CHAPTER 10
“Pipol Long Staka Ples Herem Message Bilong Jehovah”
Angel sevem Peter and nomata pipol spoelem olketa Christian, pipol long staka ples herem gud nius
Acts 12:1-25 storyim diswan
1-4. Wanem hard taem nao Peter kasem, and sapos iu nao hem hao nao bae iu feel?
BIGFALA iron gate long prison banga big taem olketa satem bihaen long Peter. Olketa chainim hand bilong Peter long tufala soldia bilong Rome and leadim hem go long cell. Insaed long cell hem lukim nomoa walling and iron bilong prison, olketa chain, and olketa soldia wea gaedem hem. Peter stap long prison for staka hour or maet samfala day. Hem weit nomoa for herem wanem olketa bae duim long hem.
2 Gogo Peter herem hao King Herod Agrippa I plan for killim hem dae. a Bihaen long Pasova, Herod plan for tekem Peter go long olketa pipol and killim hem dae for mekem olketa Jew hapi. Peter savve king bae duim wanem hem talem bikos no longtaem go nomoa hem talem olketa soldia for killim dae aposol James.
3 Long naet bifor Herod plan for killim dae Peter, wanem nao Peter tingim taem hem stap long cell? Waswe, hem tingim yet samting wea Jesus talem samfala year bifor? Jesus sei pipol bae taengem hand bilong hem and leadim hem long ples wea hem no laek go long hem, wea minim for killim hem dae. (John 21:18, 19) Maet Peter tingse bae hem dae nao.
4 Sapos iu nao Peter, hao nao bae iu feel? Staka bae tingse olketa no wei nao. Bat olketa tru disaepol bilong Jesus Christ no ting olsem. Nomata wanem hard taem kasem olketa, olketa garem hope. Wanem nao iumi lanem from samting wea Peter and olketa nara Christian duim taem pipol spoelem olketa? Bae iumi storyim datwan.
Evriwan “Gohed Prea Strong Long God” (Acts 12:1-5)
5, 6. (a) Why nao Herod spoelem olketa Christian, and hao nao hem duim datwan? (b) Why nao kongregeson sorre tumas taem Herod killim dae James?
5 Olsem iumi lanem long Chapter 9, Christian kongregeson hapi tumas taem Cornelius and famili bilong hem wea no Jew kamap Christian. Bat olketa Jew wea no disaepol bilong Christ seke taem olketa herem olketa Jew Christian worship witim olketa Christian wea no Jew.
6 Herod savve sapos hem spoelem olketa Christian, olketa Jew bae hapi tumas. So hem start for spoelem olketa. Luk olsem Herod savve aposol James fren gud witim Jesus Christ, dastawe hem talem olketa soldia “for tekem sword and killim dae James wea hem brata bilong John.” (Acts 12:2) Datwan mekem kongregeson sorre tumas! James hem wanfala long thrifala aposol wea lukim lukluk bilong Jesus change and olketa mirakol wea olketa nara aposol no lukim. (Matt. 17:1, 2; Mark 5:37-42) Jesus nemim James and brata bilong hem John “olketa Son bilong Thunder” bikos tufala strong for duim samting. (Mark 3:17) So kongregeson sorre fogud taem Herod killim dae aposol James wea olketa lovem, wea hem faithful, and nating fraet.
7, 8. Wanem nao kongregeson duim taem Peter stap long prison?
7 Olketa Jew hapi taem Herod killim dae James, and hem nao wanem Herod laekem. So hem talem olketa soldia for arrestim Peter tu. Bat maet Herod savve God duim mirakol bifor for mekem olketa aposol go aot from prison, olsem iumi storyim long Chapter 5. For mek sure Peter no ranawe, hem talem olketa soldia for chainim hand bilong Peter long tufala soldia and markem 16 soldia for gaedem hem long day and naet. Fofala soldia nao waka long wanfala shift. Sapos Peter ranawe, Herod sei bae hem killim olketa dae. From Peter kasem nogud samting olsem, wanem nao olketa brata and sista duim for hem?
