使徒行傳 12
1 那個時期，黑落德已下手磨難教會中的一些人，
Now about that time, Herod the king laid hands on some from the church to mistreat them.
2 用劍殺了若望的哥哥雅各伯。
James, the brother of John, he put to death by sword.
3 他一看到猶太人喜歡，便命人連伯多祿也加以拘捕，時正值無酵節日；
When he saw that it was pleasing to the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter as well (it was during the days of the unleavened loaves)
4 把他拿住以後，就押在監獄中，交由四班兵士──每班四人──看守，願意在逾越節後，給百姓提出來。
—upon seizing him he put him in prison, turning him over to sixteen soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.
5 伯多祿就被看管在監獄中，而教會懇切為他向天主祈禱。
Well Peter was being held in the prison all right, but the congregation was making earnest prayer to God on his behalf.
6 及至黑落德將要提出他的時候，那一夜伯多祿被兩道鎖鏈縛著，睡在兩個士兵中，門前還有衛兵把守監獄。
So when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, with guards protecting the prison in front of the doors.
7 忽然，主的一位天使顯現，有一道光，照亮了房間，天使拍著伯多祿的肋膀，喚醒他說：「快快起來！」鎖鏈遂從他手上落下來。
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord was there, and a light shone in the cell; striking Peter on the side he roused him saying, “Quick, get up!” and the chains fell away from his wrists.
8 天使向他說：「束上腰，穿上你的鞋！」他都照辦了。天使吩咐他說：「披上你的外氅，跟我來罷！」
Then the angel said to him, “Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.” So he did. Then he said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.”
9 他就出來跟著走，還不知道天使所行的是實在的事，只想是見了異像。
So he went out and started following him, not realizing that what the angel was doing was real; he supposed he was seeing a vision.
10 他們經過第一道崗，又第二道，來到通到城的鐵門前，鐵門就自動地給他們開了；他們便出去，往前走了一條街，忽然天使離開他，不見了。
Passing through the first and second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, that opened for them by itself; upon exiting they advanced one block, and suddenly the angel left him.
11 伯多祿這纔清醒過來，說：「現今我實在知道主派了他的天使來，救我脫免黑落德的手和猶太人民所希望的事。」
When Peter had come to himself he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord sent His angel and delivered me out of Herod's hand and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”
12 他既明白過來，就往若望──號稱馬爾谷──的母親瑪利亞的家去，在那裏有好些人聚集祈禱。
Upon reflection he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John (the one called Mark), where a considerable number had gathered and were praying.
13 他敲大門的時候，有一個名叫洛德的使女過來聽。
When Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer.
14 她一認出是伯多祿的聲音，喜的沒有開門，就跑進去報告說：伯多祿站在大門前。
Upon recognizing Peter's voice, she was so glad she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing before the gate!
15 他們都對她說：「你瘋了！」她卻堅持說：實在是這樣。他們反說：「是他的天使。」
But they said to her, “You're crazy!” but she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.”
16 伯多祿還不住的敲門；他們一開門，看見是他，便驚呆了。
But Peter kept on knocking; so when they opened the door and saw him, they were astounded.
17 伯多祿擺手叫他們不要作聲，遂給他們述說上主怎樣領他出了監獄，且說：「你們要把這些事報告給雅各伯和弟兄們。」他便出去，往別的地方去了。
Motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he related to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. Then he said, “Tell these things to James and the brothers.” And going out he went off to a different place.
18 天一亮，在士兵中，起了不小的騷亂，不知伯多祿出了什麼事。
Now as soon as it was day, there was no small commotion among the soldiers about what had become of Peter!
19 黑落德遂搜尋他，搜尋不到，就審訊衛兵，下令把他們處決了。以後，黑落德從猶太下到凱撒勒雅，住在那裏。
Well after searching for him and not finding him, Herod examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Going down from Judea to Caesarea, he stayed there.
20 那時，黑落德向提洛和漆冬發了大怒；二城的人商量好，來見他，並賄賂了管王臥房的布拉斯托去求和，因為他們那一方當由君王這裏獲得食糧。
Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; so they came with one accord to him, and having won over Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food from the king's.
21 黑落德在約定的日子，披戴君王的禮服，坐在寶座上向他們演講。
So on an appointed day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on the throne and started to deliver an address to them.
22 人民便呼喊說：「這不是人的聲音，而是神的聲音。」
But the crowd started calling out, “The voice of a god and not of a man!”
23 立刻有上主的天使打擊了他，因為他沒有歸光榮於天主。他為蟲子所吃，遂斷了氣。
Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give glory to God, and being eaten by worms, he died.
24 天主的道卻逐漸發揚廣大。
And the Word of God kept growing and multiplying.
25 巴爾納伯和掃祿完成了任務，就帶著號稱馬爾谷的若望從耶路撒冷回去了。
Now Barnabas and Saul returned to Antioch, having fulfilled their mission, also taking with them John, the one called Mark.
