Acts 12
1 And in the same tyme Eroude the king sente power, to turmente sum men of the chirche.
It was at that time that King Herod began to ill-treat some of the members of the church.
2 And he slowe bi swerd James, the brothir of Joon.
He had James, the brother of John, beheaded;
3 And he siy that it pleside to Jewis, and keste to take also Petre; and the daies of therf looues weren.
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 And whanne he hadde cauyte Petre, he sente hym in to prisoun; and bitook to foure quaternyouns of knyytis, to kepe hym, and wolde aftir pask bringe hym forth to the puple.
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 And Petre was kept in prisoun; but preier was maad of the chirche with out ceessing to God for hym.
So Peter was kept in prison, but meanwhile the prayers of the church were being earnestly offered to God on his behalf.
6 But whanne Eroude schulde bringe hym forth, in that nyyt Petre was slepinge bitwixe twei knyytis, and was boundun with twei cheynes; and the keperis bifor the dore kepten the prisoun.
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 And lo! an aungel of the Lord stoode nyy, and liyt schoon in the prisoun hous. And whanne he hadde smyte the side of Petre, he reiside hym, and seide, Rise thou swiftli. And anoon the cheynes felden doun fro hise hoondis.
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 And the aungel seide to hym, Girde thee, and do on thin hoosis. And he dide so. And he seide to hym, Do aboute thee thi clothis, and sue me.
The chains dropped from his wrists, and then the angel said, ‘Put on your belt and sandals.’ When Peter had done so, the angel added, ‘Throw your cloak round you and follow me.’
9 And he yede out, and suede hym; and he wiste not that it was soth, that was don bi the aungel; for he gesside hym silf to haue sey a visioun.
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 And thei passiden the first and the secounde warde, and camen to the iren yate that ledith to the citee, which anoon was opened to hem. And thei yeden out, and camen in to o street, and anoon the aungel passide awei fro hym.
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 And Petre turnede ayen to hym silf, and seide, Now Y woot verili, that the Lord sente his aungel, `and delyueride me fro the hoond of Eroude, and fro al the abiding of the puple of Jewis.
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 And he bihelde, and cam to the hous of Marie, modir of Joon, that is named Marcus, where many weren gaderid togidre, and preiynge.
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 And whanne he knockid at the dore of the yate, a damysel, Rode bi name, cam forth to se.
On his knocking at the door in the gate, a maidservant, named Rhoda, came to answer it.
14 And whanne sche knewe the vois of Petre, for ioye sche openyde not the yate, but ran in, and telde, that Petre stood at the yate.
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 And thei seiden `to hir, Thou maddist. But sche affermyde, that it was so. And thei seiden, It is his aungel.
‘You are mad!’ they exclaimed. But, when she persisted that it was so, they said, ‘It must be his spirit!’
16 But Petre abood stille, and knockide. And whanne thei hadden opened the dore, thei sayen hym, and wondriden.
Meanwhile Peter went on knocking, and, when they opened the gate and saw him, they were amazed.
17 And he bekenyde to hem with his hoond to be stille, and telde hou the Lord hadde led hym out of the prisoun. And he seide, Telle ye to James and to the britheren these thingis. And he yede out, and wente in to an othere place.
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 others all this.’ Then he left the house, and went away to another place.
18 And whanne the dai was come, ther was not lytil troubling among the knyytis, what was don of Petre.
In the morning there was a great stir among the soldiers – what could have become of Peter!
19 And whanne Eroude hadde souyt hym, and foonde not, aftir that he hadde made enqueryng of the keperis, he comaundide hem to be brouyt to hym. And he cam doun fro Judee in to Cesarie, and dwellide there.
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 And he was wroth to men of Tyre and of Sidon. And thei of oon acord camen to hym, whanne thei hadden counseilid with Bastus, that was the kingis chaumbirleyn, thei axiden pees, for as myche that her cuntrees weren vitailid of hym.
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 And in a dai that was ordeyned, Eroude was clothid with kyngis clothing, and sat for domesman, and spak to hem.
On an appointed day Herod, wearing his state robes, seated himself on his throne, and delivered an oration.
22 And the puple criede, The voicis of God, and not of man.
The people kept shouting, ‘It is the voice of God, and not of a person!’
23 And anoon an aungel of the Lord smoot hym, for he hadde not youun onour to God; and he was wastid of wormes, and diede.
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 And the word of the Lord waxide, and was multiplied.
Meanwhile the Lord’s message kept extending, and spreading far and wide.
25 And Barnabas and Saul turneden ayen fro Jerusalem, whanne the mynystrie was fillid, and token Joon, that was named Marcus.
When Barnabas and Saul had carried out their mission, they returned to Jerusalem, and took with them John, who was also known as Mark.