8 Olketa savve wanem for duim. Acts 12:5 sei Peter hem stap long prison bat evriwan long kongregeson “gohed prea strong long God for helpem hem.” Tru tumas, olketa prea for Peter from heart bilong olketa. Nomata James dae, olketa no feel wikdaon tumas and no ting nating long wei for prea. Olketa luksavve Jehovah tinghae long prea bilong olketa and sapos olketa askem samting followim tingting bilong Jehovah, bae hem ansarem prea bilong olketa. (Heb. 13:18, 19; Jas. 5:16) Olketa Christian distaem lanem important samting from example bilong olketa.
9. Wanem nao iumi lanem from example bilong olketa Christian wea prea for Peter?
9 Waswe, iu savve long samfala brata or sista wea kasem staka hard taem? Maet pipol spoelem olketa, gavman tambuim preaching waka, or natural disaster kasem olketa. Hem gud for tingim olketa long prea bilong iu. Maet iu savve tu long samfala wea kasem olketa hard taem wea staka long kongregeson no savve abaotem. Maet olketa kasem hard taem long famili, olketa feel wikdaon, or nara samting testim faith bilong olketa. Jehovah hem man for “herem prea.” Sapos iu ting raonem firstaem wanem for prea abaotem, maet iu savve talem nem bilong samfala taem iu prea. (Ps. 65:2) Tru tumas, iu tu laekem olketa brata and sista for prea for iu taem iu kasem hard taem.
Iumi prea for olketa brata and sista wea stap long prison bikos long biliv bilong olketa
“Kam Followim Mi” (Acts 12:6-11)
10, 11. Storyim samting wea angel duim for sevem Peter.
10 Waswe, Peter wari bikos Herod plan for killim hem dae? Maet hem wari, bat long lastfala naet wea hem stap long prison, hem deepim sleep midol long tufala soldia wea gaedem hem. Hem faithful long Jehovah and hem savve nomata sapos hem laef or dae, hem bilong Jehovah. (Rome 14:7, 8) Maet Peter nating tingim olketa nambawan samting wea klosap happen. Seknomoa, wanfala braet laet shaen kam insaed long cell. Wanfala angel standap long there, bat olketa soldia nating lukim nomoa. Angel sekem Peter for wekapem hem. Then nomoa chain long hand bilong Peter foldaon nao!
“Tufala kasem nao iron gate for go aotsaed long prison, and hem open seleva nomoa.”—Acts 12:10
11 Datfala angel no talem staka samting long Peter bat hem sei nomoa: “Kwiktaem, iu getap nao! . . . Redyim iuseleva and werem sandol bilong iu. . . . Iu werem longfala kaleko bilong iu.” Peter obeyim hem. Then angel sei long hem: “Kam followim mi,” so Peter go followim hem nao. Tufala go aot from cell, go pas long olketa security wea stap aotsaed, and wakabaot kwaet for kasem big iron gate bilong prison. Bat hao nao bae tufala go aot? Maet Peter tingim datwan, bat taem tufala klosap kasem datfala gate, gate “hem open seleva nomoa.” Kwiktaem nomoa tufala go aot long gate, go followim wanfala road, and then angel lusim hem. Peter standap long there and hem luksavve hem no lukim vision bat Jehovah nao sendem kam angel for sevem hem. Hem free nao!—Acts 12:7-11.
12. Why nao wei for ting raonem hao Jehovah sevem Peter savve strongim iumi?
12 Taem iumi ting raonem bigfala paoa wea Jehovah garem for sevem pipol bilong hem, datwan barava strongim iumi! Tingim diswan. Gavman bilong Rome wea garem bigfala paoa long world nao sapotim Herod wea putim Peter long prison. Nomata olsem, Peter wakabaot go aot nomoa from prison! Hem tru, Jehovah no duim mirakol olsem for evriwan wea worshipim hem. Hem no duim mirakol for sevem aposol James. And Jehovah no stopem pipol for killim dae Peter staka year bihaen, wea datwan mekem toktok bilong Jesus abaotem Peter kamap tru. Distaem tu olketa Christian no expectim Jehovah for duim mirakol for sevem olketa. Nomata olsem, iumi savve tingim hao Jehovah no change. (Mal. 3:6) Klosap nao hem bae iusim Son bilong hem for mekem staka million pipol for laef bak, wea datwan hem olsem olketa kamap free from prison. (John 5:28, 29) Olketa promis olsem savve strongim iumi taem iumi kasem hard taem.
