Acts 12:4-7 KJV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 12:1-4

Ever since the conversion of Paul, we have heard no more of the agency of the priests in persecuting the saints at Jerusalem; perhaps that wonderful change wrought upon him, and the disappointment it gave to their design upon the Christians at Damascus, had somewhat mollified them, and brought them under the check of Gamaliel's advice?to let those men alone, and see what would be the issue; but here the storm arises from another point. The civil power, not now, as usual (for aught that... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 12:5-19

We have here an account of Peter's deliverance out of prison, by which the design of Herod against him was defeated, and his life preserved for further service, and a stop given to this bloody torrent. Now, I. One thing that magnified his deliverance was that it was a signal answer to prayer (Acts 12:5): Peter was kept in prison with a great deal of care, so that it was altogether impossible, either by force or by stealth, to get him out. But prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 12:1-11

12:1-11 About this time Herod the king began to take hostile action to inflict injury on certain men of the Church. He killed James, John's brother, with the sword. When he saw that this gave pleasure to the Jews he went to arrest Peter too. (These were the days of unleavened bread). When he had seized Peter, he put him under arrest. He handed him over to four squads of soldiers to guard, for he wished to bring him before the people after the Passover Feast. So Peter was continuously guarded... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 12:4

When he had apprehended him ,.... When his officers he sent to take him had brought him: he put him in prison ; in the common prison, very likely where he had been once before, Acts 5:18 and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; each quaternion consisted of four soldiers, so that they were in all sixteen; and so the Syriac version renders it, "and delivered him to sixteen soldiers": how the Ethiopic version should make "seventeen" of them is pretty strange:... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 12:5

Peter therefore was kept in prison ,.... Till the feast of the passover was at an end: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him ; this was not done by them as a body together, but either by them in several bands at different places, or by some of the principal of the church at some one certain place, and where they might frequently change companies, and keep on a continual incessant prayer for days together; and whereas it is very likely it might be at the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 12:6

And when Herod would have brought him forth ,.... The next morning; so he had determined not to dismiss him, but to expose him to the people, and to put him to such a death they should choose: the same night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers ; fearless of death, being in a good cause, and having nothing to ruffle and disturb his mind; and though he was in a prison, and in such company, God gave him, his beloved, sleep: bound with two chains ; one on one hand, and one on the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 12:7

And behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him ,.... Suddenly and at once, and stood by him; this was one of the ministering spirits sent forth by Christ, to minister to a servant of his: and a light shined in the prison ; the Syriac version renders it, "in the whole house"; and the word that is used does signify an habitation, or a dwelling house properly, but is used also by the Greek writers F6 Vid Harpocratian Lex. p. 212. for a prison: this was an uncommon light produced by... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 12:4

Four quaternions of soldiers - That is, sixteen, or four companies of four men each, who had the care of the prison, each company taking in turn one of the four watches of the night. Intending after Easter to bring him forth - Μετα το πασχα , After the passover. Perhaps there never was a more unhappy, not to say absurd, translation than that in our text. But, before I come to explain the word, it is necessary to observe that our term called Easter is not exactly the same with the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 12:5

Prayer was made without ceasing - The Greek word εκτενης signifies both fervor and earnestness, as well as perseverance. These prayers of the Church produced that miraculous interference mentioned below, and without which Peter could not have thus escaped from the hands of this ruthless king. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 12:6

Sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains - Two soldiers guarded his person; his right hand being bound to the left hand of one, and his left hand bound to the right hand of the other. This was the Roman method of guarding their prisoners, and appears to be what is intimated in the text. read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 12:1-4

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 12:5-19

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 12:1-11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 12:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 12:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 12:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 12:7

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 12:4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 12:5

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 12:6

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