How does Peter leave prison, and what ends Herod’s address?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

James is killed and Peter imprisoned; prayer accompanies an angelic release, while Herod later dies after withholding God’s honor.

Chapter breakdown

King Herod afflicts some of the church and kills James, John’s brother, with the sword. Seeing the Jews pleased, he takes Peter during the days of Azymes. The annotation identifies these as unleavened bread or pasch, answering to Easter. Peter is imprisoned under four files of soldiers, to be brought before the people after pasch. The church prays without ceasing. On the night before Herod would bring him out, Peter sleeps between two soldiers, bound with two chains, with keepers at the door. An angel stands by and light fills the room. Striking his side, the angel raises him; the chains fall from his hands. Peter girds himself, puts on sandals, wraps his garment and follows, thinking he sees a vision. They pass the first and second ward to the iron gate, which opens of itself. After one street the angel leaves. Peter comes to himself and knows the Lord’s angel delivered him from Herod and the Jewish people’s expectation.

He goes to Mary’s house, the mother of John surnamed Mark, where many pray. At his knock Rhode comes to hear. Recognizing his voice, she joyfully reports him outside without opening. Others call her mad; she insists, and they say it is his angel. Peter keeps knocking. They open, see him and are astonished. Signalling silence, he reports the Lord’s deliverance and asks them to tell James and the brethren. He leaves for another place. At daybreak there is a great stir over his whereabouts. Herod seeks him, examines the keepers and orders their death, then goes to Cæsarea.

Herod is angry with Tyrians and Sidonians, who approach together. Having gained his chamberlain Blastus, they seek peace because their countries are nourished by him. On the appointed day Herod sits in royal apparel at the judgment seat and addresses them. The people acclaim the voice of a god rather than a man. An angel immediately strikes him because he did not honour God; eaten by worms, he dies. The Lord’s word increases and multiplies. Barnabas and Saul return from Jerusalem after fulfilling their ministry, taking John surnamed Mark.

The story inside

Peter follows while thinking he sees a vision, then recognizes deliverance. Rhode recognizes his voice but the household disputes her report until opening. Tyrians and Sidonians seek peace because dependent on Herod’s nourishment.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The four files are not expanded to rotating squads or quantified beyond the source.
2
Prayer precedes release without establishing a general guarantee of release.
3
Herod’s local narrated punishment is not a promise all rulers suffer swift retribution.

Test your recall

Why do Tyrians and Sidonians seek peace?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 125142–125158
12:1. And at the same time, Herod the king stretched forth his hands, to afflict some of the church. 12:2. And he killed James, the brother of John, With the sword. 12:3. And seeing that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to take up Peter also. Now it was in the days of the Azymes. Azymes.... The festival of the unleavened bread, or the pasch, which answers to our Easter. 12:4. And when he had apprehended him, he cast him into prison, delivering him to four files of soldiers, to be kept, intending, after the pasch, to bring him forth to the people. 12:5. Peter therefore was kept in prison. But prayer was made without ceasing by the church unto God for him.
Lines 125164–125182
12:7. And behold an angel of the Lord stood by him and a light shined in the room. And he, striking Peter on the side, raised him up, saying: Arise quickly. And the chains fell off from his hands. 12:8. And the angel said to him: Gird thyself and put on thy sandals. And he did so. And he said to him: Cast thy garment about thee and follow me, 12:9. And going out, he followed him. And he knew not that it was true which was done by the angel: but thought he saw a vision. 12:10. And passing through the first and the second ward, they came to the iron gate that leadeth to the city which of itself opened to them. And going out, they passed on through one street. And immediately the angel departed from him. 12:11. And Peter coming to himself, said: Now I know in very deed 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.
Lines 125184–125203
12:12. And considering, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, who was surnamed Mark, where many were gathered together and praying. 12:13. And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, whose name was Rhode. 12:14. And as soon as she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for joy: but running in she told that Peter stood before the gate. 12:15. But they said to her: Thou art mad. But she affirmed that it was so. Then said they: It is his angel. 12:16. But Peter continued knocking. And when they had opened, they saw him and were astonished. 12:17. But he, beckoning to them with his hand to hold their peace, told how the Lord had brought him out of prison. And he said: Tell these things to James and to the brethren. And going out, he went into another place.
Lines 125217–125227
12:21. And upon a day appointed, Herod being arrayed in kingly apparel, sat in the judgment seat and made an oration to them. 12:22. And the people made acclamation, saying: It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. 12:23. And forthwith an angel of the Lord struck him, because he had not given the honour to God: and, being eaten up by worms, he gave up the ghost. 12:24. But the word of the Lord increased and multiplied.