1 Now about that time, King Herod stretched out his hands to oppress some of the assembly. 2 He killed Jacob, the brother of Yochanan, with the sword. 3 When he saw that it pleased the Judeans, 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 Miriam, the mother of Yochanan 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 Jacob 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 Yochanan who was called Mark.

1 Por aquele tempo, o rei Herodes tomou medidas contra alguns da igreja e matou Tiago, irmão de João, pela espada.

3 Vendo como isto tinha agradado aos dirigentes judaicos, Herodes prendeu Pedro durante a festa da Páscoa e meteu-o na cadeia guardado por dezasseis soldados. A intenção de Herodes era entregar Pedro aos judeus para que fosse julgado depois da Páscoa. Mas durante todo o tempo que passou na prisão, a igreja orava fervorosamente a Deus, rogando pela sua vida.

6 Na noite anterior ao seu julgamento, Pedro dormia preso com correntes duplas, entre dois soldados, e ainda com outros guardas à porta da prisão. De súbito, fez-se uma luz na cela e junto dele apareceu um anjo do Senhor que, batendo-lhe no lado para o acordar, disse-lhe: Levanta-te depressa! Logo as correntes lhe caíram dos pulsos. E continuou: Veste-te e calça-te. Pedro obedeceu. Agora embrulha-te na capa e segue-me!

9 Saiu da cela atrás do anjo, mas sempre pensando que aquilo era um sonho ou uma visão, não acreditando que fosse qualquer coisa realmente a acontecer. Passaram pelo primeiro e segundo postos da guarda e chegaram ao portão de ferro que dava para a rua, o qual se abriu por si! Cruzaram-no e caminharam juntos pelo espaço de um quarteirão, e então repentinamente o anjo desapareceu.

11 Só então Pedro compreendeu o que tinha acontecido. É realmente verdade!, disse consigo próprio. O Senhor mandou o seu anjo salvar-me das mãos de Herodes e do que os judeus queriam fazer-me!

12 Depois de pensar um pouco, dirigiu-se a casa de Maria, mãe de João Marcos, onde muitos se encontravam reunidos para orar. Bateu ao portão da entrada, e quem o abriu foi uma rapariga chamada Rode, que, ao reconhecer a voz de Pedro, ficou tão contente que voltou a correr para dentro de casa dizendo quem estava à porta da rua; mas não acreditavam nas suas palavras. Não estás boa da cabeça, diziam. Mas como insistisse, julgaram: Deve ser o seu anjo.

16 Entretanto Pedro continuava a bater à porta. Quando, por fim, lha abriram, a surpresa não podia ser maior. Pedro fez-lhes sinal para que se acalmassem e contou-lhes o que sucedera e como o Senhor o tirara da cadeia. Contem também a Tiago e aos outros o que aconteceu, disse, saindo em seguida para local mais seguro.

18 Chegada a manhã, houve um grande alarido na prisão. Que era feito de Pedro?

19 Quando Herodes o mandou buscar e soube que não estava lá, prendeu os dezasseis guardas, que foram condenados à morte epois disto, Herodes foi para Cesareia durante algum tempo

20 Ali, procurou-o uma delegação chegada de Tiro e Sidom. Herodes estava em conflito com o povo daquelas duas cidades, mas os enviados, travando amizade com Blasto, o secretário do rei, pediram a paz, pois as suas cidades dependiam alimentarmente do rei

21 Combinada uma entrevista com o rei, no dia marcado, Herodes, nas suas vestes reais, sentou-se no trono e fez um discurso, no fim do qual o povo, com grandes aplausos, gritou: Isto não é um homem a falar! É a voz de um deus!

23 Imediatamente um anjo do Senhor feriu Herodes com uma doença, de tal modo que se encheu de bichos e morreu, por ter aceitado a adoração do povo, em vez de dar glória a Deus.

24 Mas as boas novas de Deus espalhavam-se rapidamente e havia muitos novos crentes.

25 Barnabé e Saulo acabaram a sua missão emJerusalém, e regressaram a Antioquia, levando João Marcos com eles.