Ngaleso sikhathi uHerode inkosi welula izandla ukuba ahluphe abathile bebandla. Wabulala uJakobe umfowabo kaJohane ngenkemba. Esebonile ukuthi lokhu kuyabathokozisa abaJuda, waqhubeka wambamba noPetru. Kwakuyizinsuku zezinkwa ezingenamvubelo. Wambamba, wamfaka etilongweni, wamnikela emaviyweni amane, yilelo nalelo linamabutho amane, ukuba amlinde, ehlose ukumkhuphulela ebantwini emva kwePhasika.
Ngakho-ke uPetru wagcinwa etilongweni; kepha ibandla lamkhulekela ngesineke kuNkulunkulu.
Kwathi mhla uHerode ebezakumphumisa, ngalobo busuku uPetru wayelele phakathi kwamabutho amabili, eboshiwe ngamaketanga amabili, nabalindi phambi komnyango begcina itilongo. Bheka, yafika ingelosi yeNkosi, kwakhanya ukukhanya etilongweni, yamshaya uPetru ohlangothini, yamvusa ithi: “Shesha usukume.” Ayesewa amaketanga ezandleni zakhe.
Ingelosi yathi kuye: “Gqoka, ufake izicathulo zakho.” Wenze njalo. Yathi kuye: “Yembatha ingubo yakho, ungilandele.” Waphuma, wayilandela; wayengazi ukuthi kuyiqiniso okwenziwa yingelosi, kodwa wayethi ubona umbono. Sebedlulile kubalindi bokuqala nabesibili bafika esangweni lensimbi eliya emzini, labavulekela ngokwalo, baphuma, badlula isitaladi saba sinye; ingelosi yayisimshiya masinyane.
UPetru esesangulukile wathi: “Manje sengiyazi ngeqiniso ukuthi iNkosi ithumile ingelosi yayo, yangikhulula esandleni sikaHerode nakukho konke okubhekwe yisizwe sabaJuda.”
Sekumkhanyele lokho, wafika endlini kaMariya unina kaJohane othiwa uMarku, lapho bebebuthene khona abaningi bekhuleka. Esengqongqotha esivalweni sesango, yeza intombazana ukusabela, egama layo linguRoda; isilizwile izwi likaPetru ayivulanga esangweni ngenxa yokuthokoza, kepha yagijima yabika ukuthi uPetru umi ngasesangweni.
Kodwa bathi kuyo: “Uyahlanya.”
Yona yaqinisa yathi: “Hhayi, kunjalo.”
Bona bathi: “Yingelosi yakhe.”
Kepha uPetru waqinisa wangqongqotha; sebevulile babona ukuthi nguye, bamangala. Wayesebaqhweba ngesandla ukuba bathule, wabalandisa ukuthi iNkosi imkhiphe kanjani etilongweni, wathi: “Bikelani uJakobe nabazalwane lokhu.” Wayesephuma, waya kwenye indawo.
Sekusile, kwaba khona ukunyakaza okukhulu phakathi kwamabutho kokuthi uPetru wehlelwe yini. UHerode esemfunile engamfumananga, wabuzisisa abalindi, wayala ukuba babulawe. Wayesehla eJudiya, waya eKesariya, wahlala khona.
Uhlelo Lokusebenza lweBhayibheli
Uhlelo Lokusebenza LweBhayibheli yezingane
