Acts 12
New International Reader's Version
An Angel Helps Peter Escape From Prison
12 About this time, King Herod arrested some people who belonged to the church. He planned to make them suffer greatly. 2 He had James killed with a sword. James was John’s brother. 3 Herod saw that the death of James pleased some Jews. So he arrested Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 4 After Herod arrested Peter, he put him in prison. Peter was placed under guard. He was watched by four groups of four soldiers each. Herod planned to put Peter on public trial. It would take place after the Passover Feast.
5 So Peter was kept in prison. But the church prayed hard to God for him.
6 It was the night before Herod was going to bring him to trial. Peter was sleeping between two soldiers. Two chains held him there. Lookouts stood guard at the entrance. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared. A light shone in the prison cell. The angel struck Peter on his side. Peter woke up. “Quick!” the angel said. “Get up!” The chains fell off Peter’s wrists.
8 Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” Peter did so. “Put on your coat,” the angel told him. “Follow me.” 9 Peter followed him out of the prison. But he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening. He thought he was seeing a vision. 10 They passed the first and second guards. Then they came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself. They went through it. They walked the length of one street. Suddenly the angel left Peter.
11 Then Peter realized what had happened. He said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent his angel. He set me free from Herod’s power. He saved me from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”
12 When Peter understood what had happened, he went to Mary’s house. Mary was the mother of John Mark. Many people had gathered in her home. They were praying there. 13 Peter knocked at the outer entrance. A servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14 She recognized Peter’s voice. She was so excited that she ran back without opening the door. “Peter is at the door!” she exclaimed.
15 “You’re out of your mind,” they said to her. But she kept telling them it was true. So they said, “It must be his angel.”
16 Peter kept on knocking. When they opened the door and saw him, they were amazed. 17 Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet. He explained how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this,” he said. Then he went to another place.
18 In the morning the soldiers were bewildered. They couldn’t figure out what had happened to Peter. 19 So Herod had them look everywhere for Peter. But they didn’t find him. Then Herod questioned the guards closely. He ordered that they be put to death.
Herod Dies
Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. 20 He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they got together and asked for a meeting with him. This was because they depended on the king’s country to supply them with food. They gained the support of Blastus and then asked for peace. Blastus was a trusted personal servant of the king.
21 The appointed day came. Herod was seated on his throne. He was wearing his royal robes. He made a speech to the people. 22 Then they shouted, “This is the voice of a god. It’s not the voice of a man.” 23 Right away an angel of the Lord struck Herod down. Herod had not given praise to God. So he was eaten by worms and died.
24 But God’s word continued to spread and many people believed the message.
Barnabas and Saul Are Sent Off
25 Barnabas and Saul finished their task. Then they returned from Jerusalem. They took John Mark with them.
Hechos 12
Dios Habla Hoy
Muerte de Santiago y encarcelamiento de Pedro
12 Por aquel tiempo, el rey Herodes comenzó a perseguir a algunos de la iglesia. 2 Ordenó matar a filo de espada a Santiago, el hermano de Juan; 3 y como vio que esto había agradado a los judíos, hizo arrestar también a Pedro. Esto sucedió en los días de la fiesta en que se come el pan sin levadura. 4 Después de arrestarlo, Herodes metió a Pedro en la cárcel, donde estaba vigilado por cuatro grupos de soldados, de cuatro soldados por grupo. Pensaba presentarlo ante el pueblo después de la Pascua. 5 Así que Pedro estaba en la cárcel, bien vigilado, pero los de la iglesia seguían orando a Dios por él con mucho fervor.
Un ángel libra de la cárcel a Pedro
6 La misma noche anterior al día en que Herodes lo iba a presentar ante el pueblo, Pedro estaba durmiendo entre dos soldados, sujeto con dos cadenas, mientras otros soldados estaban en la puerta vigilando la cárcel. 7 De pronto se presentó un ángel del Señor, y la cárcel se llenó de luz. El ángel tocó a Pedro en el costado, lo despertó, y le dijo: «¡Levántate en seguida!» Al instante, las cadenas cayeron de las manos de Pedro, 8 y el ángel le dijo: «Vístete y ponte las sandalias.» Así lo hizo Pedro, y el ángel añadió: «Ponte tu capa y sígueme.»
