Bible in Basic English
And he put James, the brother of John, to death with the sword.
And when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews he went on to take Peter in addition. This was at the time of the feast of unleavened bread.
And having taken him, he put him in prison, with four bands of armed men to keep watch over him; his purpose being to take him out to the people after the Passover.
So Peter was kept in prison: but the church made strong prayer to God for him.
And when Herod was about to take him out, the same night Peter was sleeping in chains between two armed men, and the watchmen were keeping watch before the door of the prison.
And a great light was seen shining in the room, and an angel of the Lord came to Peter and, touching him on his side so that he came out of his sleep, said, Get up quickly. And his chains came off his hands.
Then the angel said, Put on your shoes and get ready to go. And he did so. And he said, Put your coat round you and come with me.
And he went out after him; and he was not certain if what was done by the angel was a fact, for it seemed to him that he was seeing a vision.
And when they had gone past the first and second watchmen they came to the iron door into the town, which came open by itself: and they went out and down one street; and then the angel went away.
And when Peter came to his senses he said, Now, truly, I am certain that the Lord has sent his angel and taken me out of the hands of Herod, against all the hopes of the Jews.
And when he became clear about this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John named Mark, where a number of them had come together for prayer.
And he gave a blow on the door, and a young girl came to it, named Rhoda.
And hearing the voice of Peter, in her joy she went running, without opening the door, to say that Peter was outside.
And they said to her, You are off your head. But still she said, with decision, that it was so. And they said, It is his angel.
But Peter went on giving blows on the door: and when it was open and they saw him, they were full of wonder.
But he made a sign to them with his hand to be quiet, and gave them an account of how the Lord had taken him out of prison. And he said, Give the news to James and the brothers. And then he went away.
Now when it was day, the armed men were greatly troubled about what had become of Peter.
And Herod, when he sent for him, and he was not there, after questioning the watchmen, gave orders that they were to be put to death. Then he went down from Judaea to Caesarea for a time.
Now he was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon: and they came to him, all together, and having made friends with Blastus, the controller of the king's house, they made a request for peace, because their country was dependent on the king's country for its food.
And on the day which had been fixed, Herod, dressed in his robes and seated in his place, made a public statement to them.
And the people, with loud cries, said, It is the voice of a god, not of a man.
And straight away the angel of the Lord sent a disease on him, because he did not give the glory to God: and his flesh was wasted away by worms, and so he came to his end.
But the word of the Lord went on increasing.
And Barnabas and Saul came back from Jerusalem, when their work was ended, taking with them John named Mark.
— Acts 12:2-1964, Bible in Basic English
“He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This was during the days of unleavened bread. When he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. Peter therefore was kept in the prison, but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God for him. The same night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains. Guards in front of the door kept the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side, and woke him up, saying, "Stand up quickly!" His chains fell off from his hands. The angel said to him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." He did so. He said to him, "Put on your cloak, and follow me." And he went out and followed him. He didn't know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he saw a vision. When they were past the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went out, and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. When Peter had come to himself, he said, "Now I truly know that the Lord has sent out his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from everything the Jewish people were expecting." Thinking about that, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. When Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter's voice, she didn't open the gate for joy, but ran in, and reported that Peter was standing in front of the gate. They said to her, "You are crazy!" But she insisted that it was so. They said, "It is his angel." But Peter continued knocking. When they had opened, they saw him, and were amazed. But he, beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, "Tell these things to James, and to the brothers." Then he departed, and went to another place. Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. When Herod had sought for him, and didn't find him, he examined the guards, and commanded that they should be put to death. He went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there. Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus, the king's personal aide, their friend, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king's country for food. On an appointed day, Herod dressed himself in royal clothing, sat on the throne, and gave a speech to them. The people shouted, "The voice of a god, and not of a man!" Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he didn't give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died. But the word of God grew and multiplied. Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their service, also taking with them John whose surname was Mark.”
Now, about that time, Herod the king made cruel attacks on the Christians.
And he put James, the brother of John, to death with the sword.
And when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews he went on to take Peter in addition. This was at the time of the feast of unleavened bread.
And having taken him, he put him in prison, with four bands of armed men to keep watch over him; his purpose being to take him out to the people after the Passover.
So Peter was kept in prison: but the church made strong prayer to God for him.
And when Herod was about to take him out, the same night Peter was sleeping in chains between two armed men, and the watchmen were keeping watch before the door of the prison.
And a great light was seen shining in the room, and an angel of the Lord came to Peter and, touching him on his side so that he came out of his sleep, said, Get up quickly. And his chains came off his hands.
Then the angel said, Put on your shoes and get ready to go. And he did so. And he said, Put your coat round you and come with me.
And he went out after him; and he was not certain if what was done by the angel was a fact, for it seemed to him that he was seeing a vision.
And when they had gone past the first and second watchmen they came to the iron door into the town, which came open by itself: and they went out and down one street; and then the angel went away.
And when Peter came to his senses he said, Now, truly, I am certain that the Lord has sent his angel and taken me out of the hands of Herod, against all the hopes of the Jews.
And when he became clear about this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John named Mark, where a number of them had come together for prayer.
And he gave a blow on the door, and a young girl came to it, named Rhoda.
And hearing the voice of Peter, in her joy she went running, without opening the door, to say that Peter was outside.
And they said to her, You are off your head. But still she said, with decision, that it was so. And they said, It is his angel.
But Peter went on giving blows on the door: and when it was open and they saw him, they were full of wonder.
But he made a sign to them with his hand to be quiet, and gave them an account of how the Lord had taken him out of prison. And he said, Give the news to James and the brothers. And then he went away.
Now when it was day, the armed men were greatly troubled about what had become of Peter.
And Herod, when he sent for him, and he was not there, after questioning the watchmen, gave orders that they were to be put to death. Then he went down from Judaea to Caesarea for a time.
Now he was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon: and they came to him, all together, and having made friends with Blastus, the controller of the king's house, they made a request for peace, because their country was dependent on the king's country for its food.
And on the day which had been fixed, Herod, dressed in his robes and seated in his place, made a public statement to them.
And the people, with loud cries, said, It is the voice of a god, not of a man.
And straight away the angel of the Lord sent a disease on him, because he did not give the glory to God: and his flesh was wasted away by worms, and so he came to his end.
But the word of the Lord went on increasing.
And Barnabas and Saul came back from Jerusalem, when their work was ended, taking with them John named Mark.