Acts 12:13

Acts 12:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.
• New International Version (NIV)Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer.

Context of Acts 12:13

11Then Peter understood what had happened. He said to himself, ‘Now I know that these things really have happened to me. The Lord God sent one of his angels to rescue me from Herod's power. The Jewish leaders wanted Herod to cause me to suffer. But God has saved me from those bad things.’ 12When Peter realized what God had done for him, he went to Mary's house. She was the mother of John Mark. Many people were meeting together in her house. They were praying to God. Peter knocked on the outside door of the house. A servant girl called Rhoda came to the door. 14She recognized Peter's voice and she was very happy. But she did not open the door. Instead, she ran back into the house and she said to all the people there, ‘Peter is standing outside the door!’ 15The people in the house said to her, ‘You are crazy.’ But she told them again that Peter really was there. So then they said, ‘It is not him, but it is his angel.’

Acts 12:13 word by word

κρούσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ τὴν θύραν τοῦ πυλῶνος προσῆλθεν παιδίσκη ὑπακοῦσαι ὀνόματι Ῥόδη·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And asδέde · thenG1161
• Peterὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• PeterΠέτροςPetros · PeterG4074
• knockedκρούωkrouō · to knockG2925
• at the doorθύραthura · doorG2374
• of the gateπυλώνpulōn · gateG4440
• a damselπαιδίσκηpaidiskē · maidservantG3814
• cameπροσέρχομαιproserchomai · to come near/agreeG4334
• to hearkenὑπακούωhupakouō · to obeyG5219
• namedὄνομαonoma · nameG3686
• RhodaῬόδηRhodē · RhodaG4498

Cross-references for Acts 12:13

• Acts 12:16While all this was happening, Peter was still knocking at the door. Then someone went and opened the door. They were all very surprised when they saw him there.
• Luke 13:25Soon the master of the house will get up and he will shut the door. And then you may still be standing outside the door. You will knock and you will say, “Master, please open the door for us to come in.” But the master will reply, “I do not know you. I do not know where you come from.”

Commentaries on Acts 12:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13As 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…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13At 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 Matthew 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. Thus…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-19Verses 12-19 God's providence leaves room for the use of our prudence, though he has undertaken to perform and perfect what he has begun. These Christians continued in prayer for Peter, for they were truly in earnest. Thus men ought always to pray, and not to faint. As long as we are kept waiting for a mercy, we must continue praying for it. But sometimes that which we most earnestly wish for, we are most backward to believe. The Christian law of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-17Rhoda was very surprised when Peter appeared, so she left him standing at the closed door. She and the other Christians thought God's answer to their prayers was amazing (12:5).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-1712-17. 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]. To such a house it was natural that Peter should come. mother of John ... Mark--so called to distinguish…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 12:13

• Herod
• Jerusalem
• Minister, Christian
• Persecution
• Peter
• Prayer
• Prisoners
• Rhoda
• Rulers
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Peter
• Peter, Simon Peter, Cephas
• Constantly
• Doorkeeper
• Dwellings
• Herod Agrippa I.
• Knock
• Multiply
• Raise
• Rhoda

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