Passage Viewer

Martyrdom of James and Peter’s Imprisonment

About that time, King Herod decided to persecute some members of the Church.

He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword,

and when he saw how much it pleased the Jews, he arrested Peter as well. This happened during the festival of the Unleavened Bread.

Herod had him seized and thrown into prison, guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. He planned to bring him to trial before the people after the Passover feast.

Meanwhile, while Peter was in prison, the whole church prayed earnestly for him.

On the night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, chained with a double chain, while guards kept watch at the prison gate.

Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell. The angel tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying: “Get up quickly!” At once, the chains fell from Peter’s wrists. The angel said:

“Put on your belt and your sandals.”

Peter did so.

The angel added: “Now, put on your cloak and follow me.”

Peter followed him out, yet he did not realize that what was happening with the angel was real; he thought he was seeing a vision.

They passed the first guard and then the second, and they reached the iron door leading out to the city, which opened by itself for them. They went out and headed down a narrow alley when suddenly the angel left him.

Then Peter regained his senses and said: “Now I know that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s grip and from everything the Jews had planned for me.”