¹Karibu wakati huohuo, mfalme Herode alianza kuwatesa baadhi ya Wakristo.

¹Now about that time Herod the king put forth his hands to afflict certain of the church.

²Alimwua kwa upanga Yakobo ndugu yake Yohane.

²And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

³Alipoona kuwa kitendo hiki kiliwapendeza Wayahudi, aliendelea, akamkamata Petro. (Hiyo ilifanyika wakati wa sikukuu ya Mikate Isiyotiwa chachu.)

³And when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. And [those] were the days of unleavened bread.

⁴Baada ya kutiwa nguvuni, Petro alifungwa gerezani, akawekwa chini ya ulinzi wa vikundi vinne vya askari wannewanne. Herode alikusudia kumtoa hadharani baada ya sikukuu ya Pasaka.

⁴And when he had taken him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him; intending after the Passover to bring him forth to the people.

⁵Basi, Petro alipokuwa gerezani, kanisa lilikuwa linamwombea kwa Mungu kwa moyo.

⁵Peter therefore was kept in the prison: but prayer was made earnestly of the church unto God for him.

⁶Usiku, kabla ya siku ile ambayo Herode angemtoa Petro hadharani, Petro alikuwa amelala kati ya askari wawili. Alikuwa amefungwa minyororo miwili, na walinzi walikuwa wanalinda lango la gereza.

⁶And when Herod was about to bring him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and guards before the door kept the prison.

⁷Ghafla, malaika wa Bwana akasimama karibu naye na mwanga ukaangaza kile chumba cha gereza. Malaika akamgusa akisema, "Amka upesi!" Mara ile minyororo ikaanguka kutoka katika mikono yake.

⁷And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shined in the cell: and he smote Peter on the side, and awoke him, saying, Rise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

⁸Malaika akamwambia, "Jifunge mshipi wako, vaa viatu vyako." Akafanya hivyo. Kisha huyo malaika akamwambia, "Vaa koti lako, unifuate."

⁸And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And he did so. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.

⁹Petro akamfuata nje lakini hakujua kama hayo yaliyofanywa na huyo malaika yalikuwa ya kweli; alidhani alikuwa anaota ndoto.

⁹And he went out, and followed; and he knew not that it was true which was done by the angel, but thought he saw a vision.

¹⁰Walipita kituo cha kwanza cha ulinzi na cha pili, halafu wakafika kwenye mlango wa chuma wa kuingilia mjini. Huo mlango ukawafungukia wenyewe, nao wakatoka nje. Wakawa wanatembea katika barabara moja na mara yule malaika akamwacha Petro peke yake.

¹⁰And when they were past the first and the second guard, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth into the city; which opened to them of its own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and straightway the angel departed from him.

¹¹Hapo ndipo Petro alipotambua yaliyotukia, akasema, "Sasa najua kwa hakika kwamba Bwana amemtuma malaika wake akaniokoa kutoka katika mkono wa Herode na kutoka katika mambo yale yote watu wa Israeli waliyotazamia."

¹¹And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a truth, that the Lord hath sent forth his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

¹²Alipotambua hivyo alikwenda moja kwa moja mpaka nyumbani kwa Maria mama yake Yohane aitwaye Marko. Humo watu wengi walikuwa wamekusanyika wakisali.

¹²And when he had considered [the thing], he came to the house of Mary the mother of John whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together and were praying.

¹³Petro alibisha mlango wa nje na mtumishi mmoja msichana aitwaye Roda, akaenda mlangoni kuitikia.

¹³And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a maid came to answer, named Rhoda.

¹⁴Huyo msichana aliitambua sauti ya Petro akafurahi mno, hata badala ya kuufungua ule mlango, akakimbilia ndani na kuwaambia kwamba Petro alikuwa amesimama nje mlangoni.

¹⁴And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for joy, but ran in, and told that Peter stood before the gate.

¹⁵Wakamwambia yule msichana, "Una wazimu!" Lakini yeye akasisitiza kwamba ilikuwa kweli. Nao wakamwambia, "Huyo ni malaika wake."

¹⁵And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she confidently affirmed that it was even so. And they said, It is his angel.

¹⁶Wakati huo Petro alikuwa anaendelea kupiga hodi. Mwishowe walifungua mlango, wakamwona, wakashangaa.

¹⁶But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened, they saw him, and were amazed.

¹⁷Petro aliwaashiria kwa mkono wakae kimya, akawaeleza jinsi Bwana alivyomtoa gerezani. Kisha akawaambia watoe taarifa ya jambo hilo kwa Yakobo na wale ndugu wengine, halafu akatoka akaenda mahali pengine.

¹⁷But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him forth out of the prison. And he said, Tell these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went to another place.

¹⁸Kulipokucha, ulitokea wasiwasi mkubwa kati ya wale askari kuhusu yaliyokuwa yamempata Petro.

¹⁸Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.

¹⁹Herode aliamuru ufanywe msako lakini hawakuweza kumpata. Hivyo aliamuru wale askari wahojiwe, akatoa amri wauawe. Halafu akatoka huko Yudea akaenda Kaisarea ambako alikaa.

¹⁹And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the guards, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and tarried there.

²⁰Herode alikasirishwa sana na watu wa Tiro na Sidoni. Lakini wao walimpelekea wajumbe. Nao wakafaulu kwanza kumpata Blasto awe upande wao. Blasto alikuwa msimamizi mkuu wa ikulu ya mfalme. Kisha, wakamwendea Herode wakamwomba kuwe na amani, kwa maana nchi yao ilitegemea nchi ya mfalme kwa chakula.

²⁰Now he was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: and they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was fed from the king's country.

²¹Siku moja iliyochaguliwa, Herode akiwa amevaa mavazi rasmi na kuketi katika kiti cha kifalme aliwahutubia watu.

²¹And upon a set day Herod arrayed himself in royal apparel, and sat on the throne, and made an oration unto them.

²²Wale watu walimpigia kelele za shangwe wakisema, "Hii ni sauti ya mungu, si ya mtu."

²²And the people shouted, [saying], The voice of a god, and not of a man.

²³Papo hapo malaika wa Bwana akamwangusha Herode chini kwa sababu hakumpa Mungu hizo sifa. Akaliwa na wadudu, akafa.

²³And immediately an angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

²⁴Neno la Mungu likazidi kuenea na kukua.

²⁴But the word of God grew and multiplied.

²⁵Baada ya Barnaba na Saulo kutekeleza shughuli zao, walitoka tena Yerusalemu wakamchukua Yohane aitwaye pia Marko.

²⁵And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministration, taking with them John whose surname was Mark.