经文
12:1 那時，希律王下手苦害教會中幾個人。
12:1 nà shí， xī lǜ wáng xià shǒu kǔ hài jiào huì zhōng jǐ gè rén。
12:1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.
12:2 用刀殺了約翰的哥哥雅各。
12:2 yòng dāo shā le yuē hàn de gē gē yǎ gè。
12:2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
12:3 他見猶太人喜歡這事，又去捉拿彼得。那時正是除酵的日子。
12:3 tā jiàn yóu tài rén xǐ huān zhè shì， yòu qù zhuō ná bǐ dé。nà shí zhèng shì chú jiào de rì zi。
12:3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)
12:4 希律拿了彼得收在監裡，交付四班兵丁看守，每班四個人，意思要在逾越節後，把他提出來，當著百姓辦他。
12:4 xī lǜ ná le bǐ dé shōu zài jiān lǐ， jiāo fù sì bān bīng dīng kàn shǒu， měi bān sì gè rén， yì sī yào zài yú yuè jié hòu， bǎ tā tí chū lái， dāng zhe bǎi xìng bàn tā。
12:4 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.
12:5 於是彼得被囚在監裡，教會卻為他切切的禱告神。
12:5 yú shì bǐ dé bèi qiú zài jiān lǐ， jiào huì què wèi tā qiè qiè de dǎo gào shén。
12:5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
12:6 希律將要提他出來的前一夜，彼得被兩條鐵鍊鎖著，睡在兩個兵丁當中，看守的人也在門外看守。
12:6 xī lǜ jiāng yào tí tā chū lái de qián yī yè， bǐ dé bèi liǎng tiáo tiě liàn suǒ zhe， shuì zài liǎng gè bīng dīng dāng zhōng， kàn shǒu de rén yě zài mén wài kàn shǒu。
12:6 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.
12:7 忽然有主的一個使者，站在旁邊，屋裡有光照耀，天使拍彼得的肋旁，拍醒了他，說：快快起來，那鐵鍊就從他手上脫落下來。
12:7 hū rán yǒu zhǔ de yī gè shǐ zhě， zhàn zài páng biān， wū lǐ yǒu guāng zhào yào， tiān shǐ pāi bǐ dé de lē páng， pāi xǐng le tā， shuō： kuài kuài qǐ lái， nà tiě liàn jiù cóng tā shǒu shàng tuō luò xià lái。
12:7 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.
12:8 天使對他說：束上帶子，穿上鞋，他就那樣作，天使又說：披上外衣跟著我來。
12:8 tiān shǐ duì tā shuō： shù shàng dài zi， chuān shàng xié， tā jiù nà yàng zuò， tiān shǐ yòu shuō： pī shàng wài yī gēn zhe wǒ lái。
12:8 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.
12:9 彼得就出來跟著他，不知道天使所作是真的，只當見了異象。
12:9 bǐ dé jiù chū lái gēn zhe tā， bù zhī dào tiān shǐ suǒ zuò shì zhēn de， zhǐ dāng jiàn le yì xiàng。
12:9 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.
12:10 過了第一層第二層監牢，就來到臨街的鐵門，那門自己開了。他們出來，走過一條街，天使便離開他去了。
12:10 guò le dì yī céng dì èr céng jiān láo， jiù lái dào lín jiē de tiě mén， nà mén zì jǐ kāi le。tā men chū lái， zǒu guò yī tiáo jiē， tiān shǐ biàn lí kāi tā qù le。
12:10 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.
12:11 彼得醒悟過來，說：我現在真知道主差遣他的使者，救我脫離希律的手，和猶太百姓一切所盼望的。
12:11 bǐ dé xǐng wù guò lái， shuō： wǒ xiàn zài zhēn zhī dào zhǔ chà qiǎn tā de shǐ zhě， jiù wǒ tuō lí xī lǜ de shǒu， hé yóu tài bǎi xìng yī qiè suǒ pàn wàng de。
12:11 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.
12:12 想了一想，就往那稱呼馬可的約翰他母親馬利亞家去，在那裡有好些人聚集禱告。
12:12 xiǎng le yī xiǎng， jiù wǎng nà chēng hū mǎ kě de yuē hàn tā mǔ qīn mǎ lì yà jiā qù， zài nà lǐ yǒu hǎo xiē rén jù jí dǎo gào。
12:12 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.
12:13 彼得敲外門，有一個使女，名叫羅大出來探聽。
12:13 bǐ dé qiāo wài mén， yǒu yī gè shǐ nǚ， míng jiào luó dà chū lái tàn tīng。
12:13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.
12:14 聽得是彼得的聲音，就歡喜的顧不得開門，跑進去告訴眾人說：彼得站在門外。
12:14 tīng dé shì bǐ dé de shēng yīn， jiù huān xǐ de gù bù dé kāi mén， pǎo jìn qù gào sù zhòng rén shuō： bǐ dé zhàn zài mén wài。
12:14 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.
