1 κατ εκεινον δε τον καιρον επεβαλεν ηρωδης ο βασιλευς τας χειρας κακωσαι τινας των απο της εκκλησιας

2 ανειλεν δε ιακωβον τον αδελφον ιωαννου μαχαιρα

3 και ιδων οτι αρεστον εστιν τοις ιουδαιοις προσεθετο συλλαβειν και πετρον ησαν δε ημεραι των αζυμων

4 ον και πιασας εθετο εις φυλακην παραδους τεσσαρσιν τετραδιοις στρατιωτων φυλασσειν αυτον βουλομενος μετα το πασχα αναγαγειν αυτον τω λαω

5 ο μεν ουν πετρος ετηρειτο εν τη φυλακη προσευχη δε ην εκτενης γινομενη υπο της εκκλησιας προς τον θεον υπερ αυτου

6 οτε δε εμελλεν αυτον προαγειν ο ηρωδης τη νυκτι εκεινη ην ο πετρος κοιμωμενος μεταξυ δυο στρατιωτων δεδεμενος αλυσεσιν δυσιν φυλακες τε προ της θυρας ετηρουν την φυλακην

7 και ιδου αγγελος κυριου επεστη και φως ελαμψεν εν τω οικηματι παταξας δε την πλευραν του πετρου ηγειρεν αυτον λεγων αναστα εν ταχει και εξεπεσον αυτου αι αλυσεις εκ των χειρων

8 ειπεν τε ο αγγελος προς αυτον περιζωσαι και υποδησαι τα σανδαλια σου εποιησεν δε ουτως και λεγει αυτω περιβαλου το ιματιον σου και ακολουθει μοι

9 και εξελθων ηκολουθει αυτω και ουκ ηδει οτι αληθες εστιν το γινομενον δια του αγγελου εδοκει δε οραμα βλεπειν

10 διελθοντες δε πρωτην φυλακην και δευτεραν ηλθον επι την πυλην την σιδηραν την φερουσαν εις την πολιν ητις αυτοματη ηνοιχθη αυτοις και εξελθοντες προηλθον ρυμην μιαν και ευθεως απεστη ο αγγελος απ αυτου

11 και ο πετρος γενομενος εν εαυτω ειπεν νυν οιδα αληθως οτι εξαπεστειλεν κυριος τον αγγελον αυτου και εξειλετο με εκ χειρος ηρωδου και πασης της προσδοκιας του λαου των ιουδαιων

12 συνιδων τε ηλθεν επι την οικιαν μαριας της μητρος ιωαννου του επικαλουμενου μαρκου ου ησαν ικανοι συνηθροισμενοι και προσευχομενοι

13 κρουσαντος δε του πετρου την θυραν του πυλωνος προσηλθεν παιδισκη υπακουσαι ονοματι ροδη

14 και επιγνουσα την φωνην του πετρου απο της χαρας ουκ ηνοιξεν τον πυλωνα εισδραμουσα δε απηγγειλεν εσταναι τον πετρον προ του πυλωνος

15 οι δε προς αυτην ειπον μαινη η δε διισχυριζετο ουτως εχειν οι δ ελεγον ο αγγελος αυτου εστιν

16 ο δε πετρος επεμενεν κρουων ανοιξαντες δε ειδον αυτον και εξεστησαν

17 κατασεισας δε αυτοις τη χειρι σιγαν διηγησατο αυτοις πως ο κυριος αυτον εξηγαγεν εκ της φυλακης ειπεν δε απαγγειλατε ιακωβω και τοις αδελφοις ταυτα και εξελθων επορευθη εις ετερον τοπον

18 γενομενης δε ημερας ην ταραχος ουκ ολιγος εν τοις στρατιωταις τι αρα ο πετρος εγενετο

19 ηρωδης δε επιζητησας αυτον και μη ευρων ανακρινας τους φυλακας εκελευσεν απαχθηναι και κατελθων απο της ιουδαιας εις την καισαρειαν διετριβεν

20 ην δε ο ηρωδης θυμομαχων τυριοις και σιδωνιοις ομοθυμαδον δε παρησαν προς αυτον και πεισαντες βλαστον τον επι του κοιτωνος του βασιλεως ητουντο ειρηνην δια το τρεφεσθαι αυτων την χωραν απο της βασιλικης

21 τακτη δε ημερα ο ηρωδης ενδυσαμενος εσθητα βασιλικην και καθισας επι του βηματος εδημηγορει προς αυτους

22 ο δε δημος επεφωνει θεου φωνη και ουκ ανθρωπου

23 παραχρημα δε επαταξεν αυτον αγγελος κυριου ανθ ων ουκ εδωκεν την δοξαν τω θεω και γενομενος σκωληκοβρωτος εξεψυξεν

24 ο δε λογος του θεου ηυξανεν και επληθυνετο

25 βαρναβας δε και σαυλος υπεστρεψαν εξ ιερουσαλημ πληρωσαντες την διακονιαν συμπαραλαβοντες και ιωαννην τον επικληθεντα μαρκον

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.