1En ese tiempo el rey Herodes hizo arrestar a algunos de la iglesia con el fin de maltratarlos.2A Jacobo, hermano de Juan, lo mandó matar a espada.3Al ver que esto agradaba a los judíos, procedió a prender también a Pedro. Esto sucedió durante la fiesta de los Panes sin levadura.4Después de arrestarlo, lo metió en la cárcel y lo puso bajo la vigilancia de cuatro grupos de cuatro soldados cada uno. Tenía la intención de hacerlo comparecer en juicio público después de la Pascua.5Pero, mientras mantenían a Pedro en la cárcel, la iglesia oraba constante y fervientemente a Dios por él.6La misma noche en que Herodes estaba a punto de sacar a Pedro para someterlo a juicio, este dormía entre dos soldados, sujeto con dos cadenas. Unos guardias vigilaban la entrada de la cárcel.7De repente apareció un ángel del Señor y una luz resplandeció en la celda. Despertó a Pedro con unas palmadas en el costado y le dijo: «¡Date prisa, levántate!» Las cadenas cayeron de las manos de Pedro.8Le dijo además el ángel: «Vístete y cálzate las sandalias». Así lo hizo, y el ángel añadió: «Échate la capa encima y sígueme».9Pedro salió tras él, pero no sabía si realmente estaba sucediendo lo que el ángel hacía, pues le parecía que se trataba de una visión.10Pasaron por la primera y la segunda guardia, y llegaron al portón de hierro que daba a la ciudad. El portón se abrió por sí solo, y salieron. Tras caminar un trecho, sin más, el ángel lo dejó solo.11Entonces Pedro volvió en sí y se dijo: «Ahora estoy completamente seguro de que el Señor ha enviado a su ángel para librarme del poder de Herodes y de todo lo que el pueblo judío esperaba».12Consciente de lo sucedido, fue a casa de María, la madre de Juan, apodado Marcos, donde muchas personas estaban reunidas orando.13Llamó a la puerta de la calle, y salió a responder una criada llamada Rode.14Al reconocer la voz de Pedro, se puso tan contenta que volvió corriendo sin abrir. ―¡Pedro está a la puerta! —exclamó.15―¡Estás loca! —le dijeron. Ella insistía en que así era, pero los otros decían: ―Debe de ser su ángel.16Entre tanto, Pedro seguía llamando. Cuando abrieron la puerta y lo vieron, se quedaron pasmados.17Con la mano, Pedro les hizo señas de que se callaran, y les contó cómo el Señor lo había sacado de la cárcel. ―Contadle esto a Jacobo y a los hermanos —les dijo. Luego salió y se fue a otro lugar.18Al amanecer se produjo un gran alboroto entre los soldados respecto al paradero de Pedro.19Herodes hizo averiguaciones, pero, al no encontrarlo, tomó declaración a los guardias y mandó matarlos. Después viajó de Judea a Cesarea y se quedó allí.
Muerte de Herodes
20Herodes estaba furioso con los de Tiro y de Sidón, pero ellos se pusieron de acuerdo y se presentaron ante él. Habiéndose ganado el favor de Blasto, mayordomo del rey, pidieron paz, porque su región dependía del país del rey para obtener sus provisiones.21El día señalado, Herodes, ataviado con su ropaje real y sentado en su trono, le dirigió un discurso al pueblo.22La gente gritaba: «¡Voz de un dios, no de hombre!»23Al instante un ángel del Señor lo hirió, porque no le había dado la gloria a Dios; y Herodes murió comido de gusanos.24Pero la palabra de Dios seguía extendiéndose y difundiéndose.25Cuando Bernabé y Saulo cumplieron su servicio, regresaron de[1] Jerusalén llevando con ellos a Juan, llamado también Marcos.
Apostelgeschichte 12
English Standard Version
James Killed and Peter Imprisoned
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; Hebr 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. (2Mo 12,14; 2Mo 23,15; Apg 20,6; Apg 24,27; Apg 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. (Lk 21,12; Joh 19,23)5So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. (2Kor 1,11; Eph 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. (Apg 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. (1Kön 19,7; Lk 2,9; Lk 24,4; Apg 8,26; Apg 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.” (Mk 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. (Ps 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. (Apg 5,19; Apg 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.” (Ps 33,18; Ps 34,7; Ps 91,11; Dan 3,28; Dan 6,22; Lk 15,17; 2Kor 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. (Apg 12,5; Apg 12,25; Apg 13,5; Apg 13,13; Apg 15,37; Apg 15,39; Kol 4,10; 2Tim 4,11; Phlm 1,24; 1Petr 5,13)13And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. (Joh 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. (1Mo 45,26; Lk 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; Hebr 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. (Joh 21,23; Apg 13,16; Apg 15,13; Apg 19,33; Apg 21,18; Apg 21,40; Gal 1,19; Gal 2,9; Gal 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. (Apg 16,27; Apg 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. (1Kön 5,9; Esr 3,7; Hes 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. (2Sam 24,16; 2Kön 19,35; Ps 115,1; Apg 8,26)24But the word of God increased and multiplied. (Apg 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. (Apg 11,29; Apg 12,12)