1 وفي ذلك الوقت مدّ هيرودس الملك يديه ليسيء الى اناس من الكنيسة.2 فقتل يعقوب اخا يوحنا بالسيف.3 واذ رأى ان ذلك يرضي اليهود عاد فقبض على بطرس ايضا. وكانت ايام الفطير.4 ولما امسكه وضعه في السجن مسلما اياه الى اربعة ارابع من العسكر ليحرسوه ناويا ان يقدمه بعد الفصح الى الشعب.5 فكان بطرس محروسا في السجن. واما الكنيسة فكانت تصير منها صلاة بلجاجة الى الله من اجله6 ولما كان هيرودس مزمعا ان يقدمه كان بطرس في تلك الليلة نائما بين عسكريين مربوطا بسلسلتين. وكان قدام الباب حراس يحرسون السجن.7 واذا ملاك الرب اقبل ونور اضاء في البيت. فضرب جنب بطرس وايقظه قائلا قم عاجلا. فسقطت السلسلتان من يديه.8 وقال له الملاك تمنطق والبس نعليك. ففعل هكذا. فقال له البس رداءك واتبعني.9 فخرج يتبعه. وكان لا يعلم ان الذي جرى بواسطة الملاك هو حقيقي بل يظن انه ينظر رؤيا.10 فجازا المحرس الاول والثاني وأتيا الى باب الحديد الذي يؤدي الى المدينة فانفتح لهما من ذاته فخرجا وتقدما زقاقا واحدا وللوقت فارقه الملاك11 فقال بطرس وهو قد رجع الى نفسه الآن علمت يقينا ان الرب ارسل ملاكه وانقذني من يد هيرودس ومن كل انتظار شعب اليهود.12 ثم جاء وهو منتبه الى بيت مريم ام يوحنا الملقب مرقس حيث كان كثيرون مجتمعين وهم يصلّون.13 فلما قرع بطرس باب الدهليز جاءت جارية اسمها رودا لتسمع.14 فلما عرفت صوت بطرس لم تفتح الباب من الفرح بل ركضت الى داخل واخبرت ان بطرس واقف قدام الباب.15 فقالوا لها انت تهذين. واما هي فكانت تؤكد ان هكذا هو. فقالوا انه ملاكه.16 واما بطرس فلبث يقرع. فلما فتحوا ورأوه اندهشوا.17 فاشار اليهم بيده ليسكتوا وحدثهم كيف اخرجه الرب من السجن. وقال اخبروا يعقوب والاخوة بهذا. ثم خرج وذهب الى موضع آخر18 فلما صار النهار حصل اضطراب ليس بقليل بين العسكر ترى ماذا جرى لبطرس.19 واما هيرودس فلما طلبه ولم يجده فحص الحراس وأمر ان ينقادوا الى القتل. ثم نزل من اليهودية الى قيصرية واقام هناك20 وكان هيرودس ساخطا على الصوريين والصيداويين فحضروا اليه بنفس واحدة واستعطفوا بلاستس الناظر على مضجع الملك. ثم صاروا يلتمسون المصالحة لان كورتهم تقتات من كورة الملك.21 ففي يوم معين لبس هيرودس الحلّة الملوكية وجلس على كرسي الملك وجعل يخاطبهم.22 فصرخ الشعب هذا صوت اله لا صوت انسان.23 ففي الحال ضربه ملاك الرب لانه لم يعط المجد لله. فصار يأكله الدود ومات24 واما كلمة الله فكانت تنمو وتزيد.25 ورجع برنابا وشاول من اورشليم بعد ما كمّلا الخدمة واخذا معهما يوحنا الملقب مرقس
1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church to God for him.6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came on him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.8 And the angel said to him, Gird yourself, and bind on your sandals. And so he did. And he said to him, Cast your garment about you, and follow me.9 And he went out, and followed him; and knew not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.10 When they were past the first and the second ward, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and immediately the angel departed from him.11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the LORD has sent his angel, and has delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to listen, named Rhoda.14 And when she knew Peter' voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.15 And they said to her, You are mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.16 But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.17 But he, beckoning to them with the hand to hold their peace, declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go show these things to James, and to the brothers. And he departed, and went into another place.18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.19 And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there stayed.20 And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king' chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king' country.21 And on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne, and made an oration to them.22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.