Acts 5:12
in Acts 5The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people, and with one accord the believers gathered together in Solomon’s Colonnade.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people: and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.
KJV
And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.
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This verse in Acts 5
Commentary
11 notes on this verseAnd by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought,.... That is, by their means, or by them as instruments, or through the imposition of their hands on persons, many miraculous and wonderful cures, as well as other extraordinary actions, were performed: among the people; the common people, who attended in great numbers on their ministry, when the chief men and rulers of the nation despised them.
This site's exposition
many signs and wonders wrought
on Acts 5:12-14
By the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people, and the church meets openly with one accord in Solomon's porch, the same temple colonnade where Peter had preached in chapter three. Outsiders durst no man join himself to them, yet the people magnified them, an odd mixture of holy distance and public honor that the bench reads as the church's own fear in verse eleven spreading outward. Multitudes both of men and women were added to the Lord, growth measured in believers rather than in noise.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Look how the life of the apostles was playing out. First there was sadness because of the Ascension, then joy because of the descent of the Holy Spirit: again sadness because of mocking, then joy because of the faithful and because a sign was done: …
For he wishes to show this also in saying, "By the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people," and immediately adds, "and no one from the rest dared to join them"; that is, no one dared to approach them. …
After this fear had come upon them, he wrought more miracles; both Peter and the rest; "And by the hands of the Apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them," i.e. to the Apostles; "but the people magnified them," i.e. the Jewish people. "And they were with one accord, all of them in Solomon's porch," no longer in a house, but having occupied the very Temple, they there passed their time! No longer they guarded themselves against touching the unclean; nay, without scruple they handled the dead. And observe how, while to their own people they are severe, against the aliens they do not exercise their power. "But the people," he says, "magnified them." And as he had mentioned their being "in Solomon's porch," that you may not wonder how the multitude allowed this, he tells us that they did not dare even to approach them: for "no man," he says, "durst join himself unto them." None groaned, none lamented, all were terrified. For as their faith increased, the signs also were multiplied, and great was the fear among their own company: for the things which are from without do not so militate against our peace, as do the acts of our own people. If we be firmly joined together, no warfare will be hard: but the mischief would be the being divided and broken up. Now they went about in the public place: with boldness they attacked even the market, and in the midst of enemies they prevailed, and that saying was fulfilled, "Be Thou Ruler in the midst among Thine enemies." This was a greater miracle, that they, arrested, cast into prison, should do such acts as these!
The Medieval Church1 voice
From the time people began to fear them, Peter and the rest of the apostles performed more miracles. The apostles continued no longer in a house, but in the temple.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
), a part of the temple where Christ used to walk, John x. She came in about three hours after, expecting to share in the thanks of the house for her coming in, and consenting to the sale of the land, of which perhaps she was entitled to her dower or thirds; for she knew not what had been done.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
): By the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people, many miracles of mercy for one of judgment. Now the gospel power returned to its proper channel, which is that of mercy and grace.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
The imprisonment of the apostles, and their miraculous discharge out of prison, with fresh orders to go on to preach the gospel, which they did, to the great vexation of their persecutors,
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
By the hands of the apostles - This verse should be read with the 15th, to which it properly belongs. Solomon’s porch - See the note on Joh 10:23.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And by the hands ... - By the apostles. This verse should be read in connection with the 15th, to which it belongs. Signs and wonders - Miracles. See the notes on Act 2:43. With one accord - With one “mind,” or intention. See the notes on Act 1:14. In Solomon’s porch - See the Mat 21:12 note; Joh 10:23 note. They were doubtless there for the purpose of worship. It does not mean that they were there constantly, but at the regular periods of worship. Probably they had two designs in this; one was, to join in the public worship of God in the usual manner with the people, for they did not design to leave the temple service; the other, that they might have opportunity to preach to the people assembled there. In the presence of the great multitudes who came up to worship, they had an opportunity of making known the doctrines of Jesus, and of confirming them by miracles, the reality of which could not be denied, and which could not be resisted, as proofs that Jesus was the Messiah.
The words behind it
22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Διὰ | dia | By | G1223 → | 664 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| χειρῶν | cheiron | hands | G5495 → | 175 times |
| τῶν | ton | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀποστόλων | apostolon | apostles | G652 → | 79 times |
| ἐγίνετο | egineto | were happening | G1096 → | 667 times |
| σημεῖα | semeia | signs | G4592 → | 75 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τέρατα | terata | wonders | G5059 → | 16 times |
| πολλὰ | polla | many | G4183 → | 367 times |
| ἐν | en | among | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λαῷ· | lao | people; | G2992 → | 141 times |
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἦσαν | esan | they were | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ὁμοθυμαδὸν | homothumadon | with one accord | G3661 → | 11 times |
| ἅπαντες | hapantes | all | G537 → | 33 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῇ | tea | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| στοᾷ | stoa | Colonnade | G4745 → | |
| Σολομῶντος· | solomontos | of Solomon; | G4672 → | 12 times |
ΔιὰBy
diaG1223 →664 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
χειρῶνhands
cheironG5495 →175 times
τῶνof the
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἀποστόλωνapostles
apostolonG652 →79 times
ἐγίνετοwere happening
eginetoG1096 →667 times
σημεῖαsigns
semeiaG4592 →75 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τέραταwonders
terataG5059 →16 times
πολλὰmany
pollaG4183 →367 times
ἐνamong
enG1722 →2738 times
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
λαῷ·people;
laoG2992 →141 times
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἦσανthey were
esanG1510 →2333 times
ὁμοθυμαδὸνwith one accord
homothumadonG3661 →11 times
ἅπαντεςall
hapantesG537 →33 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῇthe
teaG3588 →19766 times
στοᾷColonnade
stoaG4745 →
Σολομῶντος·of Solomon;
solomontosG4672 →12 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
Acts 19:11God did extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul,
it leads to
- Romans 15:18–19
I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed,
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Hebrews 2:4
and was affirmed by God through signs, wonders, various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Mark 16:17–20
And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
- Acts 16:18
She continued this for many days. Eventually Paul grew so aggravated that he turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” And…
- Acts 8:13
Even Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip closely and was astounded by the great signs and miracles he observed.
- Romans 15:18–19
Through
Hebrews 2:4and was affirmed by God through signs, wonders, various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will.
it leads to
- Acts 14:3
So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who affirmed the message of His grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.
- Ephesians 1:5
He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will,
- Mark 16:20
And they went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked through them, confirming His word by the signs that accompanied it.
- Acts 14:3
Where this verse is studied
About Acts
This page draws on 9 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); J. A. Alexander, The Acts of the Apostles Explained; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 12; 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.