9 Pedro salió tras el ángel, sin saber si era realidad o no lo que el ángel hacía. Más bien le parecía que estaba viendo una visión. 10 Pero pasaron la primera guardia, luego la segunda, y cuando llegaron a la puerta de hierro que daba a la calle, la puerta se abrió por sí sola. Salieron, y después de haber caminado una calle, el ángel lo dejó solo.
11 Pedro comprendió entonces, y dijo: «Ahora veo que verdaderamente el Señor ha enviado a su ángel para librarme de Herodes y de todo lo que los judíos querían hacerme.»
12 Al darse cuenta de esto, Pedro se fue a casa de María, la madre de Juan, llamado también Marcos, donde muchas personas estaban reunidas en oración. 13 Llamó a la puerta de la calle, y una muchacha llamada Rode salió a ver quién era. 14 Al reconocer la voz de Pedro, fue tanta su alegría que, en vez de abrir, corrió adentro a avisar que Pedro estaba a la puerta. 15 Le dijeron:
—¡Estás loca!
Pero ella aseguraba que era cierto. Ellos decían:
—No es él; es su ángel.
16 Mientras tanto, Pedro seguía llamando a la puerta. Y cuando abrieron y lo vieron, se asustaron. 17 Pero él, con la mano, les hizo señas de que se callaran, y les contó cómo el Señor lo había sacado de la cárcel. Y añadió:
—Cuenten esto a Santiago y a los hermanos.
Luego salió y se fue a otro lugar.
18 Cuando amaneció, se produjo una gran confusión entre los soldados, porque no sabían qué había pasado con Pedro. 19 Herodes ordenó buscarlo, pero como no lo pudo encontrar, hizo responsables a los guardias y los mandó matar. Después de esto, Herodes salió de Judea y se fue a vivir a Cesarea.
La muerte de Herodes
20 Herodes estaba enojado con los habitantes de Tiro y de Sidón, los cuales se pusieron de acuerdo para presentarse ante él. Lograron ganarse la buena voluntad de Blasto, un alto funcionario del rey Herodes, y por medio de él le pidieron paz, porque Tiro y Sidón obtenían sus provisiones en el país del rey. 21 Herodes los citó para un cierto día, en el que, vestido con ropa de ceremonia, ocupó su asiento en el tribunal y les dirigió un discurso. 22 La gente comenzó entonces a gritar: «¡Este que habla no es un hombre, sino un dios!» 23 En el mismo momento, un ángel del Señor hizo que Herodes cayera enfermo, por no haber dado honor a Dios, y murió comido de gusanos.
24 Entre tanto, el mensaje de Dios iba extendiéndose y era anunciado en todas partes.
25 Cuando Bernabé y Saulo terminaron su trabajo en Jerusalén, volvieron llevándose con ellos a Juan, que también se llamaba Marcos.
Mga Gawa 12
Ang Bagong Tipan: Filipino Standard Version
Ang Pagpatay kay Santiago at ang Pagdakip kay Pedro
12 Nang mga panahong iyon, sinimulang usigin ni Haring Herodes ang ilan sa mga kaanib ng iglesya. 2 Pinapatay niya sa pamamagitan ng tabak si Santiago na kapatid ni Juan. 3 Nang makita niyang ito'y ikinatuwa ng mga Judio, ipinadakip naman niya si Pedro. Pista noon ng Tinapay na Walang Pampaalsa. 4 Pagkatapos dakpin si Pedro, ikinulong siya sa bilangguan at pinabantayan sa apat na pangkat na mga kawal. Balak ni Herodes na iharap siya sa taong-bayan pagkatapos ng Paskuwa. 5 Habang nasa bilangguan si Pedro, nagkaroon ng taimtim na pananalangin sa Diyos ang iglesya para sa kanya.
