They went out and walked down one street. Then the angel suddenly left him.

When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.

NoteA guard post was a spot where soldiers stood and watched. Peter and the angel walked past two of them. Nobody stopped them.

11Then Peter understood what had happened. He said, "Now I know for sure. The Lord sent his angel and saved me from Herod. The Jewish people were waiting to see me hurt, and I am safe from all of it."

And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the LORD hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

NotePeter had been half asleep and confused. Now his head cleared and he knew this was real.

18When morning came, the soldiers were very upset. They did not know what had happened to Peter.

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

19Herod looked for Peter but could not find him. He questioned the guards and ordered that they be put to death. Then he went from Judaea down to Caesarea and stayed there.

And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.

NoteA guard who let a prisoner escape was punished very hard. Judaea was the part of the country where Jerusalem was. Caesarea was a city by the sea where Herod had a palace.

20Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they all came to him together. They first made a friend of Blastus, the helper who looked after the king's house. Then they asked Herod for peace. They did this because their food came from his land.

And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country.

NoteTyre and Sidon were two cities by the sea. They did not grow enough food, so they bought it from Herod's land. If he stayed angry, they would go hungry. A chamberlain was the servant who took care of the king's house and stood close to the king.

21On the day that was chosen, Herod put on his royal robes. He sat on the high seat, a raised place where a ruler sat. Then he gave a speech to the people.

And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.

NoteRoyal robes were fancy clothes only a king wore. A throne is the special chair a king sits on when people come to him. The high seat was a raised platform where a ruler sat to judge people or to speak to them.

22The people shouted, "This is the voice of a god, not of a man!"

And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.

NoteThe crowd said Herod sounded like a god, not a regular person. They were saying it to please him, so he would be kind to their cities.

23Right away an angel of the Lord struck Herod down. This was because Herod did not give the honor to God. Worms ate him, and he died.

And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

NoteHerod let the people call him a god. He did not tell them that God is the one to honor. The old words say Herod "gave up the ghost," which simply means he died.