Atos 12

¹ In that tyme Herode the kynge stretched forthe his handes to vexe certayne of the congregacion.

² And he kylled Iames the brother of Iohn with the swerde:

³ and because he sawe that it pleased ye Iewes he proceded forther and toke Peter also. Then were the dayes of swete breed.

⁴ And when he had caught him he put him in preson and delyvered him to .iiii. quaternios of soudiers to be kepte entendynge after ester to brynge him forth to the people.

⁵ Then was Peter kepte in preson. But prayer was made with out ceasynge of the congregacion vnto God for him.

⁶ And when Herode wolde have brought him oute vnto the people the same nyght slepte Peter bitwene two soudiers bounde with two chaynes and the kepers before the dore kepte the preson.

⁷ And beholde the angell of ye Lorde was there present and a lyght shyned in the lodge. And smote Peter on the syde and steryd him vp sayinge: aryse vp quyckly. And his cheynes fell of fro his hondes.

⁸ And the angell sayd vnto him: gyrde thy selfe and bynde on thy sandales. And so he dyd. And he sayde vnto him: cast thy mantle aboute the and folowe me.

⁹ And he came oute and folowed him and wist not that it was truthe which was done by the angell but thought he had sene a vision.

¹⁰ When they were past ye fyrst and ye seconde watche they came vnto yt yron gate yt ledeth vnto the cyte which opened to them by his awne accorde. And they went out and passed thorowe one strete and by and by the angell departed fro him.

¹¹ And when Peter was come to him selfe he sayde: now I knowe of a surety that the Lorde hath sent his angell and hath delyvered me out of the honde of Herode and from all the waytynge for of the people of ye Iewes.

¹² And as he consydred the thinge he cam to ye housse of Mary the mother of one Iohn which was called Marke also where many were gaddered to gedder in prayer.

¹³ As Peter knocked at the entry dore a damsell cam forth to herken named Rhoda.

¹⁴ And when she knew Peters voyce she opened not the entrey for gladnes but ran in and told how Peter stode before the entrey.

¹⁵ And they sayde vnto her: thou arte mad. And she bare them doune yt it was even so. Then sayde they: it is his angell.

¹⁶ Peter cotynued knockinge. When they had opened the dore and sawe him they were astonyed.

¹⁷ And he beckened vnto them with ye honde to holde their peace and tolde them by what meanes ye Lorde had brought him oute of the preson. And sayde: goo shew these thinges vnto Iames and to the brethren. And he departed and went into a nother place.

¹⁸ Assone as it was daye ther was no lyttell a doo amoge the soudyers what was becum of Peter.

¹⁹ When Herode had called for him and founde him not he examined the kepers and comaunded to departe. And he descended from Iewry to Cesarea and ther abode.

²⁰ Herode was displeased with them of Tyre and Sydon. And they came all at once and made intercession vnto Blastus the kynges chamberlen and desyred peace because their countrey was norysshed by the kynges londe.

²¹ And upon a daye appoynted Herode arayed him in royall apparell and set him in his seate and made an oraycon vnto them.

²² And the people gave a shoute sayinge: it is ye voyce of a God and not of a man.

²³ And immediatly the angell of ye Lorde smote him because he gave not God the honoure and he was eatyn of wormes and gave vp the goost.

²⁴ And ye worde of God grewe and multiplied.

²⁵ And Barnabas and Paul returned to Ierusalem when they had fulfilled their office and toke with them Iohn which was also called Marcus.