Ang Pagpapalaya ng Anghel kay Pedro
6 Nang gabing si Pedro ay malapit nang iharap ni Herodes sa mga tao, natutulog si Pedro na nakatanikala sa pagitan ng dalawang kawal. Mayroon pang mga bantay sa harap ng pintuan, 7 nang biglang lumitaw ang isang anghel ng Panginoon at isang liwanag ang tumanglaw sa kulungan. Tinapik niya si Pedro sa tagiliran at ginising. “Bumangon ka! Bilis!” sabi ng anghel. At nakalag ang mga tanikala sa kanyang mga kamay. 8 Sinabi sa kanya ng anghel, “Magbihis ka at isuot mo ang iyong mga sandalyas.” Sumunod naman si Pedro. “Magbalabal ka at sumunod sa akin,” dagdag ng anghel. 9 Sumunod si Pedro sa labas, na nag-aakalang siya'y nananaginip. Hindi niya alam na tunay ang nangyayari sa pamamagitan ng anghel. 10 Nadaanan nila ang una at pangalawang bantay, at dumating sila sa pintuang-bakal na patungo sa lungsod. Ito'y kusang nabuksan para sa kanila at sila'y lumabas. Pagkaraan nila sa isang lansangan ay agad siyang iniwan ng anghel.
11 Noon natauhan si Pedro, kaya kanyang sinabi, “Ngayo'y natitiyak ko na sinugo ng Panginoon ang kanyang anghel at iniligtas ako mula sa kamay ni Herodes at sa lahat ng binabalak ng mga Judio.”
12 Nang mapag-isip-isip niya ito, pumunta siya sa bahay ni Maria, ang ina ni Juan na tinatawag ding Marcos. Doon nagtitipon at nananalangin ang maraming tao. 13 Nang kumatok siya sa pinto, isang babaing katulong na ang pangalan ay Roda ang lumapit upang alamin kung sino ang kumakatok. 14 Nang makilala niya ang tinig ni Pedro, sa laki ng tuwa'y hindi na niya nagawang buksan ang pinto. Sa halip ay tumakbo siya paloob at sinabing si Pedro ang nasa pintuan. 15 “Nababaliw ka na,” sabi nila sa kanya. Ngunit nang ipinilit niya na naroon talaga si Pedro, kanilang sinabi, “Anghel niya iyon.” 16 Samantala'y patuloy sa pagkatok si Pedro. Nang kanilang buksan, nakita nila si Pedro at sila'y namangha. 17 Sila'y sinenyasan niyang tumahimik, pagkatapos ay isinalaysay sa kanila kung paano siya inilabas ng Panginoon mula sa bilangguan. Pagkasabi niyang “Ipagbigay-alam ninyo ito kay Santiago, at sa mga kapatid,” siya'y umalis at pumunta sa ibang dako.
18 Kinaumagahan, gulung-gulo ang mga kawal dahil hindi nila alam kung ano ang nangyari kay Pedro. 19 Nang hindi pa rin siya matagpuan matapos maipahanap ni Herodes, ipinasiyasat nito ang mga bantay at ipinag-utos na sila'y patayin.
Buhat sa Judea, si Pedro ay pumunta sa Cesarea, at doon nanirahan.
Ang Pagkamatay ni Herodes
20 Matagal nang umaapaw ang galit noon ni Herodes sa mga taga-Tiro at taga-Sidon. Nagkaisa ang mga tao na pumunta sa kanya upang makipagkasundo, sapagkat umaasa ang kanilang bayan sa lupain ng hari para sa kanilang ikabubuhay. Hinikayat nila si Blasto na katiwala ng hari upang tulungan sila.
21 Sumapit ang takdang araw at isinuot ni Herodes ang damit-hari at naupo sa trono, at sa kanila'y nagtalumpati. 22 Sumigaw ang taong-bayan, “Ito'y tinig ng diyos at hindi ng tao!” 23 Noon di'y agad siyang sinaktan ng isang anghel ng Panginoon, sapagkat hindi niya ibinigay ang kaluwalhatian sa Diyos. Kinain siya ng mga uod at namatay.
24 Samantala, ang salita ng Diyos ay patuloy na lumaganap at marami pa ang nahikayat. 25 Matapos magampanan ang kanilang tungkulin sa Jerusalem, nagbalik sina Bernabe at Saulo na kasama si Juan na tinatawag ding Marcos.
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Dios habla hoy ®, © Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas, 1966, 1970, 1979, 1983, 1996.
Ang Bagong Tipan: Filipino Standard Version, Copyright © Philippine Bible Society 2009.