12:15 他們說：你是瘋了。使女極力的說：真是他。他們說：必是他的天使。
12:15 tā men shuō： nǐ shì fēng le。shǐ nǚ jí lì de shuō： zhēn shì tā。tā men shuō： bì shì tā de tiān shǐ。
12:15 And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.
12:16 彼得不住的敲門，他們開了門，看見他，就甚驚奇。
12:16 bǐ dé bù zhù de qiāo mén， tā men kāi le mén， kàn jiàn tā， jiù shén jīng qí。
12:16 But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.
12:17 彼得擺手，不要他們作聲，就告訴他們主怎樣領他出監，又說：你們把這事告訴雅各，和眾弟兄，於是出去往別處去了。
12:17 bǐ dé bǎi shǒu， bù yào tā men zuò shēng， jiù gào sù tā men zhǔ zěn yàng lǐng tā chū jiān， yòu shuō： nǐ men bǎ zhè shì gào sù yǎ gè， hé zhòng dì xiōng， yú shì chū qù wǎng bié chù qù le。
12:17 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.
12:18 到了天亮，兵丁擾亂得很，不知道彼得往哪裡去了。
12:18 dào le tiān liàng， bīng dīng rǎo luàn dé hěn， bù zhī dào bǐ dé wǎng nǎ lǐ qù le。
12:18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.
12:19 希律找他，找不著，就審問看守的人，吩咐把他們拉去殺了。後來希律離開猶太，下該撒利亞去，住在那裡。
12:19 xī lǜ zhǎo tā， zhǎo bù zhe， jiù shěn wèn kàn shǒu de rén， fēn fù bǎ tā men lā qù shā le。hòu lái xī lǜ lí kāi yóu tài， xià gāi sā lì yà qù， zhù zài nà lǐ。
12:19 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.
12:20 希律惱怒推羅西頓的人，他們那一帶地方，是從王的地土得糧，因此就託了王的內侍臣伯拉斯都的情，一心來求和。
12:20 xī lǜ nǎo nù tuī luó xī dùn de rén， tā men nà yī dài de fāng， shì cóng wáng de de tǔ dé liáng， yīn cǐ jiù tuō le wáng de nèi shì chén bó lā sī dōu de qíng， yī xīn lái qiú hé。
12:20 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.
12:21 希律在所定的日子，穿上朝服，坐在位上，對他們講論一番。
12:21 xī lǜ zài suǒ dìng de rì zi， chuān shàng cháo fú， zuò zài wèi shàng， duì tā men jiǎng lùn yī fān。
12:21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.
12:22 百姓喊著說：這是神的聲音，不是人的聲音。
12:22 bǎi xìng hǎn zhe shuō： zhè shì shén de shēng yīn， bù shì rén de shēng yīn。
12:22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
12:23 希律不歸榮耀給神，所以主的使者立刻罰他，他被蟲所咬，氣就絕了。
12:23 xī lǜ bù guī róng yào gěi shén， suǒ yǐ zhǔ de shǐ zhě lì kè fá tā， tā bèi chóng suǒ yǎo， qì jiù jué le。
12:23 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.
12:24 神的道日見興旺，越發廣傳。
12:24 shén de dào rì jiàn xìng wàng， yuè fā guǎng chuán。
12:24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.
思考问题
- ** 请从1-4节和18-23节，将希律的品行概括起来。他怎样，并且为什么暴毙呢？我们现在是为荣耀神而活吗？比较林前10：31。 **
希律的品行：凶残、迫害基督徒、不归荣耀给神。他把神的荣耀归给自己，藐视神，最终暴毙。我们偶尔还是会以自我为中心，忘了归荣耀给神，总觉得是自己的智慧、运气让自己顺利、成功，这节经文正好提醒了我们，当归荣耀给神。
- ** 祷告是教会使彼得重获自由的武器。请注意：(a) 其性质（5节），(b) 其障碍（6-11节）， (c) 其结果（12-17节）。那些作祷告的人，并不相信所发生的事情是真的（14，15节）。你相信代祷能行大事吗？比较林后1：8-11节，和弗3：20-21。 **
教会为彼得祷告
- (a) 其性质：爱，求神开路;
- (b) 其障碍：因人的有限、小信和软弱，按照人的经验，当下的处境人是无法完成这样的营救的，所以也怀疑神的能力；
- (c) 其结果：得救。
那些作祷告的人，并不相信所发生的事情是真的。我相信代祷的能力，但我也和他们一样小信，祷告有时候是没有选择的选择，并没有首先想到“祷告”，祷告的优先级被我降低了，求神怜悯，让我常常记得这经文，使我常常倚靠神，依靠祷告的力量。