1 Nessa ocasião, o rei Herodes prendeu alguns que pertenciam à igreja, com a intenção de maltratá-los,2 e mandou matar à espada Tiago, irmão de João.3 Vendo que isso agradava aos judeus, prosseguiu, prendendo também Pedro, durante a festa dos pães sem fermento.4 Tendo-o prendido, lançou-o no cárcere, entregando-o para ser guardado por quatro escoltas de quatro soldados cada uma. Herodes pretendia submetê-lo a julgamento público depois da Páscoa.5 Pedro, então, ficou detido na prisão, mas a igreja orava intensamente a Deus por ele.6 Na noite anterior ao dia em que Herodes iria submetê-lo a julgamento, Pedro estava dormindo entre dois soldados, preso com duas algemas, e sentinelas montavam guarda à entrada do cárcere.7 Repentinamente apareceu um anjo do Senhor, e uma luz brilhou na cela. Ele tocou no lado de Pedro e o acordou. "Depressa, levante-se! ", disse ele. Então as algemas caíram dos punhos de Pedro.8 O anjo lhe disse: "Vista-se e calce as sandálias". E Pedro assim fez. Disse-lhe ainda o anjo: "Ponha a capa e siga-me".9 E, saindo, Pedro o seguiu, não sabendo que era real o que se fazia por meio do anjo; tudo lhe parecia uma visão.10 Passaram a primeira e a segunda guarda, e chegaram ao portão de ferro que dava para a cidade. Este se abriu por si mesmo para eles, e passaram. Tendo saído, caminharam ao longo de uma rua, e de repente, o anjo o deixou.11 Então Pedro caiu em si e disse: "Agora sei, sem nenhuma dúvida, que o Senhor enviou o seu anjo e me libertou das mãos de Herodes e de tudo o que o povo judeu esperava".12 Percebendo isso, ele se dirigiu à casa de Maria, mãe de João, também chamado Marcos, onde muita gente se havia reunido e estava orando.13 Pedro bateu à porta do alpendre, e uma serva chamada Rode veio atender.14 Ao reconhecer a voz de Pedro, tomada de alegria, ela correu de volta, sem abrir a porta, e exclamou: "Pedro está à porta! "15 Eles porém lhe disseram: "Você está fora de si! " Insistindo ela em afirmar que era Pedro, disseram-lhe: "Deve ser o anjo dele".16 Mas Pedro continuou batendo e, quando abriram a porta e o viram, ficaram perplexos.17 Mas ele, fazendo-lhes sinal para que se calassem, descreveu como o Senhor o havia tirado da prisão e disse: "Contem isso a Tiago e aos irmãos". Então saiu e foi para outro lugar.18 De manhã, não foi pequeno o alvoroço entre os soldados quanto ao que tinha acontecido a Pedro.19 Fazendo uma busca completa e não o encontrando, Herodes fez uma investigação entre os guardas e ordenou que fossem executados. Depois Herodes foi da Judéia para Cesaréia e permaneceu ali durante algum tempo.20 Ele estava cheio de ira contra o povo de Tiro e Sidom; contudo, eles haviam se reunido e procuravam ter uma audiência com ele. Tendo conseguido o apoio de Blasto, homem de confiança do rei, pediram paz, porque dependiam das terras do rei para obter alimento.21 No dia marcado, Herodes, vestindo seus trajes reais, sentou-se em seu trono e fez um discurso ao povo.22 Eles começaram a gritar: "É voz de deus, e não de homem".23 Visto que Herodes não glorificou a Deus, imediatamente um anjo do Senhor o feriu; e ele morreu comido por vermes.24 Entretanto, a palavra de Deus continuava a crescer e a espalhar-se.25 Tendo terminado sua missão, Barnabé e Saulo voltaram de Jerusalém, levando consigo João, também chamado Marcos.

1 Now about that time Herod the king threw on hands to harm some of those from the church.2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.3 And after seeing that it was pleasing the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also (and those were the days of unleavened bread),4 whom, having also arrested, he put in prison, having delivered to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him forth to the people.5 Indeed therefore Peter was kept in the prison, but fervent prayer was being made by the church to God for him.6 And when Herod was about to bring him forth, that night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound by two chains. And guards in front of the door guarded the prison.7 And behold, an agent of Lord stood near, and light shone in the room. And after striking the side of Peter, he raised him up, saying, Get up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.8 And the agent said to him, Gird thyself, and tie on thy sandals. And he did so. And he says to him, Throw on thy garment, and follow me.9 And after going out, he followed him. And he had not seen that the thing happening by the heavenly agent was true, but presumed to see a vision.10 And when they passed a first and a second watch, they came to the iron gate, the one leading to the city, which opened spontaneously to them. And after going out, they advanced one street. And straightaway the agent withdrew from h11 And when Peter came to himself, he said, Now I know truly, that Lord dispatched his agent and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and all the expectation of the people of the Jews.12 And having realized it, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, surnamed Mark, where a considerable were gathered and praying.13 And when Peter knocked the door of the gate, a servant girl named Rhoda came to hearken.14 And after recognizing Peter's voice, she did not open the gate for joy, but having ran in, she reported Peter was standing in front of the gate.15 And they said to her, Thou are mad. But she insisted to have it so. But they said, It is his heavenly agent.16 But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him, and were astonished.17 But after motioning to them with the hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord brought him out of the prison. And he said, Report these things to James, and to the brothers. And having departed, he went to a different pl18 But having become day, there was no small stir among the soldiers what then became of Peter.19 And Herod, who sought for him, and not having found, having examined the guards, he commanded them to be led away. And going down from Judea to Caesarea, he remained there.20 Now Herod was angry at the Tyrians and Sidonians. But they came with one accord to him, and, having persuaded Blastus the man over the king's bedchamber, they requested peace, because their country was sustained from the monarchy.21 And at a set day Herod, having arrayed himself in royal apparel, and having sat on the tribunal, he made an oration to them.22 And the populace shouted, The voice of a god, and not of a man.23 And immediately an agent of Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And after becoming worm-eaten, he expired.24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.25 And Barnabas and Saul turned back in Jerusalem after fulfilling the service, also having taken along John who was surnamed Mark.