Acts 12:1
in Acts 12About that time, King Herod reached out to harm some who belonged to the church.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now about that time Herod the king put forth his hands to afflict certain of the church.
KJV
Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.
⋯
This verse in Acts 12
Commentary
14 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Now about that time - That is, during the time that the famine existed, or the time when Barnabas and Saul went up to Jerusalem. This was probably about the fifth or sixth year of the reign of Claudius, not far from 47 ad. Herod the king - This was Herod Agrippa. The Syriac so renders it expressly, and the chronology requires us so to understand it. He was a grandson of Herod the Great, and one of the sons of Aristobulus, whom Herod put to death (Josephus, Antiq., 18, 5).
This site's exposition
King Herod reached out to harm
on Acts 12:1-3
This is Herod Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the Great, a client king favored by the Jewish leaders for keeping the law, who reached out to harm some who belonged to the church. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword, the first apostle's death in the book and the cup Jesus foretold in Mark 10:39. Then, seeing that this pleased the Jews, Herod seized Peter at the Passover season.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
That period he says was under Claudius Caesar. Gaius, emperor of the Romans, established Agrippa as king of Judea, Herod being banished to Lugdunum in Gaul on account of the disgracefulness of his life, together with his wife Herodias. This is the one who reigned …
"And at the same time, Herod stretched forth his hands, to afflict some of the church. "King Herod, with wicked presumption, murdered John's brother James, who was preaching the word of the Lord. Seeing that he had pleased the Jews in so doing, he sent …
"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. Lo, a different sort of trial - and mark what I said in the beginning, how things are blended, how rest and trouble alternate in the whole texture of the history - not now the Jews, nor the Sanhedrim, but the king. Greater the power, the warfare more severe, the more it was done to obtain favor with the Jews. And he slew James the brother of John with the sword: taking him at random and without selection. But, should any raise a question, why God permitted this, we shall say, that it was for the sake of these Jews themselves: thereby, first, convincing them, that even when slain the Apostles prevail, just as it was in the case of Stephen: secondly, giving them opportunity, after satiating their rage, to recover from their madness; thirdly, showing them that it was by His permission this was done.
Like a wild beast, he attacked all indiscriminately and without consideration. This is what Christ said: "My cup indeed ye shall drink, and with the baptism wherewith I am baptized, shall ye be baptized." And he killed James the brother of John. For there was also another James, the brother of the Lord: therefore to distinguish him, he says, "The brother of John." Do you mark that the sum of affairs rested in these three, especially Peter and James?
The Medieval Church1 voice
Moreover, at that time, the great king Herod sent. Not at the time of the famine, which historical accounts refer to as happening in the fourth year of Claudius, since Herod died in the third year of the same Claudius, but undoubtedly at the time …
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
At what "time" was that? During the reign of Emperor Claudius. For the Roman Emperor Claudius appointed Agrippa as king of the Jews, having banished Herod together with Herodias to Lugdunum, a Galilean city. This is the same Herod under whom John suffered, as Josephus …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
About that time - So wisely did God mix rest and persecution in due time and measure succeeding each other. Herod - Agrippa; the latter was his Roman, the former his Syrian name. He was the grandson of Herod the Great, nephew to Herod Antipas, who beheaded John the Baptist; brother to Herodias, and father to that Agrippa before whom St. Paul afterward made his defense.
He was not only (as Herod Antipas was) tetrarch of Galilee, but had also the government of Judea committed to him by Claudius the emperor, and resided most at Jerusalem, where he was at this time.
He began with some of the members of the church, certain of them that were of less note and figure; played first at small game, but afterwards flew at the apostles themselves. His spite was at the church, and, with regard to those he gave trouble to, it was not upon any other account, but because they belonged to the church, and so belonged to Christ.
Now about that time,.... That the famine was in Judea, and Saul and Barnabas were sent thither with what the church at Antioch had collected.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
He at this time ruled over all his father's dominions. PALEY has remarked the accuracy of the historian here. For thirty years before this there was no king at Jerusalem exercising supreme authority over Judea, nor was there ever afterwards, save during the three last years of Herod's life, within which the transactions occurred.
Herod the king - This was Herod Agrippa, the son of Aristobulus, and grandson of Herod the Great; he was nephew to Herod Antipas, who beheaded John they Baptist, and brother to Herodias. He was made king by the Emperor Caligula, and was put in possession of all the territories formerly held by his uncle Philip and by Lysanias; viz. Iturea, Trachonitis, Abilene, with Gaulonitis, Batanaea, and Penias. To these the Emperor Claudius afterwards added Judea and Samaria; which were nearly all the dominions possessed by his grandfather, Herod the Great. See Luk 3:1; see also an account of the Herod family, in the note on Mat 2:1 (note). To vex certain of the Church - That is, to destroy its chief ornaments and supports.
The words behind it
17 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Κατ᾽ | kat᾽ | At | G2596 → | 468 times |
| ἐκεῖνον | ekeinon | that [very] | G1565 → | 260 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καιρὸν | kairon | time | G2540 → | 84 times |
| ἐπέβαλεν | epebalen | put forth | G1911 → | 18 times |
| Ἡρῴδης | herodes | Herod | G2264 → | 43 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| βασιλεὺς | basileus | king | G935 → | 114 times |
| τὰς | tas | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| χεῖρας | cheiras | hands | G5495 → | 175 times |
| κακῶσαί | kakosai | to mistreat | G2559 → | 6 times |
| τινας | tinas | some | G5100 → | 528 times |
| τῶν | ton | of those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | of | G575 → | 640 times |
| τῆς | tes | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐκκλησίας. | ekklesias | church. | G1577 → | 113 times |
Κατ᾽At
kat᾽G2596 →468 times
ἐκεῖνονthat [very]
ekeinonG1565 →260 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
καιρὸνtime
kaironG2540 →84 times
ἐπέβαλενput forth
epebalenG1911 →18 times
ἩρῴδηςHerod
herodesG2264 →43 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
βασιλεὺςking
basileusG935 →114 times
τὰςthe
tasG3588 →19766 times
χεῖραςhands
cheirasG5495 →175 times
κακῶσαίto mistreat
kakosaiG2559 →6 times
τιναςsome
tinasG5100 →528 times
τῶνof those
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἀπὸof
apoG575 →640 times
τῆςthe
tesG3588 →19766 times
ἐκκλησίας.church.
ekklesiasG1577 →113 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 24:9Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.
it leads to
- John 16:2
They will put you out of the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.
- John 15:19–20
If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.
- Luke 21:16–17
You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you will be put to death.
- Revelation 2:10
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful…
- Matthew 10:17–22
But beware of men; for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.
- John 16:2
Through
John 15:20Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours…
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 3:12
Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
- 2 Timothy 3:12
Through
John 16:2They will put you out of the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.
it leads to
- John 9:22
His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews. For the Jews had already determined that anyone who confessed Jesus as the Christ would be put out of the synagogue.
- Acts 26:9–11
So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
- John 9:22
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
On this chapter
What the record shows
1 entry- Herod Agrippa I — attested in contemporary inscriptionwell-supported
Josephus; coins
Biblical figure (King of Judea, AD 37-44) identified in extra-biblical epigraphy.
Counterpoint: Agrippa I is attested by Josephus, by coins, and by inscriptions. His death is told two different ways: Acts 12:23 says an angel of the Lord struck him and he was eaten by worms, while Josephus describes an owl seen as an omen and a sudden pain in the stomach, with the king lingering five days before dying.
About Acts
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on Acts; Bede, Commentary on Acts; Cassiodorus, Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 26; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.