IzEnzo 12

₁Ngaleso sikhathi uHerode inkosi welula izandla ukuba ahluphe abathile bebandla. ₂Wabulala uJakobe umfowabo kaJohane ngenkemba. ₃Esebonile ukuthi lokhu kuyabathokozisa abaJuda, waqhubeka wambamba noPetru. Kwakuyizinsuku zezinkwa ezingenamvubelo. ₄Wambamba, wamfaka etilongweni, wamnikela emaviyweni amane, yilelo nalelo linamabutho amane, ukuba amlinde, ehlose ukumkhuphulela ebantwini emva kwePhasika.

₅Ngakho-ke uPetru wagcinwa etilongweni; kepha ibandla lamkhulekela ngesineke kuNkulunkulu.

₆Kwathi mhla uHerode ebezakumphumisa, ngalobo busuku uPetru wayelele phakathi kwamabutho amabili, eboshiwe ngamaketanga amabili, nabalindi phambi komnyango begcina itilongo. ₇Bheka, yafika ingelosi yeNkosi, kwakhanya ukukhanya etilongweni, yamshaya uPetru ohlangothini, yamvusa ithi: “Shesha usukume.” Ayesewa amaketanga ezandleni zakhe.

₈Ingelosi yathi kuye: “Gqoka, ufake izicathulo zakho.” Wenze njalo. Yathi kuye: “Yembatha ingubo yakho, ungilandele.” ₉Waphuma, wayilandela; wayengazi ukuthi kuyiqiniso okwenziwa yingelosi, kodwa wayethi ubona umbono. ₁₀Sebedlulile kubalindi bokuqala nabesibili bafika esangweni lensimbi eliya emzini, labavulekela ngokwalo, baphuma, badlula isitaladi saba sinye; ingelosi yayisimshiya masinyane.

₁₁UPetru esesangulukile wathi: “Manje sengiyazi ngeqiniso ukuthi iNkosi ithumile ingelosi yayo, yangikhulula esandleni sikaHerode nakukho konke okubhekwe yisizwe sabaJuda.”

₁₂Sekumkhanyele lokho, wafika endlini kaMariya unina kaJohane othiwa uMarku, lapho bebebuthene khona abaningi bekhuleka. ₁₃Esengqongqotha esivalweni sesango, yeza intombazana ukusabela, egama layo linguRoda; ₁₄isilizwile izwi likaPetru ayivulanga esangweni ngenxa yokuthokoza, kepha yagijima yabika ukuthi uPetru umi ngasesangweni.

₁₅Kodwa bathi kuyo: “Uyahlanya.”

Yona yaqinisa yathi: “Hhayi, kunjalo.”

Bona bathi: “Yingelosi yakhe.”

₁₆Kepha uPetru waqinisa wangqongqotha; sebevulile babona ukuthi nguye, bamangala. ₁₇Wayesebaqhweba ngesandla ukuba bathule, wabalandisa ukuthi iNkosi imkhiphe kanjani etilongweni, wathi: “Bikelani uJakobe nabazalwane lokhu.” Wayesephuma, waya kwenye indawo.

₁₈Sekusile, kwaba khona ukunyakaza okukhulu phakathi kwamabutho kokuthi uPetru wehlelwe yini. ₁₉UHerode esemfunile engamfumananga, wabuzisisa abalindi, wayala ukuba babulawe. Wayesehla eJudiya, waya eKesariya, wahlala khona.

₂₀Kepha wayebathukuthelele abaseTire nabaseSidoni; kodwa beza kuye nganhliziyonye; sebemvumisile uBlastu induna yendlu yenkosi, bacela ukuthula, ngokuba izwe lakubo lalifunzwa ngelenkosi.

₂₁Ngosuku olumisiweyo uHerode wembatha ingubo yobukhosi, wahlala esihlalweni, wakhuluma kubantu. ₂₂Abantu bamemeza bathi: “Yizwi likaNkulunkulu, akusilo elomuntu.” ₂₃Kepha ingelosi yeNkosi yamshaya khona lapho, ngokuba enganikanga uNkulunkulu udumo; wadliwa yizimpethu, wafa.

₂₄Kodwa izwi likaNkulunkulu lakhula, landa.

₂₅Kepha oBarnaba noSawulu babuya eJerusalema sebeqede ukukhonza kwabo, behamba benoJohane othiwa uMarku.