Bullet Point Bible

Herod Persecutes the Church: James Killed, Peter Imprisoned

¹ About that time King Herod laid hands on some from the church to harm them.² He had James, the brother of John, executed with a sword.³ When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too. (This took place during the feast of Unleavened Bread.)⁴ When he had seized him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him. Herod planned to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.⁵ So Peter was kept in prison, but those in the church were earnestly praying to God for him.

The "King Herod" mentioned is Herod Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the Great, who ruled Judea from A.D. 41-44.
Herod's persecution was politically motivated, seeking favor with Jewish leaders hostile to the growing Christian movement (Acts 12:3).
James, the brother of John and son of Zebedee, becomes the first of the twelve apostles to be martyred, fulfilling Jesus' prediction (Mark 10:39).
Execution "with a sword" likely refers to beheading, a Roman method of execution for non-Roman citizens of some standing, or possibly indicating a swift, decisive action.
The arrest occurred during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is closely associated with Passover week, a time of high religious significance and large crowds in Jerusalem.
Peter was heavily guarded by "four squads of soldiers" (sixteen soldiers total), working in shifts, indicating Herod's determination to prevent any escape like the previous one (Acts 5:19).
The church responded to this crisis not with political action or violence, but with fervent, persistent prayer ("praying earnestly") for Peter's deliverance. This highlights the early church's reliance on God's intervention.
Herod's plan to bring Peter out "after the Passover" suggests he wanted to avoid major disturbances during the festival week but intended a public spectacle afterward.

An Angel Frees Peter from Prison

⁶ On that very night before Herod was going to bring him out for trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison.⁷ Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, "Get up quickly!" And the chains fell off Peter's wrists.⁸ The angel said to him, "Fasten your belt and put on your sandals." Peter did so. Then the angel said to him, "Put on your cloak and follow me."⁹ Peter went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening through the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.¹⁰ After they had passed the first and second guards, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went outside and walked down one narrow street, when at once the angel left him.¹¹ When Peter came to himself, he said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from everything the Jewish people were expecting to happen."

Peter's miraculous release occurred on the very night before his intended public trial, showcasing God's precise timing and power over human plans.
Peter sleeping soundly despite imminent execution demonstrates remarkable peace and trust in God, possibly recalling Jesus sleeping during the storm (Mark 4:38).
The details of the escape – sleeping between soldiers, bound with two chains, multiple guard posts, an iron gate – emphasize the human impossibility of escape and the supernatural nature of the deliverance.
The angel's actions are direct and physical: striking Peter, giving commands, leading him out. This contrasts with Peter's initial perception that it was merely a vision.
The chains falling off and the gate opening "by itself" are clear indicators of divine intervention, similar to the prison doors opening in Acts 5:19.
The angel departed only after Peter was safely outside the prison and in the city streets, ensuring the completion of the rescue mission.
Peter's realization ("Now I know for certain...") marks his transition from disbelief or confusion to understanding the reality of God's intervention.
This event serves as a powerful demonstration of God's sovereignty over earthly rulers like Herod and His ability to protect His servants according to His will.
The rescue directly answers the church's earnest prayers (Acts 12:5), reinforcing the theme of God's responsiveness to the prayers of His people.

Peter's Arrival and the Believers' Astonishment

¹² When Peter realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many people had gathered together and were praying.¹³ When he knocked at the door of the outer gate, a slave girl named Rhoda answered.¹⁴ When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she did not open the gate, but ran back in and told them that Peter was standing at the gate.¹⁵ But they said to her, "You've lost your mind!" But she kept insisting that it was Peter, and they kept saying, "It is his angel!"¹⁶ Now Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were greatly astonished.¹⁷ He motioned to them with his hand to be quiet and then related how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, "Tell James and the brothers these things," and then he left and went to another place.

