1 Or intorno a quel tempo, il re Erode mise mano a maltrattare alcuni della chiesa;

2 e fece morir per la spada Giacomo, fratello di Giovanni.

3 E vedendo che ciò era grato ai Giudei, continuo e fece arrestare anche Pietro. Or erano i giorni degli azzimi.

4 E presolo, lo mise in prigione, dandolo in guardia a quattro mute di soldati di quattro l’una; perché, dopo la Pasqua, voleva farlo comparire dinanzi al popolo.

5 Pietro dunque era custodito nella prigione; ma fervide preghiere eran fatte dalla chiesa a Dio per lui.

6 Or quando Erode stava per farlo comparire, la notte prima, Pietro stava dormendo in mezzo a due soldati, legato con due catene; e le guardie davanti alla porta custodivano la prigione.

7 Ed ecco, un angelo del Signore sopraggiunse, e una luce risplendé nella cella; e l’angelo, percosso il fianco a Pietro, lo svegliò, dicendo: Lèvati prestamente. E le catene gli caddero dalle mani.

8 E l’angelo disse: Cingiti, e lègati i sandali. E Pietro fece così. Poi gli disse: Mettiti il mantello, e seguimi.

9 Ed egli, uscito, lo seguiva, non sapendo che fosse vero quel che avveniva per mezzo dell’angelo, ma pensando di avere una visione.

10 Or com’ebbero passata la prima e la seconda guardia, vennero alla porta di ferro che mette in città, la quale si aperse loro da sé; ed essendo usciti, s’inoltrarono per una strada: e in quell’istante l’angelo si partì da lui.

11 E Pietro, rientrato in sé, disse: Ora conosco per certo che il Signore ha mandato il suo angelo e mi ha liberato dalla mano di Erode e da tutta l’aspettazione del popolo dei Giudei.

12 E considerando la cosa, venne alla casa di Maria, madre di Giovanni soprannominato Marco, dove molti fratelli stavano raunati e pregavano.

13 E avendo Pietro picchiato all’uscio del vestibolo, una serva, chiamata Rode venne ad ascoltare;

14 e riconosciuta la voce di Pietro, per l’allegrezza non aprì l’uscio, ma corse dentro ad annunziare che ietro stava davanti alla porta.

15 E quelli le dissero: Tu sei pazza! Ma ella asseverava che era così. Ed essi dicevano: E’ il suo angelo.

16 Ma Pietro continuava a picchiare, e quand’ebbero aperto, lo videro e stupirono.

17 Ma egli, fatto lor cenno con la mano che tacessero, raccontò loro in qual modo il Signore l’avea tratto fuor della prigione. Poi disse: Fate sapere queste cose a Giacomo ed ai fratelli. Ed essendo uscito, se ne andò in un altro luogo.

18 Or, fattosi giorno, vi fu non piccol turbamento fra i soldati, perché non sapevano che cosa fosse avvenuto di Pietro.

19 Ed Erode, cercatolo, e non avendolo trovato, esaminate le guardie, comandò che fosser menate al supplizio. Poi, sceso di Giudea a Cesarea, vi si trattenne.

20 Or Erode era fortemente adirato contro i Tiri e i Sidoni; ma essi di pari consentimento si presentarono a lui; e guadagnato il favore di Blasto, ciambellano del re, chiesero pace, perché il loro paese traeva i viveri dal paese del re.

21 Nel giorno fissato, Erode, indossato l’abito reale, e postosi a sedere sul trono, li arringava pubblicamente.

22 E il popolo si mise a gridare: Voce d’un dio, e non d’un uomo!

23 In quell’istante, un angelo del Signore lo percosse, perché non avea dato a Dio la gloria; e morì, roso dai vermi.

24 Ma la parola di Dio progrediva e si spandeva di più in più.

25 E Barnaba e Saulo, compiuta la loro missione, tornarono da Gerusalemme, prendendo seco Giovanni soprannominato Marco.

1 Now about that time, King Herod stretched out his hands to oppress some of the assembly. 2 He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. 3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This was during the days of unleavened bread. 4 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. 5 Peter therefore was kept in the prison, but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God for him. 6 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.

7 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 his hands. 8 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." 9 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. 10 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.

11 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." 12 Thinking about that, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 When Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 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.

15 They said to her, "You are crazy!" But she insisted that it was so. They said, "It is his angel." 16 But Peter continued knocking. When they had opened, they saw him and were amazed. 17 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.

18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. 19 When Herod had sought for him and didn’t find him, he examined the guards, then commanded that they should be put to death. He went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.

20 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. 21 On an appointed day, Herod dressed himself in royal clothing, sat on the throne, and gave a speech to them. 22 The people shouted, "The voice of a god, and not of a man!" 23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he didn’t give God the glory. Then he was eaten by worms and died.

24 But the word of God grew and multiplied. 25 Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their service, also taking with them John who was called Mark.