Acts 12:23

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 the appointed day, Herod donned his royal robes, sat on his throne, and addressed the people. 22And they began to shout, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!” Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. 24But the word of God continued to spread and multiply. 25When Barnabas and Saul had fulfilled their mission to Jerusalem, they returned, bringing with them John, also called Mark.

Acts 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

• Immediatelyπαραχρῆμαparachrēma · instantlyG3916
• ·δέde · thenG1161
• becauseἀντίanti · forG473
• becauseὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• did not giveοὐou · noG3756
• did not giveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• gloryδόξαdoxa · gloryG1391
• to Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• an angelἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
• of the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• struckπατάσσωpatassō · to strikeG3960
• him downαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• he wasγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• eaten by wormsσκωληκόβρωτοςskōlēkobrōtos · worm-eatenG4662
• diedἐκψύχωekpsuchō · to expireG1634

Cross-references for Acts 12:23

• Exodus 12:12On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn male, both man and beast, and I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD.
• 1 Samuel 25:38About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal dead.
• 2 Samuel 24:17When David saw the angel striking down the people, he said to the LORD, “Surely I, the shepherd, have sinned and acted wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please, let Your hand fall upon me and my father’s house.”
• 1 Chronicles 21:14So the LORD sent a plague upon Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell dead.
• 2 Chronicles 32:21and the LORD sent an angel who annihilated every mighty man of valor and every leader and commander in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he entered the temple of his god, some of his own sons struck him down with the sword.
• Acts 10:25As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet to worship him.
• Acts 14:14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul found out about this, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd, shouting,
• Exodus 9:17Still, you lord it over My people and do not allow them to go.
• Exodus 10:3So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and told him, “This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, so that they may worship Me.
• Psalms 115:1Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name be the glory, because of Your loving devotion, because of Your faithfulness.
• Isaiah 37:23Whom have you taunted and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel!
• Ezekiel 28:2“Son of man, tell the ruler of Tyre that this is what the Lord GOD says: Your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god; I sit in the seat of gods in the heart of the sea.’ Yet you are a man and not a god, though you have regarded your heart as that of a god.
• Daniel 4:30the king exclaimed, “Is this not Babylon the Great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?”
• Daniel 5:18As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor.
• Luke 12:47That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:4He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be 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

• Angel (a Spirit)
• Caesarea
• Ghost
• Glorifying God
• Happiness
• Herod
• Jerusalem
• Self-Exaltation
• Sidon
• Tyre
• Worm

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Angel of the Lord
• Agrippa I.
• Angel
• Constantly
• Destroyer
• Drusilla
• Herod Agrippa I.
• Multiply

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