使徒行傳 12
1 那時，希律王下手苦害教會中幾個人，
It was at that time that King Herod began to ill-treat some of the members of the Church.
2 用刀殺了約翰的哥哥雅各。
He had James, the brother of John, beheaded;
3 他見猶太人喜歡這事，又去捉拿彼得。那時正是除酵的日子。
and, when he saw that the Jews were pleased with this, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the Festival of the Unleavened Bread.)
4 希律拿了彼得，收在監裏，交付四班兵丁看守，每班四個人，意思要在逾越節後把他提出來，當着百姓辦他。
After seizing Peter, Herod put him in prison, and entrusted him to the keeping of four Guards of four soldiers each, intending, after the Passover, to bring him up before the people.
5 於是彼得被囚在監裏；教會卻為他切切地禱告上帝。
So Peter was kept in prison, but meanwhile the prayers of the Church were being earnestly offered to God on his behalf.
6 希律將要提他出來的前一夜，彼得被兩條鐵鍊鎖着，睡在兩個兵丁當中；看守的人也在門外看守。
Just when Herod was intending to bring him before the people, on that very night Peter was asleep between two soldiers, chained to them both, while there were sentries in front of the door, guarding the prison.
7 忽然，有主的一個使者站在旁邊，屋裏有光照耀，天使拍彼得的肋旁，拍醒了他，說：「快快起來！」那鐵鍊就從他手上脫落下來。
Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. The angel struck Peter on the side, and roused him with the words: “Get up quickly.”
8 天使對他說：「束上帶子，穿上鞋。」他就那樣做。天使又說：「披上外衣，跟着我來。」
The chains dropped from his wrists, and then the angel said: “Put on your girdle and sandals.” When Peter had done so, the angel added: “Throw your cloak round you and follow me.”
9 彼得就出來跟着他，不知道天使所做是真的，只當見了異象。
Peter followed him out, not knowing that what was happening under the angel’s guidance was real, but thinking that he was seeing a vision.
10 過了第一層第二層監牢，就來到臨街的鐵門，那門自己開了。他們出來，走過一條街，天使便離開他去了。
Passing the first Guard, and then the second, they came to the iron gate leading into the city, which opened to them of itself; and, when they had passed through that, and had walked along one street, all at once the angel left him.
11 彼得醒悟過來，說：「我現在真知道主差遣他的使者，救我脫離希律的手和猶太百姓一切所盼望的。」
Then Peter came to himself and said: “Now I know beyond all doubt that the Lord has sent his angel, and has rescued me from Herod’s hands and from all that the Jewish people have been expecting.”
12 想了一想，就往那稱呼馬可的約翰、他母親馬利亞家去，在那裏有好些人聚集禱告。
As soon as he realized what had happened, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also known as Mark, where a number of people were gathered together, praying.
13 彼得敲外門，有一個使女，名叫羅大，出來探聽，
On his knocking at the door in the gate, a maidservant, named Rhoda, came to answer it.
14 聽得是彼得的聲音，就歡喜的顧不得開門，跑進去告訴眾人說：「彼得站在門外。」
She recognized Peter’s voice, but in her joy left the gate unopened, and ran in, and told them that Peter was standing outside.
15 他們說：「你是瘋了！」使女極力地說：「真是他！」他們說：「必是他的天使！」
“You are mad!” they exclaimed. But, when she persisted that it was so, they said: “It must be his spirit!”
16 彼得不住地敲門。他們開了門，看見他，就甚驚奇。
Meanwhile Peter went on knocking, and, when they opened the gate and saw him, they were amazed.
17 彼得擺手，不要他們作聲，就告訴他們主怎樣領他出監；又說：「你們把這事告訴雅各和眾弟兄。」於是出去，往別處去了。
Peter signed to them with his hand to be silent, and then told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison, adding: “Tell James and the Brethren all this.” Then he left the house, and went away to another place.
18 到了天亮，兵丁擾亂得很，不知道彼得往哪裏去了。
In the morning there was a great stir among the soldiers — what could have become of Peter!
19 希律找他，找不着，就審問看守的人，吩咐把他們拉去殺了。後來希律離開猶太，下凱撒利亞去，住在那裏。
And, when Herod had made further search for him and failed to find him, he closely questioned the Guard, and ordered them away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to stay at Caesarea.
20 希律惱怒泰爾、西頓的人。他們那一帶地方是從王的地土得糧，因此就託了王的內侍臣伯拉斯都的情，一心來求和。
It happened that Herod was deeply offended with the people of Tyre and Sidon, but they went in a body to him, and, having succeeded in winning over Blastus, the Chamberlain, they begged Herod for a reconciliation, because their country was dependent on the King’s for its food-supply.
21 希律在所定的日子，穿上朝服，坐在位上，對他們講論一番。
On an appointed day Herod, wearing his state-robes, seated himself on his throne, and delivered an oration.
22 百姓喊着說：「這是神的聲音，不是人的聲音。」
The people kept shouting: “It is the voice of God, and not of a man!”
23 希律不歸榮耀給上帝，所以主的使者立刻罰他，他被蟲所咬，氣就絕了。
Instantly an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give God the glory; and he was attacked with worms, and died.
24 上帝的道日見興旺，越發廣傳。
Meanwhile the Lord’s Message kept extending, and spreading far and wide.
25 巴拿巴和掃羅辦完了他們供給的事，就從耶路撒冷回來，帶着稱呼馬可的約翰同去。
When Barnabas and Saul had carried out their mission, they returned to Jerusalem, and took with them John, who was also known as Mark.
