Acts chapter 12 ladies and gentlemen. We're here in Acts chapter 12. If you're new to our study,

we go straight through the Bible on Sundays and we are going through the book of Acts

presently. And so I'm going to read from chapter 12 this morning, the first 11 verses. Acts chapter 12

verse 1 says, now about that time, Herod, the king king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church

and then he killed James the brother of John with the sword that means that James was beheaded

he was beheaded and because he saw that it pleased the Jews,

he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the days of unleavened bread.

And so when he had arrested him, he put him in prison and delivered him to four squads of soldiers

to keep him, intending to bring

him before the people after Passover. Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer

was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that

night Peter was sleeping bound with two chains between two soldiers and the guards before the door

were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him and a light shone in the prison

and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up saying, arise quickly and his chains fell off his

hands. And then the angel said to him, gird yourself and tie on your sandals.

And so he did.

And he said to him, put on your garment and follow me.

And so he went out and followed him and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

When they were past the first and the second

guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own

accord. And they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

And when Peter had come to himself, he said, now I know for certain that the Lord

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