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*12:25 TR reads "from" instead of "to" Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their service, also taking with them John who was called Mark.

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.