Acts 12 Geneva Bible (1599)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Original 16th-century spelling.
1 Nowe about that time, Herod the King stretched forth his hands to vexe certaine of the Church,
1 Now about that time, King Herod stretched out his hands to oppress some of the assembly.
2 And he killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword.
2 He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword.
3 And when he sawe that it pleased the Iewes, he proceeded further, to take Peter also (then were the dayes of vnleauened bread.)
3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This was during the days of unleavened bread.
4 And when he had caught him, he put him in prison, and deliuered him to foure quaternions of souldiers to be kept, intending after the Passeouer to bring him foorth to the people.
4 When he had arrested him, he put him in prison and delivered him to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.
5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer was made of ye Church vnto God for him.
5 Peter therefore was kept in the prison, but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God for him.
6 And when Herod woulde haue brought him out vnto the people, the same night slept Peter betweene two souldiers, bound with two chaines, and the keepers before the doore, kept the prison.
6 The same night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains. Guards in front of the door kept the prison.
7 And behold the Angel of the Lord came vpon them, and a light shined in the house, and he smote Peter on the side, and raysed him vp, saying, Arise quickely. And his chaines fell off from his handes.
7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Stand up quickly!” His chains fell off his hands.
8 And the Angel saide vnto him, Girde thy selfe, and binde on thy sandales. And so he did. Then he said vnto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
8 The angel said to him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” He did so. He said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.”
9 So Peter came out and followed him, and knewe not that it was true, which was done by the Angel, but thought he had seene a vision.
9 And he went out and followed him. He didn’t know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he saw a vision.
10 Nowe when they were past the first and the second watch, they came vnto the yron gate, that leadeth vnto the citie, which opened to them by it owne accord, and they went out, and passed through one streete, and by and by the Angel departed from him.
10 When they were past the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
11 And when Peter was come to himselfe, he said, Nowe I know for a trueth, that the Lord hath sent his Angel, and hath deliuered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the wayting for of the people of the Iewes.
11 When Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I truly know that the Lord has sent out his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from everything the Jewish people were expecting.”
12 And as he considered the thing, he came to the house of Marie, the mother of Iohn, whose surname was Marke, where many were gathered together, and prayed.
12 Thinking about that, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.
13 And when Peter knocked at the entrie doore, a maide came foorth to hearken, named Rhode,
13 When Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer.
14 But when she knew Peters voyce, she opened not the entrie doore for gladnesse, but ranne in, and tolde howe Peter stood before the entrie.
14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she didn’t open the gate for joy, but ran in and reported that Peter was standing in front of the gate.
15 But they said vnto her, Thou art mad. Yet she affirmed it constantly, that it was so. Then said they, It is his Angel.
15 They said to her, “You are crazy!” But she insisted that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.”
16 But Peter continued knocking, and when they had opened it, and sawe him, they were astonied.
16 But Peter continued knocking. When they had opened, they saw him and were amazed.
17 And he beckened vnto them with the hand, to hold their peace, and told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he saide, Goe shewe these things vnto Iames and to the brethren: and he departed and went into an other place.
17 But he, beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.
18 Nowe assoone as it was day, there was no small trouble among the souldiers, what was become of Peter.
18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter.
19 And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded them to be led to be punished. And he went downe from Iudea to Cesarea, and there abode.
19 When Herod had sought for him and didn’t find him, he examined the guards, then commanded that they should be put to death. He went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.
20 Then Herod was angrie with them of Tyrus and Sidon, but they came all with one accord vnto him, and perswaded Blastus the Kings Chamberlaine, and they desired peace, because their countrey was nourished by the Kings land.
20 Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They came with one accord to him and, having made Blastus, the king’s personal aide, their friend, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food.
21 And vpon a day appointed, Herod arayed himselfe in royall apparell, and sate on the iudgement seate, and made an oration vnto them.
21 On an appointed day, Herod dressed himself in royal clothing, sat on the throne, and gave a speech to them.
22 And the people gaue a shoute, saying, The voyce of God, and not of man.
22 The people shouted, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!”
23 But immediatly the Angel of the Lord smote him, because he gaue not glorie vnto God, so that he was eaten of wormes, and gaue vp the ghost.
