Actuum Apostolorum 12
1 eodem autem tempore misit Herodes rex manus ut adfligeret quosdam de ecclesia
It was at that time that King Herod began to ill-treat some of the members of the church.
2 occidit autem Iacobum fratrem Iohannis gladio
He had James, the brother of John, beheaded;
3 videns autem quia placeret Iudaeis adposuit adprehendere et Petrum erant autem dies azymorum
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 quem cum adprehendisset misit in carcerem tradens quattuor quaternionibus militum custodire eum volens post pascha producere eum populo
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 et Petrus quidem servabatur in carcere oratio autem fiebat sine intermissione ab ecclesia ad Deum pro eo
So Peter was kept in prison, but meanwhile the prayers of the church were being earnestly offered to God on his behalf.
6 cum autem producturus eum esset Herodes in ipsa nocte erat Petrus dormiens inter duos milites vinctus catenis duabus et custodes ante ostium custodiebant carcerem
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 et ecce angelus Domini adstitit et lumen refulsit in habitaculo percussoque latere Petri suscitavit eum dicens surge velociter et ceciderunt catenae de manibus eius
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 dixit autem angelus ad eum praecingere et calcia te gallicas tuas et fecit sic et dixit illi circumda tibi vestimentum tuum et sequere 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 et exiens sequebatur et nesciebat quia verum est quod fiebat per angelum aestimabat autem se visum videre
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 transeuntes autem primam et secundam custodiam venerunt ad portam ferream quae ducit ad civitatem quae ultro aperta est eis et exeuntes processerunt vicum unum et continuo discessit angelus ab eo
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 et Petrus ad se reversus dixit nunc scio vere quia misit Dominus angelum suum et eripuit me de manu Herodis et de omni expectatione plebis Iudaeorum
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 consideransque venit ad domum Mariae matris Iohannis qui cognominatus est Marcus ubi erant multi congregati et orantes
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 pulsante autem eo ostium ianuae processit puella ad audiendum nomine Rhode
On his knocking at the door in the gate, a maidservant, named Rhoda, came to answer it.
14 et ut cognovit vocem Petri prae gaudio non aperuit ianuam sed intro currens nuntiavit stare Petrum ante ianuam
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 at illi dixerunt ad eam insanis illa autem adfirmabat sic se habere illi autem dicebant angelus eius est
‘You are mad!’ they exclaimed. But, when she persisted that it was so, they said, ‘It must be his spirit!’
16 Petrus autem perseverabat pulsans cum autem aperuissent viderunt eum et obstipuerunt
Meanwhile Peter went on knocking, and, when they opened the gate and saw him, they were amazed.
17 annuens autem eis manu ut tacerent enarravit quomodo Dominus eduxisset eum de carcere dixitque nuntiate Iacobo et fratribus haec et egressus abiit in alium locum
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 facta autem die erat non parva turbatio inter milites quidnam de Petro factum esset
In the morning there was a great stir among the soldiers – what could have become of Peter!
19 Herodes autem cum requisisset eum et non invenisset inquisitione facta de custodibus iussit eos duci descendensque a Iudaea in Caesaream ibi commoratus est
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 erat autem iratus Tyriis et Sidoniis at illi unianimes venerunt ad eum et persuaso Blasto qui erat super cubiculum regis postulabant pacem eo quod alerentur regiones eorum ab illo
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 statuto autem die Herodes vestitus veste regia sedit pro tribunali et contionabatur ad eos
On an appointed day Herod, wearing his state robes, seated himself on his throne, and delivered an oration.
22 populus autem adclamabat dei voces et non hominis
The people kept shouting, ‘It is the voice of God, and not of a person!’
23 confestim autem percussit eum angelus Domini eo quod non dedisset honorem Deo et consumptus a vermibus exspiravit
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 verbum autem Domini crescebat et multiplicabatur
Meanwhile the Lord’s message kept extending, and spreading far and wide.
25 Barnabas autem et Saulus reversi sunt ab Hierosolymis expleto ministerio adsumpto Iohanne qui cognominatus est 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.
