1 Aga sel ajal pistis kuningas Heroodes käe mõnede külge kogudusest, et neile kurja teha. 2 Ta tappis mõõgaga Jaakobuse, Johannese venna. 3 Kui ta nägi, et see juutidele meeldis, mõtles ta kinni võtta ka Peetruse. See oli hapnemata leibade pühal. 4 Heroodes vahistas Peetruse ja heitis ta vangi, andes ta nelja neljamehelise sõdurite salga valvata. Heroodes kavatses ta pärast paasapühi kohtumõistmiseks rahva ette tuua.

5 Nõnda siis oli Peetrus vangis, aga kogudus palvetas tuliselt Jumala poole tema pärast.

6 Ööl enne seda, kui Heroodes tahtis ta kohtu ette tuua, magas Peetrus kahe sõduri vahel kahe ketiga aheldatult, ja tunnimehed valvasid sissepääsu juures. 7 Ja vaata, järsku ilmus Issanda ingel ja valgus säras vangikongis. Ingel lõi Peetrust vastu külge ja äratas ta üles. „Ruttu, tõuse üles!" ütles ta ja ahelad langesid Peetruse randmetelt.

8 Siis ingel ütles talle: „Pane riided selga ja sandaalid jalga." Ja Peetrus tegi nii. „Pane kuub endale ümber ja järgne mulle," ütles ingel. 9 Peetrus tuli tema järel vanglast välja ega teadnud, et see, mis ingel tegi, päriselt sündis; ta mõtles, et ta nägi nägemust. 10 Nad möödusid esimesest ja teisest valvepostist ja jõudsid linna viiva raudvärava juurde. See avanes neile iseenesest ja nad väljusid. Kui nad olid kõndinud ühe tänavapikkuse, jättis ingel ta järsku maha.

11 Siis Peetrus tuli enesesse tagasi ja ütles: „Nüüd ma tean ilma igasuguse kahtluseta, et Issand on läkitanud oma ingli ja on mind päästnud Heroodese käest ja kõigest, mida juudi rahvas ootas."

12 Ja märgates, kus ta on, tuli ta Maarja maja juurde, kes on Markuseks hüütava Johannese ema. Sinna oli palju inimesi kogunenud palvetama. 13 Peetrus koputas väravale ja teenijatüdruk nimega Roode tuli sinna kuulatama. 14 Kui ta Peetruse hääle ära tundis, oli ta nii rõõmus, et jooksis tagasi ust avamata ja hüüdis: „Peetrus on värava juures!"

15 „Sa oled arust ära," ütlesid nad talle. Aga kui ta kinnitas, et see on nõnda, ütlesid nad: „See on tema ingel!"

16 Aga Peetrus koputas edasi. Kui nad ukse avasid, nägid nad teda ja jahmusid. 17 Peetrus aga viipas käega, et nad vait oleksid, ja jutustas neile, kuidas Issand oli ta vanglast välja toonud. „Rääkige sellest Jaakobusele ja vendadele!" ütles ta ja läks sealt ära teise kohta.

18 Aga hommikul oli suur segadus sõdurite hulgas, kui nad püüdsid aru saada, mis Peetrusega oli juhtunud. 19 Ja kui Heroodes laskis paiga põhjalikult läbi otsida ja teda ei leidnud, kuulas ta vangivalvurid üle ja käskis nad hukata.

Siis läks Heroodes Juudamaalt Kaisareasse ja jäi sinna mõneks ajaks. 20 Ent Heroodes kandis viha Tüürose ja Siidoni rahva peale. Need tulid ühel meelel tema juurde ja, saanud kuninga kambriülema Blastose poolehoiu, palusid rahu; sest nad said oma toidu kuninga aladelt.

21 Määratud päeval istus Heroodes kuninglikku rüüd kandes oma troonil ja pidas rahvale kõne. 22 Rahvas hüüdis: „See ei ole inimese, vaid jumala hääl!" 23 Aga otsekohe lõi teda Issanda ingel, sest et ta ei andnud au Jumalale. Ja ussidest sööduna ta suri.

24 Aga Jumala sõna kasvas ja levis.

25 Ja Barnabas ja Saulus tulid tagasi Jeruusalemmast, kui nad olid täitnud oma ülesande, ning võtsid enestega ühes ka Johannese, keda hüüti Markuseks.

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 quaternions 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 unto 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 upon 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 unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. 9 And he went out, and followed him; and wist 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 unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. 11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath 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 hearken, named Rhoda. 14 And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate. 15 And they said unto her, Thou art 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 unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. 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 Judæa to Cæsarea, and there abode.

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’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country. 21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto 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.