Imisebenzi 12
1 Ngalesosikhathi uHerodi inkosi waseselula izandla ukuthi ahluphe abanye bebandla.
Around this time King Herod began to persecute some members of the church.
2 Wasebulala uJakobe umfowabo kaJohane ngenkemba.
He had James, John's brother, executed by sword.
3 Esebonile ukuthi lokhu kuyawathokozisa amaJuda, waqhubeka wabamba uPetro laye (njalo kwakuzinsuku zesinkwa esingelamvubelo);
When he saw that the Jews were pleased by this, he had Peter arrested too. (This was during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.)
4 esembambile laye wamfaka entolongweni, wamnikela kumaviyo amane alamabutho amane ukuze amlinde, eqonde ukumusa ebantwini emva kwephasika.
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 Ngakho uPetro wagcinwa entolongweni; kodwa umkhuleko oqhubekayo wenziwa libandla ngaye kuNkulunkulu.
While Peter was kept in prison the church prayed earnestly to God for him.
6 Kwathi uHerodi esezamkhupha, ngalobobusuku uPetro wayelele phakathi kwabebutho ababili, ebotshwe ngamaketane amabili; labalindi phambi komnyango babegcine intolongo.
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 Njalo khangela, ingilosi yeNkosi yema, lokukhanya kwakhanyisa ekamelweni; yasitshaya uPetro ehlangothini, yamvusa isithi: Sukuma ngokuphangisa. Asesiwa amaketane akhe ezandleni zakhe.
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 Ingilosi yasisithi kuye: Bhinca, ubophe amanyathela akho. Wasesenza njalo. Yasisithi kuye: Yembatha isembatho sakho, ungilandele.
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 Wasephuma wayilandela; njalo wayengazi ukuthi kuliqiniso okwenziwa yingilosi, kodwa wayecabanga ukuthi ubona umbono.
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 Njalo sebedlulile abalindi bokuqala labesibili, bafika esangweni lensimbi, elokuya emzini, elabavulekela ngokwalo; basebephuma bahamba umgwaqo waba munye; njalo ingilosi yahle yamtshiya.
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 Kwathi uPetro, eseqaqabukile, wathi: Khathesi sengisazi ngeqiniso ukuthi iNkosi ithumile ingilosi yayo, yangikhulula esandleni sikaHerodi lakukho konke okulindelwe yisizwe samaJuda.
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 Kwathi esenanzelele waya endlini kaMariya unina kaJohane othiwa futhi nguMarko, lapho okwakuhlangene khona abanengi bekhuleka.
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 Kwathi uPetro eseqoqodile esivalweni sesango, incekukazi encane yeza ukulalela, uRoda ngebizo,
When he knocked on the gateway door, a servant girl called Rhoda came to open up.
14 kwathi isilazi ilizwi likaPetro, kayivulanga isango ngenxa yentokozo, kodwa yagijima yangena yabika ukuthi uPetro umi phambi kwesango.
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 Kodwa bathi kuyo: Uyahlanya. Kodwa yaqinisisa ukuthi kunjalo. Basebesithi: Yingilosi yakhe.
“You're mad!” they told her. But she kept on insisting it was true. So they said, “It must be his angel.”
16 Kodwa uPetro waqhubeka eqoqoda; sebevulile bambona, basanganiseka.
Peter continued knocking. When they did eventually open the door, they saw it was him, and were totally shocked.
17 Wasebaqhweba ngesandla ukuze bathule, wabalandisela ukuthi iNkosi imkhuphe njani entolongweni, wathi: Bikelani uJakobe labazalwane lezizinto. Wasephuma waya kwenye indawo.
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 Sekusile, kwaba khona isiphithiphithi esingesincinyane phakathi kwebutho, ukuthi wayesehlelwe yini uPetro.
When daylight came the soldiers were totally confused as to what had happened to Peter.
19 Kwathi uHerodi esemdingile engamtholi, wabuzisisa abalindi, walaya ukuthi basuswe bayebulawa. Wasesuka eJudiya wehlela eKesariya wahlala khona.
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 Njalo uHerodi wayebathukuthelele abeTire labeSidoni; basebesiza kuye bengqondonye; sebevumelene loBlastusi induna yekamelo lokulala lenkosi, bacela ukuthula, ngoba ilizwe labo lalifunzwa ngelenkosi.
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 Njalo ngosuku olumisiweyo uHerodi wembatha isembatho sobukhosi, wasehlala esihlalweni sokwahlulela, wenza inkulumo kubo.
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 Abantu basebememeza besithi: Yilizwi likaNkulunkulu njalo kayisilo elomuntu.
The audience shouted in response, “This is the voice of a god, not that of a man!”
23 Njalo yahle yamtshaya ingilosi yeNkosi, ngoba kanikanga udumo kuNkulunkulu; wasedliwa zimpethu, waphela.
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 Kodwa ilizwi likaNkulunkulu lakhula landa.
But the word of God spread, and more and more people believed.
25 UBarnabasi loSawuli basebebuya bevela eJerusalema, sebeqedile inkonzo, babuya beloJohane laye othiwa futhi nguMarko.
Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem once they had finished their mission, taking John Mark with them.