23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he didn’t give God the glory. Then he was eaten by worms and died.
24 And the worde of God grewe, and multiplied.
24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.
25 So Barnabas and Saul returned from Hierusalem, when they had fulfilled their office, and tooke with them Iohn, whose surname was Marke.
25 Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their service, also taking with them John who was called Mark.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Blastus
The king's chamberlain whom the people of Tyre and Sidon won over to seek peace with Herod.
Cited in the guide: Acts 12:20
Herod
The Herod who killed James the brother of John, arrested Peter, and was struck down by an angel of the Lord when he accepted worship as a god; he was eaten by worms and died.
Cited in the guide: Acts 12:1; Acts 12:21; Acts 12:23
Cross references (22)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Matthew 24:9; John 15:20; Matthew 10:17–18; Luke 22:53; John 16:2
- 2 Hebrews 11:37; Matthew 20:23; Matthew 4:21–22; Mark 10:38; Mark 10:35
- 3 Exodus 23:15; John 12:43; Acts 24:27; Leviticus 23:6–14; Exodus 12:14–20
- 4 Proverbs 19:21; Luke 22:33; Luke 21:12; John 13:36–38; Acts 4:28
- 5 1 Corinthians 12:26; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; James 5:16; Ephesians 6:18–20; 2 Corinthians 1:11
- 6 Hebrews 13:6; Acts 21:33; 1 Samuel 23:26–27; 2 Timothy 1:16; Philippians 4:6–7
- 7 Acts 16:26; Acts 5:19; Psalm 146:7; Psalm 105:18–20; Psalm 142:6–7
- 9 Psalm 126:1; Hebrews 11:8; Genesis 45:26; Acts 26:19; Acts 10:3
- 10 Acts 5:19; Acts 16:26; Isaiah 45:1–2; Numbers 15:34; Genesis 42:17
- 11 Daniel 6:22; Daniel 3:28; 2 Peter 2:9; Psalm 34:7; Psalm 33:18
- 12 1 John 5:14–15; Acts 12:5; Matthew 18:19–20; Acts 12:25; Acts 13:5
- 13 Luke 13:25; Acts 12:16; John 18:16–17
- 14 Luke 24:41; Matthew 28:8
- 15 Matthew 18:10; Luke 24:37–38; Luke 24:11; Mark 16:14; Acts 26:24
- 17 Acts 21:40; Acts 13:16; Acts 19:33; Acts 15:13; Acts 21:18
- 18 Acts 5:22–25; Acts 16:27; Acts 19:23
- 19 Acts 16:27; John 12:10–11; Psalm 37:32–33; Acts 21:8; 1 Kings 20:43
- 20 Ezra 3:7; Ezekiel 27:17; Matthew 11:21–22; Luke 14:31–32; Luke 16:8
- 22 Acts 14:10–13; Jude 16; Revelation 13:4; Psalm 12:2; Daniel 6:7
- 23 Psalm 115:1; Acts 10:25–26; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Acts 14:14–15; Daniel 4:30–37
- 24 Acts 6:7; Acts 19:20; 2 Thessalonians 3:1; Matthew 16:18; Acts 11:21
- 25 Acts 12:12; Acts 15:37; 1 Peter 5:13; Acts 11:29–30; Acts 4:36
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
"At that time," of course meaning the time immediately following: for this is the custom of Scripture. And he well says that Herod "the king" (did this): this was not he of Christ's time.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 11 (1889)
Was there not present there amongst those seven, another son of Zebedee, the brother of John, who, after His ascension, is plainly recorded to have been slain by Herod? But some one may say that, as James was not crucified, it was properly enough said to Peter, "Follow me," inasmuch as he underwent not only death, but, like Christ, even …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)
… temple at Jerusalem, fire burst out from the foundations, and utterly hindered them all; and when both his treasurer, and his uncle and namesake, made the sacred vessels the subject of their open insolence, the one was "eaten with worms, and gave up the ghost," the other "burst asunder in the midst." Moreover, the fountains failing, when sacrifices were made …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
He delivered Peter, when the Angel came unto him being in prison, and said, "Arise, and go forth," and suddenly his chains were loosed, and he followed the Angel, and He delivered him.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)