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Acts 12:17

Made Simple — Modern English Translation

Translated by Verse Made Simple Editorial
KJV ORIGINAL
But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE

Peter motioned for everyone to quiet down, then told them the whole story of how God had gotten him out of prison. He was like, 'Go tell James and the other believers what happened.' Then he left and went somewhere else to lay low.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

Sometimes God's rescue comes with instructions to share the story and then move wisely.

📚 Historical Context

In the early days of the Christian church, around 44 AD, King Herod Agrippa I was persecuting believers as part of his efforts to please the Jewish leaders, having already executed James the brother of John and imprisoned Peter. Peter was miraculously freed from prison by an angel, as detailed in the preceding verses of Acts 12, highlighting God's direct intervention during intense opposition to the fledgling church. Upon his escape, Peter went to a gathering of believers and urged them to inform James, the half-brother of Jesus and a key leader in the Jerusalem church, about the event before departing to safety.

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