Die frühe Kirche
The Apostles Imprisoned and Freed by an Angel
The high priest and the Sadducees imprison the apostles out of jealousy, but during the night an angel of the Lord opens the prison doors and frees them. They return to the temple to teach, are brought before the Council again, and Peter declares that one must obey God rather than men. Following Gamaliel's advice to leave them alone, the apostles are flogged and released, and they continue joyfully preaching about Jesus Christ.
Apostelgeschichte 5,17-42
17Then the high priest and all who were with him, that is, the party of the Sadducees, rose up, filled with jealousy.
Ἀναστὰς δὲ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς καὶ πάντες οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ, ἡ οὖσα αἵρεσις τῶν Σαδδουκαίων, ἐπλήσθησαν ζήλου
18They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.
καὶ ἐπέβαλον τὰς ⸀χεῖρας ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀποστόλους καὶ ἔθεντο αὐτοὺς ἐν τηρήσει δημοσίᾳ.
19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, led them out, and said,
ἄγγελος δὲ κυρίου ⸀διὰ νυκτὸς ⸀ἤνοιξε τὰς θύρας τῆς φυλακῆς ἐξαγαγών τε αὐτοὺς εἶπεν·
20"Go, stand in the temple and tell the people the whole message of this life."
Πορεύεσθε καὶ σταθέντες λαλεῖτε ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ τῷ λαῷ πάντα τὰ ῥήματα τῆς ζωῆς ταύτης.
21So at daybreak they entered the temple and began to teach. Meanwhile the high priest and those with him arrived, called together the Council—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail to have the apostles brought in.
ἀκούσαντες δὲ εἰσῆλθον ὑπὸ τὸν ὄρθρον εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν καὶ ἐδίδασκον. Παραγενόμενος δὲ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ συνεκάλεσαν τὸ συνέδριον καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γερουσίαν τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ, καὶ ἀπέστειλαν εἰς τὸ δεσμωτήριον ἀχθῆναι αὐτούς.
22But when the officers arrived, they did not find them in the prison, so they went back and reported,
οἱ δὲ ⸂παραγενόμενοι ὑπηρέται⸃ οὐχ εὗρον αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ, ἀναστρέψαντες δὲ ἀπήγγειλαν
23"We found the jail securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside."
λέγοντες ὅτι ⸀Τὸ δεσμωτήριον εὕρομεν κεκλεισμένον ἐν πάσῃ ἀσφαλείᾳ καὶ τοὺς φύλακας ἑστῶτας ⸀ἐπὶ τῶν θυρῶν, ἀνοίξαντες δὲ ἔσω οὐδένα εὕρομεν.
24When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this, they were at a loss, wondering what would come of it.
ὡς δὲ ἤκουσαν τοὺς λόγους τούτους ὅ ⸀τε στρατηγὸς τοῦ ἱεροῦ καὶ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς, διηπόρουν περὶ αὐτῶν τί ἂν γένοιτο τοῦτο.
25Then someone came and reported to them, "Look, the men you put in prison are standing in the temple, teaching the people!"
παραγενόμενος δέ τις ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς ὅτι Ἰδοὺ οἱ ἄνδρες οὓς ἔθεσθε ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ εἰσὶν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ἑστῶτες καὶ διδάσκοντες τὸν λαόν.
26So the captain went with his officers and brought them in—without force, for they were afraid the people would stone them.
τότε ἀπελθὼν ὁ στρατηγὸς σὺν τοῖς ὑπηρέταις ⸀ἤγαγεν αὐτούς, οὐ μετὰ βίας, ἐφοβοῦντο γὰρ τὸν λαόν, ⸀μὴ λιθασθῶσιν.
27They brought them in and made them stand before the Council, and the high priest questioned them:
Ἀγαγόντες δὲ αὐτοὺς ἔστησαν ἐν τῷ συνεδρίῳ. καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτοὺς ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς
28"We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name. Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us."
⸀λέγων· Παραγγελίᾳ παρηγγείλαμεν ὑμῖν μὴ διδάσκειν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τούτῳ, καὶ ἰδοὺ πεπληρώκατε τὴν Ἰερουσαλὴμ τῆς διδαχῆς ὑμῶν, καὶ βούλεσθε ἐπαγαγεῖν ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς τὸ αἷμα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τούτου.
29Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men.
ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ Πέτρος καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι εἶπαν· Πειθαρχεῖν δεῖ θεῷ μᾶλλον ἢ ἀνθρώποις.
30The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.
ὁ θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν ἤγειρεν Ἰησοῦν, ὃν ὑμεῖς διεχειρίσασθε κρεμάσαντες ἐπὶ ξύλου·
31God exalted him to his right hand as Prince and Savior, to grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
τοῦτον ὁ θεὸς ἀρχηγὸν καὶ σωτῆρα ὕψωσεν τῇ δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ, ⸀τοῦ δοῦναι μετάνοιαν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν·
32We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."
καὶ ἡμεῖς ⸀ἐσμεν μάρτυρες τῶν ῥημάτων τούτων, καὶ τὸ ⸀πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ὃ ἔδωκεν ὁ θεὸς τοῖς πειθαρχοῦσιν αὐτῷ.
33When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death.
Οἱ δὲ ⸀ἀκούσαντες διεπρίοντο καὶ ἐβούλοντο ἀνελεῖν αὐτούς.
34But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, stood up in the Council and ordered that the men be taken outside for a little while.
ἀναστὰς δέ τις ἐν τῷ συνεδρίῳ Φαρισαῖος ὀνόματι Γαμαλιήλ, νομοδιδάσκαλος τίμιος παντὶ τῷ λαῷ, ἐκέλευσεν ἔξω ⸀βραχὺ τοὺς ⸀ἀνθρώπους ποιῆσαι,
35Then he said, "Men of Israel, be careful what you intend to do with these men.
εἶπέν τε πρὸς αὐτούς· Ἄνδρες Ἰσραηλῖται, προσέχετε ἑαυτοῖς ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τούτοις τί μέλλετε πράσσειν.
36Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing.
πρὸ γὰρ τούτων τῶν ἡμερῶν ἀνέστη Θευδᾶς, λέγων εἶναί τινα ἑαυτόν, ᾧ ⸀προσεκλίθη ⸂ἀνδρῶν ἀριθμὸς ὡς⸃ τετρακοσίων· ὃς ἀνῃρέθη, καὶ πάντες ὅσοι ἐπείθοντο αὐτῷ διελύθησαν καὶ ἐγένοντο εἰς οὐδέν.
37After him Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and drew people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered.
μετὰ τοῦτον ἀνέστη Ἰούδας ὁ Γαλιλαῖος ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῆς ἀπογραφῆς καὶ ἀπέστησε ⸀λαὸν ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ· κἀκεῖνος ἀπώλετο καὶ πάντες ὅσοι ἐπείθοντο αὐτῷ διεσκορπίσθησαν.
38So in this case I tell you: keep away from these men and let them alone. For if this plan or this work is of human origin, it will collapse;
καὶ τὰ νῦν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀπόστητε ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τούτων καὶ ⸀ἄφετε αὐτούς· (ὅτι ἐὰν ᾖ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἡ βουλὴ ⸀αὕτη ἢ τὸ ἔργον τοῦτο, καταλυθήσεται,
39but if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God." They were persuaded by him,
εἰ δὲ ἐκ θεοῦ ἐστιν, οὐ ⸀δυνήσεσθε καταλῦσαι ⸀αὐτούς·) μήποτε καὶ θεομάχοι εὑρεθῆτε. ἐπείσθησαν δὲ αὐτῷ,
40and they called in the apostles, had them flogged, ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
καὶ προσκαλεσάμενοι τοὺς ἀποστόλους δείραντες παρήγγειλαν μὴ λαλεῖν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ ⸀ἀπέλυσαν.
41So they left the Council rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name.
οἱ μὲν οὖν ἐπορεύοντο χαίροντες ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ συνεδρίου ὅτι ⸂κατηξιώθησαν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος⸃ ἀτιμασθῆναι·
42And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.
πᾶσάν τε ἡμέραν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ καὶ κατʼ οἶκον οὐκ ἐπαύοντο διδάσκοντες καὶ εὐαγγελιζόμενοι ⸂τὸν χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν⸃.