Acts 12:13
in Acts 12He knocked at the outer gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a maid came to answer, named Rhoda.
KJV
And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.
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This verse in Acts 12
Commentary
9 notes on this verseAnd as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, &c. The lesser door in the great gate, or the door of the porch through which they entered into the house. So the Jews distinguish between פתח, "the door", and שער, "the gate"; see Jdg 18:16 where the Septuagint use the same words as here.
This site's exposition
the house of Mary the mother of John
on Acts 12:12-14
Peter goes to the house of Mary the mother of John Mark, evidently a home of some size since many were gathered together praying there, the very prayer of verse five now shown in session. Rhoda, a servant girl, comes to answer his knock, and her joy is so complete that she opens not the gate but runs in to report Peter standing at the door, leaving him waiting on his own doorstep of deliverance. The scene's small comedy, the church praying for exactly what it cannot believe has happened, is left by Luke to speak for itself.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness. Mark even the servant-girls, how full of piety they are. But ran in, just as we are wont to do, she was eager to be herself the bringer of the good tidings, for good news it was indeed.
And mark how the very servant-girls were henceforth upon an equality with them. "For joy," it says, "she opened not." This too is well done, that they likewise may not be amazed by seeing him at once, and that they may be incredulous, and their minds may be exercised.
The Medieval Church1 voice
The girl came out to hear. And the Lord, having come forth from the constraints of the tomb, was first announced to the disciples by a woman, so that where sin abounded, grace might more abound.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
But, when she spoke of Peter's being there, they said, " Thou art mad; it is impossible it should be he, for he is in prison." Sometimes that which we most earnestly wish for we are most backward to believe, because we are afraid of imposing upon ourselves, as the disciples, who, when Christ had risen, believed not for joy.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
At the door of the gate - Rather the door of the vestibule, or principal entrance into the house. The house was entered through such a porch or vestibule, and it was the door opening into this which is here intended. See the notes on Mat 9:2. A damsel - A girl. Came to hearken - To hear who was there. Named Rhoda - This is a Greek name signifying a rose. It was not unusual for the Hebrews to give the names of flowers, etc., to their daughters.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
he came to the house of Mary, &c.--who "must have had a house of some pretensions to receive a large number; and, accordingly, we read that her brother Barnabas (Col 4:10) was a person of substance (Ac 4:37). She must also have been distinguished for faith and courage to allow such a meeting in the face of persecution" [WEBSTER and WILKINSON].
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
As Peter knocked - The door was probably shut for fear of the Jews; and, as most of the houses in the east have an area before the door, it might have been at this outer gate that Peter stood knocking. A damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda - She came to inquire who was there. Rhoda signifies a rose; and it appears to have been customary with the Jews, as Grotius and others remark, to give the names of flowers and trees to their daughters: thus Susannah signifies a lily, Hadassah, a myrtle, Tamar, a palm tree, etc., etc.
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| κρούσαντος | krousantos | When was knocking | G2925 → | |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | he | G846 → | 5565 times |
| τὴν | ten | [at] the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θύραν | thuran | door | G2374 → | 39 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πυλῶνος | pulonos | gate | G4440 → | 18 times |
| προσῆλθεν | proselthen | came | G4334 → | 86 times |
| παιδίσκη | paidiske | a girl | G3814 → | |
| ὑπακοῦσαι | hupakousai | to answer | G5219 → | |
| ὀνόματι | onomati | named | G3686 → | 227 times |
| Ῥόδη· | rhode | Rhoda; | G4498 → |
κρούσαντοςWhen was knocking
krousantosG2925 →
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
αὐτοῦhe
autouG846 →5565 times
τὴν[at] the
tenG3588 →19766 times
θύρανdoor
thuranG2374 →39 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
πυλῶνοςgate
pulonosG4440 →18 times
προσῆλθενcame
proselthenG4334 →86 times
παιδίσκηa girl
paidiskeG3814 →
ὑπακοῦσαιto answer
hupakousaiG5219 →
ὀνόματιnamed
onomatiG3686 →227 times
Ῥόδη·Rhoda;
rhodeG4498 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 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
Luke 13:25After the master of the house gets up and shuts the door, you will stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ But he will reply, ‘I do not know where…
it leads to
- Luke 13:27
And he will answer, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers.’
- Matthew 25:10–12
But while they were on their way to buy it, the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut.
- Matthew 7:21–23
Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
- Luke 6:46
Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I say?
- Isaiah 55:6
Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.
- Luke 13:27
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Acts
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Acts; 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 Gill, Exposition of the New Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.