Lord Jesus,

you experienced in person

the sufferings and the death of a prisoner of conscience.

You were plotted against, betrayed by a friend,

and arrested under cover of darkness

by men who came with clubs and swords.

You were tortured, beaten and humiliated,

and sentenced to an agonizing death

though you had done no wrong.

Be now with prisoners of conscience throughout the world.

Be with them in the darkness of the dungeon,

in the loneliness of separation from those they love;

be with them in their fear of what may come to them,

in the agony of their torture

and in the face of execution and death.

Stretch out your hands in power

to break their chains and to open the gates of freedom,

so that your kingdom of justice

may be established now among them.

Michael Evans, England

________________________

It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.