Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Acts 12

Introduction

1  King Herod persecutes the Christians, kills James, and imprisons Peter; whom an angel delivers upon the prayers of the church.
20  Herod in his pride taking to himself the honour due to God, is stricken by an angel, and dies miserably.
24  After his death, the word of God prospers.
25  Saul and Barnabas return to Antioch.
Verse 1

Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.
Cir
A.M. 4048. A.D. 44.
stretched forth his hands
or, began.
4:30, 9:31, Luke 22:53
to vex
Matthew 10:17,18, 24:9, John 15:20, 16:2
Verse 2

And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
James
Matthew 4:21,22, 20:23, Mark 10:35,38
with
1 Kings 19:1,10, Jeremiah 26:23, Hebrews 11:37
Verse 3

And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)
he saw
24:27, 25:9, John 12:43, Galatians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 2:4
he proceeded
2:14, 4:13, Psalms 76:10, John 19:11, 21:18
Then
Exodus 12:14-20, 13:3-7, 23:15, Leviticus 23:6-14, Matthew 26:17, 1 Corinthians 5:7,8
Verse 4

And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
he put
4:3, 5:18, 8:3, Matthew 24:9, Luke 21:12, 22:33, John 13:36-38, 21:18
delivered
16:23,24, Matthew 27:64-66
intending
4:28, Esther 3:6,7,13, Proverbs 19:21, 27:1, Lamentations 3:37, Matthew 26:5
Easter
Rather, the Passover, [to pascha
Verse 5

Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
prayer was made without ceasing, or, instant and earnest prayer was made
&
12, Isaiah 62:6,7, Matthew 18:19, Luke 18:1, 1 Corinthians 12:26, 2 Corinthians 1:11, Ephesians 6:18-20, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Hebrews 13:3, James 5:16
Verse 6

And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
the same
Genesis 22:14, Deuteronomy 32:26, 1 Samuel 23:26,27, Psalms 3:5,6, 4:8, Isaiah 26:3,4, Philippians 4:6,7, Hebrews 13:6
bound
21:33, 28:20, Jeremiah 40:4, Ephesians 6:20; *marg:; 2 Timothy 1:16
and the
5:23, Matthew 28:4
Verse 7

And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
the angel
23, 5:19, 10:30, 27:23,24, 1 Kings 19:5,7, Psalms 34:7, 37:32,33, Isaiah 37:30, Daniel 6:22, Hebrews 1:14
and a
9:3, 2 Samuel 22:29, Ezekiel 43:2, Micah 7:9, Habakkuk 3:4,11, Revelation 18:1
Arise
Genesis 19:15,16, Isaiah 60:1, Ephesians 5:14
And his
The two chains with which his hands were fastened to those of the two soldiers between whom he slept. This, it appears, was the Roman method of securing a prisoner, and seems to be what is intimated in ver. 6.
6, 2:24, 16:26, Psalms 105:18-20, 107:14, 116:16, 142:6,7, 146:7, Daniel 3:24,25
Verse 9

And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.
he went
26:19, Genesis 6:22, John 2:5, Hebrews 11:8
wist not
That is, he knew not; wist being the past tense of the obsolete verb to wis, from the Saxon wissan, in German wissen, and Dutch wysen, to think, imagine, know.
10:3,17, 11:5, Genesis 45:26, Psalms 126:1, 2 Corinthians 12:1-3
Verse 10

When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.
the first
4, Genesis 40:3, 42:17, Numbers 15:34, Isaiah 21:8
which
5:19, 16:26, Isaiah 45:1,2, John 20:19,26, Revelation 3:7
Verse 11

And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.
was come
He was in an ecstasy; and it was only when the angel left him, that he was fully convinced that all was real.
Luke 15:17
I know
Genesis 15:13, 18:13, 26:9
that the
7, 5:19, 2 Chronicles 16:9, Psalms 34:7, Daniel 3:25,28, 6:22, Hebrews 1:14
and hath
2 Samuel 22:1, Job 5:19, Psalms 33:18, 34:22, 41:2, 97:10, 109:31, 2 Corinthians 1:8-10, 2 Peter 2:9
all
23:12-30, 24:27, 25:3-5,9, Job 31:31
Verse 12

And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
he came
4:23, 16:40
John
25, 13:5,13, 15:37-39, Colossians 4:10, 2 Timothy 4:11, Philemon 1:24
where
5, Isaiah 65:24, Matthew 18:19,20, 1 John 5:14,15
Verse 13

And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.
knocked
16, Luke 13:25
hearken
or, ask who was there.
Verse 14

And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.
she opened
Matthew 28:8, Luke 24:41
Verse 15

And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.
Thou
26:24, Job 9:16, Mark 16:11,14, Luke 24:11
It is
Genesis 48:16, Matthew 18:10, Luke 24:37,38
Verse 17

But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.
beckoning
13:16, 19:33, 21:40, Luke 1:22, John 13:24
declared
Psalms 66:16, 102:20,21, 107:21,22, 116:14,15, 146:7
James
15:13, 21:18, 1 Corinthians 15:7, Galatians 1:19, 2:9,12, James 1:1
And he
16:40, Matthew 10:23, John 7:1, 8:59, 10:40, 11:54
Verse 18

Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.
there
5:22-25, 16:27, 19:23
Verse 19

And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.
sought for him
1 Samuel 23:14, Psalms 37:32,33, Jeremiah 36:26, Matthew 2:13
he examined
4,6, Matthew 28:11-15
commanded
Daniel 2:11-13, Matthew 2:16, John 12:10,11
he went
21:8, 25:13, 1 Kings 20:43, Esther 6:12
Verse 20

And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country.
was highly displeased
or, bare an hostile mind intending war. Tyre.
Genesis 10:15,19, Joshua 19:29, Isaiah 23:1-4, Matthew 11:21,22
but
Proverbs 17:14, 20:18, 25:8, Ecclesiastes 10:4, Isaiah 27:4,5, Luke 14:31,32
the king's chamberlain
Gr. that was over the king's bed-chamber. because.
1 Kings 5:9-11, 2 Chronicles 2:10,15, Ezra 3:7, Ezekiel 27:17, Hosea 2:8,9, Amos 4:6-9, Haggai 1:8-11, 2:16,17, Luke 16:8
Verse 22

And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
14:10-13, Psalms 12:2, Daniel 6:7, Jude 1:16, Revelation 13:4
Verse 23

And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
the angel
Exodus 12:12,23,29, 1 Samuel 25:38, 2 Samuel 24:17, 1 Chronicles 21:14-18, 2 Chronicles 32:21
because
10:25,26, 14:14,15, Exodus 9:17, 10:3, Psalms 115:1, Isaiah 37:23, Ezekiel 28:2,9, Daniel 4:30-37, 5:18-24, Luke 12:47,48, 2 Thessalonians 2:4
and he
2 Chronicles 21:18,19, Job 7:5, 19:26, Isaiah 14:11, 51:8, 66:24, Mark 9:44-48
Verse 24

But the word of God grew and multiplied.
5:39, 6:7, 11:21, 19:20, Proverbs 28:28, Isaiah 41:10-13, 54:14-17, 55:10, Daniel 2:24,44, Matthew 16:18, Colossians 1:6, 2 Thessalonians 3:1
Verse 25

And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.
Barnabas
11:29,30, 13:1-3
ministry
or, charge. took.
13:5,13, 15:37
John
12, 1 Peter 5:13

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