“Olketa Lukim Hem and Sapraes Fogud” (Acts 12:12-17)
13-15. (a) Wanem nao olketa disaepol wea hipap long haos bilong Mary duim taem Peter noknok long door? (b) Long buk bilong Acts, Luke gohed story abaotem hu? (c) Nomata Peter mas go long nara ples, wanem nao hem gohed duim?
13 Hem dark aotsaed and Peter standap long road and tingting wea nao for go. Then hem savve nao. Haos bilong Mary, wanfala sista, hem klosap nomoa. Nomata Mary hem widow, luk olsem hem rich lelebet bikos hem garem big haos wea fitim kongregeson for hipap. Mary hem mami bilong John Mark. Acts 12:12 hem firstaem wea buk bilong Acts story abaotem John Mark and gogo Peter ting long John Mark olsem son bilong hem. (1 Pet. 5:13) Long datfala naet, staka long kongregeson stap yet long haos bilong Mary nomata hem big naet finis. Olketa gohed prea strong long Jehovah. Masbi olketa prea for Peter kamap free and olketa seke long wanem Jehovah duim!
14 Peter noknok long door and Rhoda, wanfala haosgele go for lukim hu nao noknok. Long Greek languis, Rhoda hem minim “Rose.” Hem heresavve Peter nao toktok kam and hem hapi fogud! Hem no openem door bat hem ran go bak insaed long haos and talem olketa Peter nao standap aotsaed long door. Olketa disaepol tingse hem krangge, bat hem gohed for sei Peter nao long door. Samfala sei maet hem angel bilong Peter nao kam. (Acts 12:12-15) Bat Peter gohed for noknok, gogo olketa go openem door.
15 Taem olketa lukim Peter, olketa “sapraes fogud”! (Acts 12:16) Evriwan hapi and laek story witim hem, bat Peter mekem saen for evriwan kwaet firstaem mekem hem savve storyim evri samting wea Jehovah duim for aotem hem from prison. Then hem talem olketa for pasim nius long disaepol James and long olketa nara brata. Bihaen datwan, hem lusim olketa and go long nara ples wea sef mekem olketa soldia bilong Herod no faendem hem. Peter gohed faithful for worshipim Jehovah long ples wea hem go. Lastaem wea Luke story abaotem Peter hem long Acts chapter 15. Hem storyim wanem Peter duim for helpem olketa aposol stretem problem abaotem wei for circumcise, then hem gohed for storyim waka bilong aposol Paul and olketa ples wea Paul gogo long hem. Nomata Luke no story moa abaotem Peter, iumi savve Peter gohed strongim faith bilong olketa brata and sista long evri ples wea hem go. Olketa disaepol wea stap long haos bilong Mary hapi nomata Peter lusim olketa.
16. Why nao bae iumi hapi fogud long future?
16 Samfala taem Jehovah givim pipol bilong hem staka samting winim wanem olketa tingim and olketa hapi tumas long datwan. Hem nao feeling bilong olketa brata and sista wea lukim Peter long datfala naet. Maet iumi tu feel olsem taem Jehovah blessim iumi. (Prov. 10:22) Long future, iumi bae lukim evri promis bilong Jehovah kamap tru evriwea long earth. Olketa nambawan samting wea bae happen bae winim eni samting wea iumi tingim distaem. Sapos iumi gohed faithful, bae iumi kasem olketa nambawan blessing hia.
‘Angel Mekem Olketa Worm Kaikaim Herod’ (Acts 12:18-25)
17, 18. Wanem nao happen wea mekem pipol for mekhae long Herod?
