Amplified Bible
Acts 12:23
23And at once an angel of the Lord struck him down because he did not give God the glory [and instead permitted himself to be worshiped], and he was eaten by worms and died [five days later].
Acts 12:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
- New International Version (NIV)Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.
Context of Acts 12:23
21On an appointed day Herod dressed himself in his royal robes, sat on his throne (tribunal, rostrum) and began delivering a speech to the people. 22The assembled people kept shouting, “It is the voice of a god and not of a man!” And at once an angel of the Lord struck him down because he did not give God the glory [and instead permitted himself to be worshiped], and he was eaten by worms and died [five days later]. 24But the word of the Lord [the good news about salvation through Christ] continued to grow and spread [increasing in effectiveness]. 25Barnabas and Saul came back from Jerusalem when they had completed their mission, bringing with them John, who was also called Mark.
Read all of Acts 12Acts 12:23 word by word
παραχρῆμα δὲ ἐπάταξεν αὐτὸν ἄγγελος κυρίου ἀνθ᾽ ὧν οὐκ ἔδωκεν τὴν δόξαν τῷ θεῷ, καὶ γενόμενος σκωληκόβρωτος ἐξέψυξεν.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andδέde · thenG1161
- immediatelyπαραχρῆμαparachrēma · instantlyG3916
- the angelἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
- of the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
- smoteπατάσσωpatassō · to strikeG3960
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- becauseἀντίanti · forG473
- ·ὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- he gaveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- notοὐou · noG3756
- Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- the gloryδόξαdoxa · gloryG1391
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- he wasγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- eaten of wormsσκωληκόβρωτοςskōlēkobrōtos · worm-eatenG4662
- and gave up the ghostἐκψύχωekpsuchō · to expireG1634
Cross-references for Acts 12:23
- Exodus 12:12For I [the Lord] will pass through the land of Egypt on this night, and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and animal; against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments [exhibiting their worthlessness]. I am the Lord.
- 1 Samuel 25:38About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal and he died.
- 2 Samuel 24:17When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he spoke to the Lord and said, “Behold, I [alone] am the one who has sinned and done wrong; but these sheep (people of Israel), what have they done [to deserve this]? Please let Your hand be [only] against me and my father’s house (family).”
- 1 Chronicles 21:14So the Lord sent a plague on Israel, and 70,000 men of Israel fell.
- 2 Chronicles 32:21And the Lord sent an angel who destroyed every brave warrior, commander, and officer in the camp of the king of Assyria. So the king returned to his own land in shame. And when he entered the house (temple) of his god, some of his own children killed him there with the sword.
- Acts 10:25When Peter arrived, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.
- Acts 14:14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard about it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting,
- Exodus 9:17Since you are still [arrogantly] exalting yourself [in defiance] against My people by not letting them go,
- Exodus 10:3So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, so that they may serve Me.
- Psalms 115:1Not to us, O Lord, not to us, But to Your name give glory Because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth and faithfulness.
- Isaiah 37:23Whom have you taunted and blasphemed? And against whom have you raised your voice And haughtily lifted up your eyes? Against the Holy One of Israel!
- Ezekiel 28:2“Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Because your heart is lifted up And you have said and thought, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of the gods In the heart of the seas’; Yet you are [only] a man [weak, feeble, made of earth] and not God, Though you [imagine yourself to be more than mortal and] think your mind is as [wise as] the mind of God—
- Daniel 4:30The king said thoughtfully, ‘Is not this the great Babylon which I myself have built as the royal residence and seat of government by the might of my power and for the honor and glory of my majesty?’
- Daniel 5:18O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and greatness and glory and majesty;
- Luke 12:47And that servant who knew his master’s will, and yet did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will be beaten with many lashes [of the whip],
- 2 Thessalonians 2:4who opposes and exalts himself [so proudly and so insolently] above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he [actually enters and] takes his seat in the temple of God, publicly proclaiming that he himself is God.
Commentaries on Acts 12:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23The angel of the Lord smote him - His death was most evidently a judgment from God. Because he gave not God the glory - He did not rebuke his flatterers, but permitted them to give him that honor that was due to God alone. See on Acts 12:21; (note). And was eaten of worms - Whether this was the morbus pedicularis, or whether a violent inflammation of his bowels, terminating in putrefaction, did not actually produce worms, which, for several days, swarmed…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23And immediately the angel of the Lord - Diseases and death axe in the Scriptures often attributed to an angel. See 2 Samuel 24:16; 1 Chronicles 21:12, 1 Chronicles 21:15, 1 Chronicles 21:20, 1 Chronicles 21:27; 2 Chronicles 32:21. It is not intended that there was a miracle in this case, but it certainly is intended by the sacred writer that his death was a divine judgment on him for his receiving homage as a god. Josephus says of him that he “did neither…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-25Verses 20-25 Many heathen princes claimed and received Divine honours, but it was far more horrible impiety in Herod, who knew the word and worship of the living God, to accept such idolatrous honours without rebuking the blasphemy. And such men as Herod, when puffed with pride and vanity, are ripening fast for signal vengeance. God is very jealous for his own honour, and will be glorified upon those whom he is not glorified by. See what vile bodies we…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-23When Peter was missing after a thorough search, Herod questioned the guards and executed them (see 16:27). However, Herod himself then experienced a painful death. God punished him for his pride when he accepted the people's worship. The ancient Jewish historian Josephus provides more details about the death of Herod Agrippa I (Josephus, Antiquities 19.8.1–2).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22-2322-23. the people gave a shout, &c.--Josephus' account of his death is remarkably similar to this [Antiquities, 19.8.2]. Several cases of such deaths occur in history. Thus was this wretched man nearer his end than he of whom he had thought to make a public spectacle.Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 12:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Acts 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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