Acts 12:1-4

James Killed and Peter Seized By Herod

Sometime near the time Barnabas and Saul were taking the gift from Antioch to Jerusalem, Herod Agrippa decided to inflict pain on certain members of the church. Particularly, it seems, he had in mind the apostles. He first had James, John's brother, taken captive and killed with the sword. James' death must have occurred somewhere near 44 A. D., since that is the year Herod Agrippa the First died.

Once Herod saw the political impact of that action, he immediately had Peter imprisoned, intending to put him to death as well. He had Peter arrested about the time of the celebration of the Passover feast, which lasted for some eight days. While he waited for the conclusion of Passover, Herod had sixteen soldiers, divided into four groups of four, to watch the apostle in the prison. He planned to publicly execute Peter on the conclusion of the feast. It seems likely Peter thought of another Passover and the death of his Lord while he waited in prison (Acts 12:1-4).