Peter instinctively went to a known gathering place for believers: the house of Mary, mother of John Mark (author of Mark's Gospel and later companion of Paul and Barnabas). This house may have been a central meeting point for the Jerusalem church.
The believers were actively praying for Peter even as he arrived, demonstrating their persistence but also setting up the irony of their disbelief.
Rhoda, the servant girl, recognized Peter's voice immediately, highlighting her familiarity with him. Her overwhelming joy caused her to forget the practical step of opening the door.
The praying believers' initial reaction was disbelief ("You're out of your mind!"), ironically doubting the very answer to their prayers standing at the door.
Their suggestion "It is his angel!" might reflect a belief that it was Peter's guardian angel or perhaps his spirit, assuming he had already been executed. This shows the depth of their fear regarding Herod's intentions.
The contrast between Rhoda's simple faith and immediate recognition and the group's skepticism is notable.
Peter had to quiet the astonished group, likely to avoid attracting unwanted attention, before recounting his miraculous escape.
Peter specifically instructed them to inform "James and the brothers." This James is likely Jesus' brother, who had become a prominent leader in the Jerusalem church by this time (cf. Acts 15:13, Galatians 1:19).
Peter's departure "to another place" was a necessary precaution for his safety, as Herod would undoubtedly search for him.

Herod Executes the Guards

¹⁸ At daybreak there was great consternation among the soldiers over what had become of Peter.¹⁹ When Herod had searched for him and did not find him, he questioned the guards and commanded that they be led away to execution. Then Herod went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.

The "great consternation" among the soldiers highlights the seriousness of losing such a high-profile prisoner; they knew their lives were forfeit.
Roman military law held guards responsible for their prisoners; escape often meant the guards faced the same penalty the prisoner would have received.
Herod's interrogation confirms he believed Peter had escaped through human means or negligence, not divine intervention.
The execution of the guards demonstrates Herod's ruthlessness and fury at being thwarted. It stands in stark contrast to God's deliverance of Peter.
Herod's move from Jerusalem (Judea) down to Caesarea Maritima, the Roman administrative capital of the province, shifts the scene for the final events of the chapter. Caesarea was a predominantly Gentile city and Herod's preferred residence.

Herod's Pride and Sudden Death

²⁰ Now Herod was having an angry quarrel with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they joined together and presented themselves before him. And after convincing Blastus, the king's personal assistant, to help them, they asked for peace, because their country's food supply was provided by the king's country.²¹ On a day determined in advance, Herod put on his royal robes, sat down on the judgment seat, and made a speech to them.²² But the crowd began to shout, "The voice of a god, and not of a man!"²³ Immediately an angel of the Lord struck Herod down because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died.

Tyre and Sidon were Phoenician coastal cities, historically reliant on Galilee (part of Herod's territory) for food supplies. Herod's anger posed a significant economic threat to them.
The delegation sought peace through Blastus, Herod's chamberlain or trusted official, indicating the use of courtly diplomacy and likely bribery to gain access and favor.
Herod staged a grand public event, wearing royal robes and sitting on his judgment seat (bema), likely to display his power and magnanimity before granting the request from Tyre and Sidon.
The crowd's acclamation, "The voice of a god, and not of a man!", was blasphemous flattery, which Herod accepted instead of redirecting the praise to God. This echoes the prideful downfall of other rulers (e.g., Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4).
Divine judgment was immediate ("Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down"). This contrasts sharply with the angel delivering Peter; here, an angel executes judgment.
The specific cause of death – "eaten by worms" (Greek: skōlēkobrōtos) – describes a gruesome internal affliction. Josephus provides a similar account of Agrippa I's death involving sudden, severe abdominal pains after being hailed as a god.
Herod's sin was accepting worship due only to God ("because he did not give glory to God"), demonstrating the severe consequences of arrogant pride, especially for those in positions of power.

The Church Continues to Grow

²⁴ But the word of God kept on increasing and multiplying.²⁵ So Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem when they had completed their mission, bringing along with them John Mark.

Verse 24 provides a powerful contrast: despite persecution, the death of an apostle (James), the imprisonment of another (Peter), and the actions of a hostile king, the Gospel ("the word of God") flourished.
The verbs "spread" (grew) and "multiply" emphasize the unstoppable momentum of the church's growth, a key theme throughout Acts (cf. Acts 6:7, 9:31, 19:20). God's power ultimately overrides human opposition.
The return of Barnabas and Saul (Paul) to Antioch marks the completion of their famine relief mission to Judea (mentioned in Acts 11:27-30).
Their return sets the stage for the next major section of Acts: the beginning of the first missionary journey, commissioned by the church in Antioch (Acts 13:1-3).
Bringing John Mark (Mary's son, from v. 12) with them connects the Jerusalem events to the expanding Gentile mission and introduces a figure who will play a role in the journeys ahead.
The chapter concludes by showing the ultimate triumph of God's purpose through His church, even amidst severe trials and the judgment of its persecutors.

The Bullet Point Bible

Acts 12