17 Herod Agrippa seke and kros taem hem faendaot Peter no stap long prison. Semtaem nomoa hem talem olketa soldia for lukaotem Peter long evri ples, then hem kwestinim olketa security. Bihaen datwan olketa soldia tekem olketa security and “panisim olketa.” Luk olsem olketa killim olketa dae. (Acts 12:19) Herod Agrippa nating sorre or showimaot mercy long pipol. Waswe, God panisim datfala rabis man?
18 Maet Herod shame bikos hem no killim dae Peter, bat samting wea happen bihaen mekem hem for praod moa. Wanfala problem kamap and olketa enemy bilong Herod laek for mek peace witim hem. Luk olsem Herod laekem tumas for story front long staka pipol wea hipap. Luke sei bifor Herod story long olketa, hem “werem spesol kaleko bilong hem.” Josephus wea raet abaotem history bilong olketa Jew sei olketa wakem kaleko bilong Herod long silver. So taem sun shaen long hem, kaleko hia shaen braet tumas. Herod story long olketa pipol and from olketa laek mekhae long hem, olketa singaot olsem: “Ino man nao toktok. Hem wanfala god ia!”—Acts 12:20-22.
19, 20. (a) Why nao Jehovah panisim Herod? (b) Why nao story abaotem dae bilong Herod Agrippa strongim iumi?
19 God lukim pipol hia mekhae long Herod, bat God nomoa olketa shud praisem! Sapos Herod stretem olketa or sei hem no laekem olketa for praisem hem, bae hem no kasem nogud samting. Bat from hem no stopem olketa, hem kasem nao samting wea disfala proverb talem: “Praod fasin mekem man foldaon.” (Prov. 16:18) From Herod praod tumas, hem dae long barava nogud wei. Bible sei: “Semtaem nomoa, angel bilong Jehovah mekem olketa worm kaikaim Herod and hem dae nao.” (Acts 12:23) Josephus tu story abaotem datwan. Hem sei Herod Agrippa luksavve hem bae dae bikos hem letem pipol for mekhae long hem. Hem storyim tu hao Agrippa safa for 5-fala day bifor hem dae. b
20 Maet samfala taem pipol wea no worshipim God duim olketa rabis samting and no kasem panis. Iumi savve datwan bae happen bikos “full world hem stap long paoa bilong Satan.” (1 John 5:19) Nomata olsem, samfala taem olketa wea faithful for worshipim God feel nogud taem pipol wea duim rabis samting no kasem panis. Bat olketa story long Bible savve strongim iumi, olsem story abaotem Herod. Jehovah panisim Herod and datwan mekem evriwan wea worshipim Jehovah for luksavve Jehovah laekem tumas for duim stret samting. (Ps. 33:5) Iumi savve Jehovah bae stretem evri nogud samting long future.
21. Wanem nao main samting wea iumi lanem long Acts chapter 12, and why nao datwan strongim iumi?
21 Gud samting kamap bihaen Herod dae. Bible sei: “Pipol long staka ples herem message bilong Jehovah and kamap disaepol.” (Acts 12:24) Gud report hia abaotem preaching waka mekem iumi tingim wei wea Jehovah blessim preaching waka distaem. Nomata Acts chapter 12 story abaotem wei wea aposol James dae and hao God sevem Peter, main samting wea iumi lanem hem abaotem Jehovah and wanem hem duim for stopem plan bilong Satan. Satan laek spoelem Christian kongregeson and stopem preaching waka, bat plan bilong hem fail nomoa. Iumi savve hem hard tumas for kaen plan olsem hem win. (Isa. 54:17) Olketa wea saedem Jehovah and Jesus Christ duim waka wea no eniwan savve stopem. Datwan barava encouragem iumi! Iumi garem nambawan privilege for preach long staka pipol abaotem “message bilong Jehovah”!
a Lukim box, “ King Herod Agrippa I.”
b Wanfala doctor raet abaotem olketa worm wea Josephus and Luke storyim wea kaikaim Herod. Hem sei maet olketa roundworm fulap long bele bilong Herod dastawe hem dae. Samfala taem man savve toroaotem kaen worm olsem, or olketa savve kamaot long body taem man dae. Wanfala buk sei: “Luke hem doctor dastawe hem barava talem stret nogud wei wea [Herod] dae.”
