Acts 12:16
in Acts 12But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astounded.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened, they saw him, and were amazed.
KJV
But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.
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This verse in Acts 12
Commentary
12 notes on this verseBut Peter continued knocking,.... That they might come to him, and let him in; beginning to be impatient, and being very desirous of seeing his friends, as well as being in danger of being taken up, and had to prison again, should any of his enemies come by, who knew him: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished: they could hardly believe their own eyes; it was amazing to them, how it should be, that he should be delivered out of prison, when they knew there was such a strong guard about him.
This site's exposition
You are out of your mind
on Acts 12:15-17
The household tells Rhoda, You are out of your mind, and when she insists they say, It must be his angel. They speak as if a guardian angel might take a person's likeness, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astounded.
This site's exposition
But Peter kept on knocking
Peter knocks at the door of the house where the church had knocked at heaven's door for him. Jesus said at Luke 11:9 that the door is opened to the one who knocks. Here the answer to prayer waits outside.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
But when he continued knocking, and when they had opened, and saw him, they were astonished. But he beckoning to them with his hand made them keep quiet, to hear all that had happened to him. He was now an object of more affectionate desire to the disciples, not only in consequence of his being saved, but by his sudden coming in upon them and straightway departing. Now, both his friends learn all clearly; and the aliens also learn, if they had a mind, but they had not. The same thing happened in the case of Christ. "Tell these things," he says, "to James, and to the brethren." How free from all vainglory! Nor did he say, Make known these things to people everywhere, but, "to the brethren. And he withdrew to another place:" for he did not tempt God, nor fling himself into temptation: since, when they were commanded to do this, then they did it. "Go," it was said, "speak in the temple to the people." But this the Angel said not here; on the contrary, by silently removing him and bringing him out by night, he gave him free permission to withdraw - and this too is done, that we may learn that many things are providentially brought about after the manner of men - so that he should not again fall into peril.
And he said, Tell James and the brethren. That they may rejoice: that they may not be anxious. Through these those learn, not those through him: such thought had he for the humbler part!
For that they may not say, "It was his Angel," after he was gone, they say this first, and then they see himself overthrowing their notion of the matter. Had it been the Angel, he would have knocked at the door, would not have retired to another place. And what followed in the day, make them sure.
Immediately, free from the enemy, he sings the praises of God's work. The first girl demonstrates that he has come back from the darkness because the grace of Christ allowed a similar thing to be, inasmuch as the Lord himself, rising [from the dead], approached …
But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished. But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go show these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
He knew the town very well, and knew where to find a place that would be a shelter to him. Note, Even the Christian law of self-denial and suffering for Christ has not abrogated and repealed the natural law of self-preservation, and care for our own safety, as far as God gives an opportunity of providing for it by lawful means.
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 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
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Were astonished - They were now convinced that it was Peter, and they were amazed that he had been rescued. As yet they were of course ignorant of the manner in which it was done.
The words behind it
11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | But | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| Πέτρος | petros | Peter | G4074 → | 155 times |
| ἐπέμενεν | epemenen | was continuing | G1961 → | 15 times |
| κρούων· | krouon | knocking; | G2925 → | |
| ἀνοίξαντες | anoixantes | having opened [it] | G455 → | 77 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| εἶδαν | eidan | they saw | G1492 → | 374 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐξέστησαν. | exestesan | were amazed. | G1839 → | 17 times |
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
δὲBut
deG1161 →2765 times
ΠέτροςPeter
petrosG4074 →155 times
ἐπέμενενwas continuing
epemenenG1961 →15 times
κρούων·knocking;
krouonG2925 →
ἀνοίξαντεςhaving opened [it]
anoixantesG455 →77 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
εἶδανthey saw
eidanG1492 →374 times
αὐτὸνhim
autonG846 →5565 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐξέστησαν.were amazed.
exestesanG1839 →17 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
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Studies3
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About Acts

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Arator, ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 1; Bede, 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 Gill, Exposition of the New Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
