1Por aquele tempo, o rei Herodes tomou medidas contra alguns da igreja.2E matou Tiago, irmão de João, pela espada.3Vendo que isto tinha agradado aos anciãos, Herodes prendeu Pedro durante a festa da Páscoa.4E meteu-o na cadeia guardado por quatro grupos de quatro soldados cada. A intenção de Herodes era entregar Pedro aos judeus para que fosse julgado depois da Páscoa.5Mas durante todo o tempo que passou na prisão, a igreja orava fervorosamente a Deus, rogando pela sua vida.6Na noite anterior ao seu julgamento, Pedro dormia preso com correntes duplas, entre dois soldados; havia ainda outros guardas à porta da prisão.7De súbito, fez-se uma luz na cela e junto dele apareceu um anjo do Senhor que, tocando-lhe para o acordar, disse: “Levanta-te depressa!” Logo as correntes lhe caíram dos pulsos.8E continuou: “Veste-te e calça-te.” Pedro obedeceu. “Agora embrulha-te na capa e segue-me!”9Saiu da cela atrás do anjo, mas sem saber que aquilo que o anjo estava a fazer era real, antes pensava que se tratava de uma visão.10Passaram pelo primeiro e segundo postos da guarda e chegaram ao portão de ferro que dava para a cidade, o qual se abriu por si mesmo à frente deles! Cruzaram-no e caminharam juntos pelo espaço de um quarteirão. E então repentinamente o anjo desapareceu.11Só nessa altura é que Pedro compreendeu o que tinha acontecido. “É realmente verdade!”, disse consigo próprio. “O Senhor mandou o seu anjo salvar-me das mãos de Herodes e do que os judeus queriam fazer-me!”12Depois de pensar um pouco, dirigiu-se a casa de Maria, mãe de João Marcos, onde muitos se encontravam reunidos para orar.13Bateu no portão da entrada e quem o abriu foi uma rapariga chamada Rode.14Esta, ao reconhecer a voz de Pedro, ficou tão contente que voltou a correr para dentro de casa dizendo quem estava à porta da rua; mas não acreditavam nas suas palavras.15“Não estás boa da cabeça!”, diziam. Mas como insistisse, julgaram: “Deve ser o seu anjo!”16Entretanto, Pedro continuava a bater à porta. Quando, por fim, a abriram, a surpresa não podia ser maior.17Pedro fez-lhes sinal para que se acalmassem e contou-lhes o que sucedera e como o Senhor o tirara da cadeia. “Contem também a Tiago e aos outros o que aconteceu”, disse, saindo em seguida para um local mais seguro.18Chegada a manhã, houve um grande alarido na prisão. Que era feito de Pedro?19Quando Herodes o mandou buscar e soube que não estava lá, prendeu os guardas que foram condenados à morte. Depois disto, Herodes deixou a Judeia e foi para Cesareia durante algum tempo.20Ali, procurou-o uma delegação chegada de Tiro e Sídon. Herodes estava em conflito com o povo daquelas duas cidades, mas os enviados, travando amizade com Blasto, o secretário do rei, pediram a paz, pois as suas cidades dependiam do rei para alimento.21Combinada uma entrevista com o rei, no dia marcado, Herodes, nas suas vestes reais, sentou-se no trono e fez um discurso.22No fim, o povo gritou com grandes aplausos: “Isto não é um homem a falar! É a voz de um deus!”23Imediatamente um anjo do Senhor feriu Herodes com uma doença, de tal modo que se encheu de bichos e morreu, por ter aceitado a adoração do povo, em vez de dar glória a Deus.24As boas novas de Deus, porém, espalhavam-se rapidamente e havia muitos novos crentes.25Barnabé e Saulo acabaram a sua missão em Jerusalém e regressaram a Antioquia, levando João Marcos com eles.
1About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church.2He killed James the brother of John with the sword, (Mt 4:21; Mt 20:23; Hb 11:37)3and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. (Ex 12:14; Ex 23:15; At 20:6; At 24:27; At 25:9)4And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. (Lc 21:12; Jo 19:23)5So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. (2 Co 1:11; Ef 6:18)
Peter Is Rescued
6Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. (At 21:33)7And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. (1 Rs 19:7; Lc 2:9; Lc 24:4; At 8:26; At 16:26)8And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” (Mc 6:9)9And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. (Sl 126:1)10When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. (At 5:19; At 16:26)11When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” (Sl 33:18; Sl 34:7; Sl 91:11; Dn 3:28; Dn 6:22; Lc 15:17; 2 Co 1:10)12When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. (At 12:5; At 12:25; At 13:5; At 13:13; At 15:37; At 15:39; Cl 4:10; 2 Tm 4:11; Fm 1:24; 1 Pe 5:13)13And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. (Jo 18:16)14Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. (Gn 45:26; Lc 24:41)15They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!” (Mt 18:10; Hb 1:14)16But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed.17But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.”[1] Then he departed and went to another place. (Jo 21:23; At 13:16; At 15:13; At 19:33; At 21:18; At 21:40; Gl 1:19; Gl 2:9; Gl 2:12)18Now when day came, there was no little disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter.19And after Herod searched for him and did not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent time there. (At 16:27; At 27:42)
The Death of Herod
20Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king’s chamberlain,[2] they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. (1 Rs 5:9; Ed 3:7; Ez 27:17; Mt 28:14)21On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them.22And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!”23Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last. (2 Sm 24:16; 2 Rs 19:35; Sl 115:1; At 8:26)24But the word of God increased and multiplied. (At 6:7)25And Barnabas and Saul returned from[3] Jerusalem when they had completed their service, bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark. (At 11:29; At 12:12)