1 О коло това време цар Ирод простря ръцете си да притесни някои от църквата.

About that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to afflict and oppress and torment some who belonged to the church (assembly).

2 У би с меч Иоановия брат Якова;

And he killed James the brother of John with a sword;

3 и , като видя, че беше угодно на юдеите, той при това улови и Петра. <Това> беше <през> дните на безквасните хлябове.

And when he saw that it was pleasing to the Jews, he proceeded further and arrested Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread.

4 И като го хвана, хвърли го в тъмница, и предаде го на четири четворки войници да го вардят, с намерение да го изведе пред людете подир пасхата.

And when he had seized, he put him in prison and delivered him to four squads of soldiers of four each to guard him, purposing after the Passover to bring him forth to the people.

5 И така, те вардеха Петра в тъмницата; а църквата принасяше пред Бога усърдна молитва за него.

So Peter was kept in prison, but fervent prayer for him was persistently made to God by the church (assembly).

6 И през същата нощ, когато Ирод щеше да го изведе, Петър спеше между двама войника, окован с две вериги; и стражари пред вратата вардеха тъмницата.

The very night before Herod was about to bring him forth, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison.

7 И , ето, един ангел от Господа застана до него, и светлина осия килията; и като побута Петра по ребрата, разбуди го и рече му: Ставай бърже. И веригите паднаха от ръцете му.

And suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the place where he was. And the angel gently smote Peter on the side and awakened him, saying, Get up quickly! And the chains fell off his hands.

8 И ангелът му рече: Опаши се и обуй сандалите си. И той стори така. Тогава му каза: Облечи дрехата си и дойди подир мене.

And the angel said to him, Tighten your belt and bind on your sandals. And he did so. And he said to him, Wrap your outer garment around you and follow me.

9 И <Петър> излезе и вървеше изподире, без да знае, че извършеното от ангела е действителност, но си мислеше, че вижда видение.

And went out following him, and he was not conscious that what was apparently being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

10 А като преминаха първата и втората стража, дойдоха до желязната порта, която води в града, и тя им се отвори сама; и като излязоха <през нея>, изминаха една улица и ангелът веднага се оттегли от него.

When they had passed through the first guard and the second, they came to the iron gate which leads into the city. Of its own accord swung open, and they went out and passed on through one street; and at once the angel left him.

11 И Петър, когато дойде на себе си, рече: Сега наистина зная, че Господ изпрати ангела Си и ме избави от ръката на Ирода, и от всичко, което юдейските люде очакваха.

Then Peter came to himself and said, Now I really know and am sure that the Lord has sent His angel and delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.

12 И като поразмисли, дойде при къщата на Мария, майката на Иоана, чието презиме бе Марко, гдето бяха събрани мнозина да се молят.

When he, at a glance, became aware of this '> comprehending all the elements of the case], he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark, where a large number were assembled together and were praying.

13 И когато похлопа на вратичката в портата, една слугиня на име Рода излезе да послуша <кой е>.

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

14 И щом позна Петровия глас, от радост не отвори портата, а се завтече и извести, че Петър стои пред портата.

And recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she failed to open the gate, but ran in and told the people that Peter was standing before the porch gate.

15 А те й рекоха: Ти си луда. Но тя настояваше, че <това що им казва> е вярно. Тогава те думаха: Това е неговият ангел {Т. е. Ангел-хранител.}.

They said to her, You are crazy! But she persistently and strongly and confidently affirmed that it was the truth. They said, It is his angel!

16 А Петър продължаваше да хлопа; и като отвориха, видяха го и се смаяха.

But meanwhile Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the gate and saw him, they were amazed.

17 А той им помаха с ръка да мълчат, и им разказа, как го изведе Господ из тъмницата. И като им каза: Явете това на Якова и на братята, излезе та отиде на друго място.

But motioning to them with his hand to keep quiet and listen, he related to them how the Lord had delivered him out of the prison. And he said, Report all this to James and to the brethren. Then he left and went to some other place.

18 А като се съмна, стана не малко смущение между войниците - какво стана Петър.

Now as soon as it was day, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter.

19 А Ирод, като го потърси и не го намери, изпита стражарите и заповяда да ги погубят. И слезе от Юдея в Кесария, и там живееше.

And when Herod had looked for him and could not find him, he placed the guards on trial and commanded that they should be led away. Then went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed on there.

20 А <Ирод> беше много разгневен от тирците и сидонците; и те дойдоха единодушно при него, и, като спечелиха <поддръжката> на царския постелник Власта, просеха помирение, защото тяхната област се хранеше от царската.

Now cherished bitter animosity and hostility for the people of Tyre and Sidon; and came to him in a united body, and having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was nourished by and depended on the king’s for food.

21 И в един определен ден Ирод, облечен в царска одежда, седна на престола и държа реч пред тях.

On an appointed day Herod arrayed himself in his royal robes, took his seat upon throne, and addressed an oration to them.

22 А народът извика: Глас Божий, а не човешки!

And the assembled people shouted, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man!

23 И понеже не въздаде слава на Бога, начаса един ангел от Господа го порази, та биде изяден от червеи и умря.

And at once an angel of the Lord smote him and cut him down, because he did not give God the glory (the preeminence and kingly majesty that belong to Him as the supreme Ruler); and he was eaten by worms and died.

24 М ежду това, Божието учение растеше и се умножаваше.

But the Word of the Lord continued to grow and spread.

25 А Варнава и Савел, като свършиха службата си, върнаха се от Ерусалим в <Антиохия> и взеха със себе си Иоана, чието презиме бе Марко.

And Barnabas and Saul came back from Jerusalem when they had completed their mission, bringing with them John whose surname was Mark.