Acts 12
1 It was at that time that King Herod began to ill-treat some of the members of the Church.
Kungaba yisikhathi lapho iNkosi uHerodi eyabopha khona abanye ababe ngabebandla eqonde ukubahlukumeza.
2 He had James, the brother of John, beheaded;
Wabulalisa uJakhobe umfowabo kaJohane ngenkemba.
3 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.)
Wathi esebone ukuthi lokho kwakuwathabisa amaJuda, wabopha loPhethro njalo. Lokho kwenzakala ngezinsuku zoMkhosi weSinkwa esingelaMvubelo.
4 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.
Esembophile wamphosela entolongweni, wamnikela ukuba alindwe ngamaviyo amane amabutho, ngalinye lilamabutho amane. UHerodi wayefuna ukuthi ngemva kwePhasika amkhuphele obala athonisiswe phambi kwabantu.
5 So Peter was kept in prison, but meanwhile the prayers of the Church were being earnestly offered to God on his behalf.
Ngakho uPhethro wagcinwa entolongweni, kodwa ibandla lamkhulekela njalonjalo kuNkulunkulu.
6 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.
Ngobusuku obandulela ukuthonisiswa kukaPhethro nguHerodi, uPhethro wayelele ephahlwe ngamabutho amabili, ebotshwe ngamaketane amabili, kumi abalindi emnyango wentolongo.
7 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.”
Masinyane ingilosi yeNkosi yavela, kwabakhona ukukhanya kulelokamela lentolongo. Yathinta uPhethro ohlangothini, yamvusa yathi, “Phangisa, vuka!” Amaketane akhithika ezingalweni zikaPhethro.
8 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.”
Ingilosi yasisithi kuye, “Gqoka, ufake lamanyathela akho.” UPhethro wenzenjalo. Ingilosi yamtshela yathi, “Yembatha ijazi lakho ungilandele.”
9 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.
UPhethro wayilandela ngaphandle kwentolongo, kodwa wayedidekile engakwazi ukuthi lokho ingilosi eyayikwenza kwakusenzakala ngempela; wayekhumbula ukuthi ubona umbono.
10 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.
Bedlula kubalindi, owokuqala lowesibili bafika esangweni lensimbi elaliphumela edolobheni. Lazivulekela baphuma. Kwathi sebehambe baphutsha umgwaqo wedolobho, ingilosi yamtshiya.
11 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.”
Kwayikhona uPhethro enanzelela, wathi, “Khathesi sengisazi kungelakuthandabuza ukuthi iNkosi ithume ingilosi yayo yangihlenga ezibotshweni zikaHerodi lakukho konke obekufiswa ngamaJuda.”
12 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.
Sekumkhanyele kuhle lokhu, waqonda endlini kaMariya unina kaJohane, owayethiwa nguMakho njalo, khona lapho abantu abanengi babebuthene bekhuleka.
13 On his knocking at the door in the gate, a maidservant, named Rhoda, came to answer it.
UPhethro waqoqoda entubeni yangaphandle, kwathi incekukazi eyayithiwa nguRoda yayabuza ukuthi ngubani owayesemnyango.
14 She recognized Peter’s voice, but in her joy left the gate unopened, and ran in, and told them that Peter was standing outside.
Isilizwile ilizwi likaPhethro yathaba kakhulu, yagijimela phakathi ingasawuvulanga, yabika yathi, “UPhethro usemnyango!”
15 “You are mad!” they exclaimed. But, when she persisted that it was so, they said: “It must be his spirit!”
Bathi, “Uyahlanya wena.” Kwathi ngoba wala elokhu ephikelela ukuthi liqiniso, bathi, “Kutsho ukuthi yingilosi yakhe.”
16 Meanwhile Peter went on knocking, and, when they opened the gate and saw him, they were amazed.
Kodwa uPhethro wala elokhu eqoqoda, bathi bevula umnyango bambona, bamangala kakhulu.
17 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.
UPhethro wabatshengisa ngesandla ukuthi bathule, wasebalandisela ukuthi iNkosi imkhuphe kanjani entolongweni. Wathi, “Libotshela uJakhobe labazalwane ngalokhu.” Wasesuka waya kwenye indawo.
18 In the morning there was a great stir among the soldiers — what could have become of Peter!
Ekuseni kwaba lokunyakazela okukhulu phakathi kwabebutho. Babuza bathi, “Kambe ngabe uPhethro wenzenjani?”
19 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.
Kwathi uHerodi esemthungathe waze wabeka phansi, wathonisisa abalindi wasesithi kababulawe. UHerodi wasuka eJudiya waya eKhesariya wayahlala khona okwesikhathi esithile.
20 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.
Wayekade exabana labantu beThire labeSidoni; basebehlangana ndawonye bacela ukukhuluma laye. Sebezuze ukusekelwa nguBhlastu inceku ethembekileyo enkosini, bacela ukuthula ngoba ukudla kwabo babekuthola elizweni lenkosi.
21 On an appointed day Herod, wearing his state-robes, seated himself on his throne, and delivered an oration.
Ngosuku olumisiweyo, uHerodi wagqoka izigqoko zobukhosi wahlala esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi, wasekhuluma ebantwini.
22 The people kept shouting: “It is the voice of God, and not of a man!”
Bamemeza bathi, “Leli yilizwi likaNkulunkulu, hatshi elomuntu.”
23 Instantly an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give God the glory; and he was attacked with worms, and died.
Masinyane nje, ngenxa yokuthi uHerodi wayengamkhonzi uNkulunkulu, ingilosi yeNkosi yamtshaya yamlahla phansi, wadliwa zimpethu wafa.
24 Meanwhile the Lord’s Message kept extending, and spreading far and wide.
Kodwa ilizwi likaNkulunkulu laqhubeka likhula njalo lisanda.
25 When Barnabas and Saul had carried out their mission, they returned to Jerusalem, and took with them John, who was also known as Mark.
Kwathi uBhanabhasi loSawuli sebewuqedile umlandu wabo, babuyela besuka eJerusalema, bahamba loJohane, owayethiwa nguMakho.
