< Acts 12 >

1 It was at that time that King Herod began to ill-treat some of the members of the church.
κατ εκεινον δε τον καιρον επεβαλεν ηρωδης ο βασιλευς τας χειρας κακωσαι τινας των απο της εκκλησιας
2 He had James, the brother of John, beheaded;
ανειλεν δε ιακωβον τον αδελφον ιωαννου μαχαιρα
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.)
και ιδων οτι αρεστον εστιν τοις ιουδαιοις προσεθετο συλλαβειν και πετρον ησαν δε αι ημεραι των αζυμων
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.
ον και πιασας εθετο εις φυλακην παραδους τεσσαρσιν τετραδιοις στρατιωτων φυλασσειν αυτον βουλομενος μετα το πασχα αναγαγειν αυτον τω λαω
5 So Peter was kept in prison, but meanwhile the prayers of the church were being earnestly offered to God on his behalf.
ο μεν ουν πετρος ετηρειτο εν τη φυλακη προσευχη δε ην εκτενης γινομενη υπο της εκκλησιας προς τον θεον υπερ αυτου
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.
οτε δε εμελλεν αυτον προαγειν ο ηρωδης τη νυκτι εκεινη ην ο πετρος κοιμωμενος μεταξυ δυο στρατιωτων δεδεμενος αλυσεσιν δυσιν φυλακες τε προ της θυρας ετηρουν την φυλακην
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.’
και ιδου αγγελος κυριου επεστη και φως ελαμψεν εν τω οικηματι παταξας δε την πλευραν του πετρου ηγειρεν αυτον λεγων αναστα εν ταχει και εξεπεσον αυτου αι αλυσεις εκ των χειρων
8 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.’
ειπεν τε ο αγγελος προς αυτον περιζωσαι και υποδησαι τα σανδαλια σου εποιησεν δε ουτως και λεγει αυτω περιβαλου το ιματιον σου και ακολουθει μοι
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.
και εξελθων ηκολουθει αυτω και ουκ ηδει οτι αληθες εστιν το γινομενον δια του αγγελου εδοκει δε οραμα βλεπειν
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.
διελθοντες δε πρωτην φυλακην και δευτεραν ηλθον επι την πυλην την σιδηραν την φερουσαν εις την πολιν ητις αυτοματη ηνοιχθη αυτοις και εξελθοντες προηλθον ρυμην μιαν και ευθεως απεστη ο αγγελος απ αυτου
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.’
και ο πετρος γενομενος εν εαυτω ειπεν νυν οιδα αληθως οτι εξαπεστειλεν κυριος τον αγγελον αυτου και εξειλετο με εκ χειρος ηρωδου και πασης της προσδοκιας του λαου των ιουδαιων
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.
συνιδων τε ηλθεν επι την οικιαν μαριας της μητρος ιωαννου του επικαλουμενου μαρκου ου ησαν ικανοι συνηθροισμενοι και προσευχομενοι
13 On his knocking at the door in the gate, a maidservant, named Rhoda, came to answer it.
κρουσαντος δε αυτου την θυραν του πυλωνος προσηλθεν παιδισκη υπακουσαι ονοματι ροδη
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.
και επιγνουσα την φωνην του πετρου απο της χαρας ουκ ηνοιξεν τον πυλωνα εισδραμουσα δε απηγγειλεν εσταναι τον πετρον προ του πυλωνος
15 ‘You are mad!’ they exclaimed. But, when she persisted that it was so, they said, ‘It must be his spirit!’
οι δε προς αυτην ειπον μαινη η δε διισχυριζετο ουτως εχειν οι δε ελεγον ο αγγελος αυτου εστιν
16 Meanwhile Peter went on knocking, and, when they opened the gate and saw him, they were amazed.
ο δε πετρος επεμενεν κρουων ανοιξαντες δε ειδον αυτον και εξεστησαν
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 others all this.’ Then he left the house, and went away to another place.
κατασεισας δε αυτοις τη χειρι σιγαν διηγησατο αυτοις πως ο κυριος εξηγαγεν αυτον εκ της φυλακης ειπεν δε απαγγειλατε ιακωβω και τοις αδελφοις ταυτα και εξελθων επορευθη εις ετερον τοπον
18 In the morning there was a great stir among the soldiers – what could have become of Peter!
γενομενης δε ημερας ην ταραχος ουκ ολιγος εν τοις στρατιωταις τι αρα ο πετρος εγενετο
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.
ηρωδης δε επιζητησας αυτον και μη ευρων ανακρινας τους φυλακας εκελευσεν απαχθηναι και κατελθων απο της ιουδαιας εις την καισαρειαν διετριβεν
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.
ην δε ηρωδης θυμομαχων τυριοις και σιδωνιοις ομοθυμαδον τε παρησαν προς αυτον και πεισαντες βλαστον τον επι του κοιτωνος του βασιλεως ητουντο ειρηνην δια το τρεφεσθαι αυτων την χωραν απο της βασιλικης
21 On an appointed day Herod, wearing his state robes, seated himself on his throne, and delivered an oration.
τακτη δε ημερα ο ηρωδης ενδυσαμενος εσθητα βασιλικην και καθισας επι του βηματος εδημηγορει προς αυτους
22 The people kept shouting, ‘It is the voice of God, and not of a person!’
ο δε δημος επεφωνει θεου φωνη και ουκ ανθρωπου
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.
παραχρημα δε επαταξεν αυτον αγγελος κυριου ανθ ων ουκ εδωκεν την δοξαν τω θεω και γενομενος σκωληκοβρωτος εξεψυξεν
24 Meanwhile the Lord’s message kept extending, and spreading far and wide.
ο δε λογος του θεου ηυξανεν και επληθυνετο
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.
βαρναβας δε και σαυλος υπεστρεψαν εξ ιερουσαλημ πληρωσαντες την διακονιαν συμπαραλαβοντες και ιωαννην τον επικληθεντα μαρκον

< Acts 12 >