ImiSebenzi 12:1-25
12 Ngalezonsuku iNkosi uHerodi yaqalisa ukuhlukuluza amanye amalunga ebandla.
2 Yabulala uJakhobe umfowabo kaJohane ngenkemba,
3 njalo yathi ibona ukuthi lokhu kwakuwathokozisa amaJuda yabopha loPhetro. (Kwakuzinsuku zoMkhosi Wesinkwa Esingelamvubelo.)
4 Yambamba yamfaka ejele yathi kalindwe ngamaqembu amane amasotsha entshintshana, njalo iqembu ngalinye lalilamasotsha amane. Yayihlose ukumkhipha imuse* phambi kwabantu ngemva kwePhasika.
5 Ngakho uPhetro wayegcinwe ejele, kodwa ibandla laqhubeka limthandazela kuNkulunkulu ngenhliziyo yonke.
6 Ngobusuku uHerodi ezavuka emkhupha ukuthi azokwahlulelwa, uPhetro wayelele ebotshwe ngamaketane amabili njalo ephahlwe ngamasotsha amabili. Phambi komnyango kwakulabalindi ababelinde ijele.
7 Kodwa khonokho nje ingilosi kaJehova yayisimi khonapho, kwaba lokukhanya esitokisini. Yasitshaya uPhetro emhlubulweni yamvusa isithi: “Vuka masinyane!” Amaketane akhithika ezandleni zakhe.
8 Ingilosi yathi kuye: “Gqoka, ufake lamanyathela akho.” Lakanye wenza njalo. Ekucineni yathi kuye: “Gqoka isembatho sakho sangaphandle uqhubeke ungilandela.”
9 Wasephuma waqhubeka eyilandela kodwa wayengakwazi ukuthi okwakusenziwa yingilosi kwakusenzakala sibili. Yena wayecabanga ukuthi ubona umbono.
10 Badlula amasotsha okuqala ayelindile badlula lawesibili, basebefika egedini lensimbi elalikhangele edolobheni, lazivulekela lodwa. Sebephumile behla bahamba ngomgwaqo, ingilosi yahle yasuka yamtshiya.
11 UPhetro uthe enanzelela okwakusenzakala wathi: “Khathesi sengikwazi mhlophe ukuthi uJehova uthume ingilosi yakhe, wangikhulula esandleni sikaHerodi lakukho konke amaJuda abekhangelele ukuthi kuzakwenzakala.”
12 Esekunanzelele lokhu waya endlini kaMariya, unina kaJohane owayebizwa ngokuthi nguMakho. Endlini le kwakulehlekana labafundi ababebuthene bethandaza.
13 Waqoqoda egedini, kwabuya intombazana eyincekukazi eyayithiwa nguRoda izokhangela ukuthi ngubani.
14 Yezwa ilizwi likaPhetro, yathokoza kakhulu okokuthi kayisavulanga igedi, kodwa yagijima yabuyela phakathi yabatshela ukuthi uPhetro umi egedini.
15 Bathi kuyo: “Usuphambene.” Yona yaphikelela isithi usegedini. Basebesithi: “Yingilosi yakhe.”
16 UPhetro yena wayelokhu eqoqoda. Bathi bevula umnyango bambona bamangala kakhulu.
17 Kodwa wabatshengisa ngesandla sakhe ukuthi bathule, wabachasisela ukuthi uJehova wayemkhiphe njani ejele. Wasesithi: “Hambani liyebika izinto lezi kuJakhobe lakubafowethu.” Esetsho njalo wasuka waya kwenye indawo.
18 Kusisa kwaba lokuxokozela emasotsheni, ezibuza ukuthi kwenzakaleni kuPhetro.
19 UHerodi wamdinga yonke indawo kodwa kamtholanga. Yikho wabuzisisa abalindi, waselaya ukuthi bayejeziswa. Ngemva kwalokho, wasuka eJudiya wayahlala eKhesariya okwesikhatshana.
20 Wayezondele abantu* beThire kanye leSidoni. Ngakho beza kuye bengqondonye. Bathi sebencenge uBlastu, indoda eyayikhangela indlu yenkosi, bacela ukuthula ngoba ilizwe labo lalithola ukudla elizweni leNkosi uHerodi.
21 Kwathi sekulilanga elibekiweyo, uHerodi wagqoka izigqoko zesikhosini wasehlala esihlalweni sokwahlulela, waqalisa ukukhuluma lozulu wonke.
22 Abantu ababebuthene basebememeza besithi: “Leli yilizwi likankulunkulu, hatshi elomuntu!”
23 Ingilosi kaJehova yahle yamtshaya ngoba wayengazange aphe uNkulunkulu inkazimulo. Wadliwa zimpethu wafa.
24 Kodwa ilizwi likaJehova laqhubeka likhula futhi lisabalala.
25 UBhanabha loSawuli bona bathi sebewuqedile wonke umsebenzi wokunceda abazalwane ababeseJerusalema babuyela. Bahamba loJohane, lowo owayebizwa langokuthi nguMakho.
