ACTSACTSDig Site 9Dig Site 9Acts 12:1-19, 13:1-12Acts 12:1-19, 13:1-12

It was about this time It was about this time that King Herod arrested that King Herod arrested some who belonged to some who belonged to the church, intending to the church, intending to persecute them.persecute them.

He had James, the He had James, the brother of John, brother of John, put to death with put to death with the sword.* When the sword.* When he saw that this he saw that this pleased the Jews, pleased the Jews, he proceeded to he proceeded to seize Peter also.* seize Peter also.* This happened This happened during the Feast during the Feast of Unleavened of Unleavened Bread.*Bread.*

The Feast of Unleavened Bread reminds us of the unleavened bread the Israelites ate when they left Egypt. Jews get rid of "chametz“--any food or drink that contains even a trace of wheat, barley, rye, or oats and wasn't guarded from leavening or fermentation. This includes bread, cake, cookies, cereal, pasta, and most alcoholic beverages.

After arresting him, he put him in prison, After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each.* Herod intended to bring of four soldiers each.* Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.him out for public trial after the Passover.

So Peter was kept So Peter was kept in prison, but the in prison, but the church was church was earnestly praying earnestly praying to God for him. to God for him.

The night before Herod was to bring The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two between two soldiers, bound with two chains,* and sentries stood guard at chains,* and sentries stood guard at the entrance.*the entrance.*

Suddenly an angel of the Lord Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. Then he said,* and the woke him up. Then he said,* and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.*chains fell off Peter’s wrists.*

Quick, Quick, get up!get up!

Then the angel Then the angel said to him,*said to him,*

Put on Put on your your

clothes clothes and and

sandals.*sandals.*

Wrap your Wrap your cloak cloak

around you around you and follow and follow

me.*me.*

And Peter And Peter did so.did so.

Peter followed Peter followed him out of the him out of the prison, but he prison, but he had no idea had no idea that what the that what the angel was angel was doing was doing was really really happening; he happening; he thought he thought he was seeing a was seeing a vision.vision.

They passed the They passed the first and second first and second guards and came to guards and came to the iron gate* the iron gate* leading to the city. leading to the city. It opened for them It opened for them by itself, and they by itself, and they went through it. went through it. When they had When they had walked the length walked the length of one street, of one street, suddenly the angel suddenly the angel left him.*left him.*

Then Peter came Then Peter came to himself and to himself and said,*said,*Now I know Now I know

without a doubt without a doubt that the Lord that the Lord sent his angel sent his angel and rescued me and rescued me from Herod’s from Herod’s clutches and clutches and from everything from everything the Jewish the Jewish people were people were anticipating.anticipating.

When this had dawned on him, he When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were people had gathered and were praying.praying.

Peter knocked at the outer Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer named Rhoda came to answer the door. When she recognized the door. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed*opening it and exclaimed*

Peter is Peter is at the at the door!door!

When she kept insisting that it was When she kept insisting that it was so, they said,*so, they said,*

You’re You’re out of out of your your mind.*mind.*It must It must

be his be his angel.angel.

But Peter kept on knocking, and when But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.*they were astonished.*

Hey! Let me in!

Peter motioned with his hand for them Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet* and described how the to be quiet* and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. Lord had brought him out of prison. He said,* and then he left for another He said,* and then he left for another place.*place.*

Tell James Tell James and the and the brothers brothers

about this.about this.

In the morning, there was no In the morning, there was no small commotion* among the small commotion* among the soldiers as to what had become of soldiers as to what had become of Peter.*Peter.*

After Herod had a thorough search After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed.*ordered that they be executed.*

Then Then Herod Herod went from went from Judea* to Judea* to Caesarea* Caesarea* and and stayed stayed there a there a while.while.

In the church at Antioch* there were In the church at Antioch* there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.tetrarch) and Saul.

While they While they were were worshipinworshiping the Lord g the Lord and and fasting, fasting, the Holy the Holy Spirit Spirit said*said*

Set apart for me Set apart for me Barnabas and Barnabas and Saul for the Saul for the

work to which I work to which I have called have called

them.them.

So after So after they had they had fasted fasted and and prayed, prayed, they they placed placed their their hands on hands on them them and sent and sent them off.them off.

The two of them, sent on their way by the The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia* and Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia* and sailed from there to Cyprus.* When they sailed from there to Cyprus.* When they arrived at Salamis,* they proclaimed the arrived at Salamis,* they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John* word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John* was with them as their helper.was with them as their helper.

They traveled through the whole island until They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos.* There they met a Jewish they came to Paphos.* There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus,* sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus,* who was an attendant of the proconsul, who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus.Sergius Paulus.

The proconsul, an intelligent man, The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God.he wanted to hear the word of God.

But Elymas But Elymas the sorcerer the sorcerer (for that is (for that is what his what his name means) name means) opposed opposed them and them and tried to turn tried to turn the the proconsul proconsul from the from the faith.faith.

You are a child You are a child of the devil and of the devil and an enemy of an enemy of everything that everything that is right! You is right! You are full of all are full of all kinds of deceit kinds of deceit and trickery. and trickery. Will you never Will you never stop perverting stop perverting the right ways the right ways of the of the Lord? Now the Lord? Now the hand of the hand of the Lord is against Lord is against you. You are you. You are going to be going to be blind, and for a blind, and for a time you will be time you will be unable to see unable to see the light of the the light of the sun.sun.

Then Saul, who was also Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and straight at Elymas and said*said*

Immediately mist and darkness came Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.someone to lead him by the hand.

When the proconsul saw what had When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the amazed at the teaching about the Lord.*Lord.*

I believ

e!