13. When he knocked on the door of the entrance gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer.
14. Although she recognized Peter’s voice, out of joy she did not open the gate but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate.
15. They said to her, “You’re crazy!” But she kept insisting it was so. But they were saying, “It is his angel.”
16. But Peter kept on knocking. When they opened the gate, they saw him and were amazed!
17. But he motioned with his hand for them to be silent, and he explained to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, “Go tell these things to Jacob and the brothers.” Then he left and went to another place.
18. When day came, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.
19. After Herod made a search for him and did not find him, he interrogated the guards and commanded that they be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea and stayed in Caesarea.
20. Now it happened that Herod was furious with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him, united. Having won over Blastus, the king’s personal aide, they began asking for peace—because their country was supplied with food from the king’s country.
21. On an appointed day, Herod donned his royal robes and, taking his seat upon the throne, began to make a speech to them.
22. The people were shouting, “The voice of a god and not a human!”
23. Immediately, an angel of the Lord struck him down—because he did not give God the glory. And he was eaten by worms and died.
24. But the word of God kept on growing and multiplying.