1 و َفِي نَحوِ ذَلِكَ الوَقتِ، بَدَأ المَلِكُ هِيرُودُسُ يَضطَهِدُ أعضاءَ الكَنِيسَةِ.

Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

2 ف َأمَرَ بِقَتلِ يَعقُوبَ أخِي يُوحَنّا بِالسَّيفِ.

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

3 و َلَمّا رَأى أنَّ هَذا أرْضَى اليَهُودَ، قَبَضَ عَلَى بُطرُسَ أيضاً أثناءَ عِيدِ الخُبزِ غَيرِ المُختَمِرِ.

And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)

4 و َبَعدَ أنْ قَبَضَ عَلَيهِ، وَضَعَهُ فِي السِّجنِ. وَسَلَّمَهُ إلَى وِحدَةٍ عَسكَرِيَّةٍ تَتَألَّفُ مِنْ سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ جُندِيّاً لِحِراسَتِهِ. وَكانَ فِي نِيَّتِهِ أنْ يُحاكِمَهُ أمامَ النّاسِ بَعدَ عِيدِ الفِصحِ.

And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

5 ف َكانَ بُطرُسُ مُحتَجَزاً فِي السِّجنِ. أمّا الكَنِيسَةُ فَكانَتْ تَرفَعُ إلَى اللهِ صَلَواتٍ حارَّةً مِنْ أجلِهِ. إنْقاذُ بُطرُسَ مِنَ السِّجن

Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

6 و َكانَ هِيرُودُسُ يُرِيدُ أنْ يُحاكِمَ بُطرُسَ عَلَناً فِي اليَومِ التّالِي. فِي تِلكَ اللَّيلَةِ كانَ بُطرُسُ نائِماً بَينَ جُندِيَّيْنِ، مُقَيَّداً بِسِلسِلَتَينِ. وَكانَ هُناكَ حُرّاسٌ عِندَ البَوّابَةِ يُراقِبُونَ السِّجنَ.

And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

7 و َفَجأةً، وَقَفَ مَلاكٌ مِنْ عِندِ الرَّبِّ هُناكَ. وَلَمَعَ نُورٌ فِي الزِّنزانَةِ. فَضَرَبَ المَلاكُ بُطرُسَ ضَربَةً خَفِيفَةً عَلَى جَنبِهِ، وَأيقَظَهُ وَقالَ لَهُ: «قٌمْ بِسُرعَةٍ!» فَسَقَطَتِ السِّلسِلَتانِ عَنْ يَدَيهِ.

And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

8 ث ُمَّ قالَ المَلاكُ لِبُطرُسَ: «البِسْ حِزامَكَ وَحِذاءَكَ.» فَفَعَلَ. ثُمَّ قالَ المَلاكُ لَهُ: «البِسْ رِداءَكَ وَاتبَعنِي.»

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

9 ف َتَبِعَهُ إلَى الخارِجِ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يَدرِي أنَّ ما يَفعَلُهُ المَلاكُ كانَ حَقِيقِيّاً، فَقَدْ ظَنَّ أنَّهُ يَرَى رُؤيا.

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

10 و َبَعدَ أنْ مَرّا بِالمَجمُوعَتَينِ الأُولَى وَالثّانِيَةِ مِنَ الحُرّاسِ، وَصَلا إلَى البَوّابَةِ الحَدِيدِيَّةِ المُؤَدِّيَةِ إلَى المَدِينَةِ. فَانفَتَحَتْ مِنْ ذاتِها، فَخَرَجا مِنها. وَتابَعا سَيرَهُما مَسافَةَ شارِعٍ واحِدٍ، ثُمَّ تَرَكَهُ المَلاكُ فَجأةً.

When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.

11 ف أدرَكَ بُطرُسُ أنَّهُ لا يَحلُمُ، وَقالَ: «الآنَ أعرِفُ أنَّ هَذا صَحِيحٌ فِعلاً: أرسَلَ الرَّبُّ مَلاكَهُ، وَأنقَذَنِي مِنْ يَدَي هِيرُودُوسَ، وَمِنْ كُلِّ ما كانَ اليَهُودُ يَنتَظِرونَ أنْ يَحدُثَ لِي.»

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

12 ف َلَمّا أدرَكَ هَذا، ذَهَبَ إلَى بَيتِ مَريَمَ، أُمِّ يُوحَنّا الَّذِي يُدعَى أيضاً مَرقُسَ. وَكانَ قَدْ تَجَمَّعَ هُناكَ أشخاصٌ كثِيرُونَ يُصَلُّونَ.

