使徒行传 12
1 那时，希律王下手苦害教会中几个人，
Around this time King Herod began to persecute some members of the church.
2 用刀杀了约翰的哥哥雅各。
He had James, John's brother, executed by sword.
3 他见犹太人喜欢这事，又去捉拿彼得。那时正是除酵的日子。
When he saw that the Jews were pleased by this, he had Peter arrested too. (This was during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.)
4 希律拿了彼得，收在监里，交付四班兵丁看守，每班四个人，意思要在逾越节后把他提出来，当着百姓办他。
After having Peter arrested, he threw him in prison, with four squads of four soldiers each to guard him. He planned to have Peter brought out for a public trial after the Passover.
5 于是彼得被囚在监里；教会却为他切切地祷告 神。
While Peter was kept in prison the church prayed earnestly to God for him.
6 希律将要提他出来的前一夜，彼得被两条铁链锁着，睡在两个兵丁当中；看守的人也在门外看守。
The night before Herod was to have him put on trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, chained to each of them, and with guards at the door keeping watch.
7 忽然，有主的一个使者站在旁边，屋里有光照耀，天使拍彼得的肋旁，拍醒了他，说：“快快起来！”那铁链就从他手上脱落下来。
Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. The angel shook Peter awake, saying “Quick! Get up!” The chains fell from his wrists,
8 天使对他说：“束上带子，穿上鞋。”他就那样做。天使又说：“披上外衣，跟着我来。”
and the angel told him, “Get dressed, and put on your sandals.” So he did. Then the angel told him, “Put on your coat and follow me.”
9 彼得就出来跟着他，不知道天使所做是真的，只当见了异象。
So Peter followed the angel out. He didn't realize that what the angel was doing was actually happening—he thought he was seeing a vision.
10 过了第一层第二层监牢，就来到临街的铁门，那门自己开了。他们出来，走过一条街，天使便离开他去了。
They passed the first and second sets of guards, and came to the iron gate that led into the city. This opened for them by itself. They went out and down the street, when suddenly the angel left him.
11 彼得醒悟过来，说：“我现在真知道主差遣他的使者，救我脱离希律的手和犹太百姓一切所盼望的。”
When Peter came to his senses, he said, “Now I realize this really happened! The Lord sent an angel to rescue me from Herod's power, and from everything that the Jewish people had planned.”
12 想了一想，就往那称呼马可的约翰、他母亲马利亚家去，在那里有好些人聚集祷告。
Now that he was conscious of what had happened, Peter went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark. Many believers had gathered there, and were praying.
13 彼得敲外门，有一个使女，名叫罗大，出来探听，
When he knocked on the gateway door, a servant girl called Rhoda came to open up.
14 听得是彼得的声音，就欢喜的顾不得开门，跑进去告诉众人说：“彼得站在门外。”
But recognizing Peter's voice, in her excitement she didn't open the door. Instead she ran back inside shouting, “Peter's at the door!”
15 他们说：“你是疯了！”使女极力地说：“真是他！”他们说：“必是他的天使！”
“You're mad!” they told her. But she kept on insisting it was true. So they said, “It must be his angel.”
16 彼得不住地敲门。他们开了门，看见他，就甚惊奇。
Peter continued knocking. When they did eventually open the door, they saw it was him, and were totally shocked.
17 彼得摆手，不要他们作声，就告诉他们主怎样领他出监；又说：“你们把这事告诉雅各和众弟兄。”于是出去，往别处去了。
Peter held up his hand for them to be quiet, and then explained to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. “Let James and the brothers know about this,” he told them, and then left to go somewhere else.
18 到了天亮，兵丁扰乱得很，不知道彼得往哪里去了。
When daylight came the soldiers were totally confused as to what had happened to Peter.
19 希律找他，找不着，就审问看守的人，吩咐把他们拉去杀了。后来希律离开犹太，下凯撒利亚去，住在那里。
Herod had a thorough search made for him, but he couldn't be found. After interrogating the guards, Herod ordered that they should be executed. Then Herod left Judea and went to stay in Caesarea.
20 希律恼怒泰尔、西顿的人。他们那一带地方是从王的地土得粮，因此就托了王的内侍臣伯拉斯都的情，一心来求和。
Now Herod had become furious with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They sent a joint delegation to see him and managed to win Blastus, the king's personal assistant, over to their side. They pleaded for peace with Herod because they were dependent on the king's territory for food.
21 希律在所定的日子，穿上朝服，坐在位上，对他们讲论一番。
When the day came for their appointment with the king, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and gave a speech to them.
22 百姓喊着说：“这是神的声音，不是人的声音。”
The audience shouted in response, “This is the voice of a god, not that of a man!”
23 希律不归荣耀给 神，所以主的使者立刻罚他，他被虫所咬，气就绝了。
Immediately the angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory. He was consumed by worms and died.
24 神的道日见兴旺，越发广传。
But the word of God spread, and more and more people believed.
25 巴拿巴和扫罗办完了他们供给的事，就从耶路撒冷回来，带着称呼马可的约翰同去。
Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem once they had finished their mission, taking John Mark with them.
