1 E por aquele mesmo tempo o rei Herodes estendeu as mãos sobre alguns da igreja, para os maltratar;

2 E matou à espada Tiago, irmão de João.

3 E, vendo que isso agradara aos judeus, continuou, mandando prender também a Pedro. E eram os dias dos ázimos.

4 E, havendo-o prendido, o encerrou na prisão, entregando-o a quatro quaternos de soldados, para que o guardassem, querendo apresentá-lo ao povo depois da páscoa.

5 Pedro, pois, era guardado na prisão; mas a igreja fazia contínua oração por ele a Deus.

6 E quando Herodes estava para o fazer comparecer, nessa mesma noite estava Pedro dormindo entre dois soldados, ligado com duas cadeias, e os guardas diante da porta guardavam a prisão.

7 E eis que sobreveio o anjo do Senhor, e resplandeceu uma luz na prisão; e, tocando a Pedro no lado, o despertou, dizendo: Levanta-te depressa. E caíram-lhe das mãos as cadeias.

8 E disse-lhe o anjo: Cinge-te, e ata as tuas sandálias. E ele assim o fez. Disse-lhe mais: Lança às costas a tua capa, e segue-me.

9 E, saindo, o seguia. E não sabia que era real o que estava sendo feito pelo anjo, mas cuidava que via alguma visão.

10 E, quando passaram a primeira e segunda guardas, chegaram à porta de ferro, que dá para a cidade, a qual se lhes abriu por si mesma; e, tendo saído, percorreram uma rua, e logo o anjo se apartou dele.

11 E Pedro, tornando a si, disse: Agora sei verdadeiramente que o Senhor enviou o seu anjo, e me livrou da mão de Herodes, e de tudo o que o povo dos judeus esperava.

12 E, considerando ele nisto, foi à casa de Maria, mãe de João, que tinha por sobrenome Marcos, onde muitos estavam reunidos e oravam.

13 E, batendo Pedro à porta do pátio, uma menina chamada Rode saiu a escutar;

14 E, conhecendo a voz de Pedro, de gozo não abriu a porta, mas, correndo para dentro, anunciou que Pedro estava à porta.

15 E disseram-lhe: Estás fora de ti. Mas ela afirmava que assim era. E diziam: É o seu anjo.

16 Mas Pedro perseverava em bater e, quando abriram, viram-no, e se espantaram.

17 E acenando-lhes ele com a mão para que se calassem, contou-lhes como o Senhor o tirara da prisão, e disse: Anunciai isto a Tiago e aos irmãos. E, saindo, partiu para outro lugar.

18 E, sendo já dia, houve não pouco alvoroço entre os soldados sobre o que seria feito de Pedro.

19 E, quando Herodes o procurou e o não achou, feita inquirição aos guardas, mandou-os justiçar. E, partindo da Judeia para Cesareia, ficou ali.

20 E Herodes estava irritado com os de Tiro e de Sidom; mas estes, vindo de comum acordo ter com ele, e obtendo a amizade de Blasto, que era o camarista do rei, pediam paz; porquanto o seu país se abastecia do país do rei.

21 E num dia designado, vestindo Herodes as vestes reais, estava assentado no tribunal e lhes fez um discurso.

22 E o povo exclamava: Voz de Deus, e não de homem.

23 E no mesmo instante feriu-o o anjo do Senhor, porque não deu glória a Deus e, comido de bichos, expirou.

24 E a palavra de Deus crescia e se multiplicava.

25 E Barnabé e Saulo, havendo terminado aquele serviço, voltaram de Jerusalém, levando também consigo a João, que tinha por sobrenome Marcos.

1 And about that time, Herod the king put forth his hands, to do evil to certain of those of the assembly,

2 and he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword,

3 and having seen that it is pleasing to the Jews, he added to lay hold of Peter also -- and they were the days of the unleavened food --

4 whom also having seized, he did put in prison, having delivered [him] to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him, intending after the passover to bring him forth to the people.

5 Peter, therefore, indeed, was kept in the prison, and fervent prayer was being made by the assembly unto God for him,

6 and when Herod was about to bring him forth, the same night was Peter sleeping between two soldiers, having been bound with two chains, guards also before the door were keeping the prison,

7 and lo, a messenger of the Lord stood by, and a light shone in the buildings, and having smitten Peter on the side, he raised him up, saying, `Rise in haste,` and his chains fell from off [his] hands.

8 The messenger also said to him, `Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals;` and he did so; and he saith to him, `Put thy garment round and be following me;`

9 and having gone forth, he was following him, and he knew not that it is true that which is done through the messenger, and was thinking he saw a vision,

10 and having passed through a first ward, and a second, they came unto the iron gate that is leading to the city, which of its own accord did open to them, and having gone forth, they went on through one street, and immediately the messenger departed from him.

11 And Peter having come to himself, said, `Now I have known of a truth that the Lord did sent forth His messenger, and did deliver me out of the hand of Herod, and all the expectation of the people of the Jews;`

12 also, having considered, he came unto the house of Mary, the mother of John, who is surnamed Mark, where there were many thronged together and praying.

13 And Peter having knocked at the door of the porch, there came a damsel to hearken, by name Rhoda,

14 and having known the voice of Peter, from the joy she did not open the porch, but having run in, told of the standing of Peter before the porch,

15 and they said unto her, `Thou art mad;` and she was confidently affirming [it] to be so, and they said, `It is his messenger;`

16 and Peter was continuing knocking, and having opened, they saw him, and were astonished,

17 and having beckoned to them with the hand to be silent, he declared to them how the Lord brought him out of the prison, and he said, `Declare to James and to the brethren these things;` and having gone forth, he went on to another place.

18 And day having come, there was not a little stir among the soldiers what then was become of Peter,

19 and Herod having sought for him, and not having found, having examined the guards, did command [them] to be led away to punishment, and having gone down from Judea to Cesarea, he was abiding [there].

20 And Herod was highly displeased with the Tyrians and Sidonians, and with one accord they came unto him, and having made a friend of Blastus, who [is] over the bed-chambers of the king, they were asking peace, because of their country being nourished from the king`s;

21 and on a set day, Herod having arrayed himself in kingly apparel, and having sat down upon the tribunal, was making an oration unto them,

22 and the populace were shouting, `The voice of a god, and not of a man;`

23 and presently there smote him a messenger of the Lord, because he did not give the glory to God, and having been eaten of worms, he expired.

24 And the word of God did grow and did multiply,

25 and Barnabas and Saul did turn back out of Jerusalem, having fulfilled the ministration, having taken also with [them] John, who was surnamed Mark.