And 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 praying.

13 ف َقَرَعَ بُطرُسُ البابَ الخارِجِيَّ. فَجاءَتْ خادِمَةٌ اسْمُها رُودا لِكَيْ تَرُدَّ.

And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.

14 ف َلَمّا مَيَّزَتْ صَوتَ بُطرُسَ، رَكَضَتْ مِنْ فَرحَتِها إلَى الدّاخِلِ دُونَ أنْ تَفتَحَ لَهُ البابَ. وَقالَتْ: «بُطرُسُ واقِفٌ بِالبابِ.»

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

15 ف َقالُوا لَها: «أنتِ مَجنُونَةٌ!» لَكِنَّها ظَلَّتْ تُصِرُّ عَلَى أنَّهُ هُوَ. فَقالُوا: «إنَّهُ مَلاكُهُ.»

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

16 غ َيرَ أنَّ بُطرُسَ وَاصَلَ قَرعَ البابِ. فَلَمّا فَتَحُوا البابَ وَرَأوهُ، ذُهِلُوا.

But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.

17 ف َأشارَ لَهُمْ بِيَدِهِ أنْ يَهدَأُوا، وَشَرَحَ لَهُمْ كَيفَ أنَّ الرَّبَّ أخرَجَهُ مِنَ السِّجنِ. وَقالَ لَهُمْ: «أخبِرُوا يَعقُوبَ وَالإخوَةَ بِهَذا.» ثُمَّ غادَرَ وَذَهَبَ إلَى مَكانٍ آخَرَ.

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

18 و َعِندَما طَلَعَ النَّهارُ، حَدَثَ ارتِباكٌ كَثِيرٌ بَينَ الحُرّاسِ. وَكانُوا يَتَساءَلُونَ: «ماذا يُمكِنُ أنْ يَكُونَ قَدْ حَدَثَ لِبُطرُسَ؟»

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

19 و َبَحَثَ هِيرُودُسُ عَنهُ فَلَمْ يَجِدهُ. وَبَعدَ هَذا أجرَى تَحقِيقاً مَعَ الحُرّاسِ وَأمَرَ بِإعدامِهِمْ. مَوتُ هِيرُودُسَ أغرِيباس ثُمَّ نَزَلَ هِيرُودُسُ مِنَ اليَهُودِيَّةِ إلَى قَيصَرِيَّةَ وَأمضَى بَعضَ الوَقتِ هُناكَ.

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

20 و َكانَ غاضِباً جِدّاً مِنْ أهلِ صُورَ وَصَيداءَ. فَجاءُوا فِي وَفدٍ إلَيهِ. فَبَعدَ أنْ ضَمِنُوا دَعمَ حاجِبِ المَلِكِ بلاسْتُسَ، طَلَبُوا أنْ يَتَصالَحُوا مَعَ هِيرُودُوسَ، لأنَّ مِنطَقَتَهُمْ كانَتْ تَحصُلُ عَلَى الطَّعامِ مِنْ مِنْطَقَةِ المَلِكِ.

And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country.

21 و َفِي يَومٍ مُعَيَّنٍ، لَبِسَ هِيرُودُسُ ثِيابَهُ المَلَكِيَّةَ وَجَلَسَ عَلَى عَرشِهِ، وَألقَى خِطاباً فِي النّاسِ.

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

22 ف َهَتَفَ النّاسُ: «هَذا صَوتُ إلَهٍ، لا صَوتُ بَشَرٍ!»

And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.

23 و َفَجأةً ضَرَبَهُ مَلاكٌ مِنْ عِندِ الرَّبِّ، لِأنَّهُ لَمْ يُمَجِّدِ اللهَ. وَأخَذَ الدُّودُ يَأْكُلُ جَسَدَهُ إلَى أنْ ماتَ.

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

24 أ مّا كَلِمَةُ اللهِ، فَكانَتْ تَنتَشِرُ وَتَتَّسِعُ.

But the word of God grew and multiplied.

25 و َأنهَى بَرنابا وَشاوُلُ مَهَمَّتَهُما فِي مَدينَةِ القُدسِ وَعادا إلَى أنطاكِيَّةَ مُصطَحِبينَ يُوحَنّا الَّذِي يُسَمَّى مَرْقُسَ.

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