Acts 12:17

Acts 12:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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 shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.
• New International Version (NIV)Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this,” he said, and then he left for another place.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, "Tell these things to James and to the brothers." Then he departed and went to another place.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place.

Context of Acts 12:17

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.’ 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. Peter raised his hand towards them so that they would all be quiet. Then he explained to them how the Lord God had brought him out of the prison. He said to them, ‘Tell James and all the other believers what has happened to me.’ Then he left the house and he went away to another place. 18When morning arrived, there was a lot of trouble at the prison. The soldiers did not understand what had happened to Peter. 19When Herod knew about it, he said to the soldiers, ‘Go and look for Peter!’ But they could not find him anywhere. Herod then asked the soldiers who guarded the prison some questions. They could not explain what had happened. So Herod commanded other soldiers to cut off their heads. After this happened, Herod left Judea. He went to Caesarea and he stayed there for some time.

Acts 12:17 word by word

κατασείσας δὲ αὐτοῖς τῇ χειρὶ σιγᾶν, διηγήσατο αὐτοῖς πῶς ὁ κύριος αὐτὸν ἐξήγαγεν ἐκ τῆς φυλακῆς· εἶπέν τε· ἀπαγγείλατε Ἰακώβῳ καὶ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ταῦτα. καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἐπορεύθη εἰς ἕτερον τόπον.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• he, beckoningκατασείωkataseiō · to signalG2678
• unto themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• with the handὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• with the handχείρcheir · handG5495
• to hold their peaceσιγάωsigaō · be silentG4601
• declaredδιηγέομαιdiēgeomai · to relate fullyG1334
• howπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
• the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• had broughtἐξάγωexagō · to lead outG1806
• out ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the prisonφυλακήphulakē · prison/watch: prisonG5438
• he saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Go shewἀπαγγέλλωapaggellō · to announceG518
• these thingsοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• unto JamesἸάκωβοςIakōbos · JamesG2385
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• to the brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• he departedἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
• and wentπορεύωporeuomai · to travelG4198
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• anotherἕτεροςheteros · otherG2087
• placeτόποςtopos · placeG5117

Cross-references for Acts 12:17

• Acts 13:16So Paul stood up. He raised his hand towards the people so that they would listen to him. Then he said to them, ‘Some of you are Jews, like us. Some of you are Gentiles who now worship our God. All of you, listen carefully to me.
• Acts 19:33There was a Jewish man called Alexander in the crowd. The Jews pushed him to the front of the crowd. He raised his hands towards the people, so that they would be quiet. He wanted to explain to them that he and his Jewish friends had not caused the trouble.
• Acts 21:40The leader of the soldiers said to Paul, ‘Yes, you may speak to the people.’ So Paul stood still on the steps of the soldiers' building. He raised his hands towards them so that the people became quiet. Then he spoke to them in Aramaic, the Jewish people's own language.
• Luke 1:22When he did come out, he tried to talk to them. But he could not speak. So they knew that God had showed him something special in the room. He was moving his head and his hands about, to tell them what had happened. But still he could not speak.
• John 13:24Simon Peter looked towards that disciple and said to him, ‘Ask Jesus who he is speaking about.’
• Psalms 66:16Come and listen, all you people who serve God. I will tell you about the things that God has done for me.
• Psalms 102:20He heard the prisoners call out in pain. He saved the lives of prisoners so they could go free before their enemies could kill them.
• Psalms 107:21So they should thank the Lord because of his faithful love. They should thank him for the great things that he does for people.
• Psalms 116:14I will give to the Lord everything that I have promised. I will do that when all his people meet together.
• Psalms 146:7He helps poor people to receive justice. He gives food to the hungry. He makes people that are in a prison go free.
• Acts 15:13When they had finished their report, James spoke to the group. He said, ‘Listen to me, my friends.
• Acts 21:18The next day, we went with Paul to see James. The leaders of the believers were also there.
• 1 Corinthians 15:7Then Christ appeared to James. Later he appeared to all the apostles.
• Galatians 1:19I did not see any other apostles, except James, who is the Lord's brother.
• Galatians 2:9James, Peter and John understood that God had given this special job to me. They are the leaders that the church in Jerusalem respects. And they were happy to accept Barnabas and me as their friends. They agreed that we should teach God's message to the Gentiles. They themselves would continue to teach the Jews.
• James 1:1This letter is from me, James. I am a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing to the 12 tribes of God's people who live in many different parts of the world. I say ‘hello’ to all of you.

Commentaries on Acts 12:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Declared - how the Lord had brought him out of the prison - He still persisted in the belief that his deliverance was purely supernatural. It seems that some modern critics could have informed him of his mistake. See Acts 12:11. Show these things unto James, and to the brethren - That is, in one word, show them to the Church, at the head of which James undoubtedly was; as we may clearly understand by the part he took in the famous council held at…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17But he, beckoning … - To prevent the noise, and tumult, and transport which was likely to be produced. His wish was, not that there should be clamorous joy, but that they should listen in silence to what God had done. It was sufficient to awe the soul, and produce deep, grateful feeling. A noise might excite the neighboring Jews, and produce danger. Religion is calm and peaceful; and its great scenes and surprising deliverances are rather suited to awe…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 12:17

• Herod
• James
• Jerusalem
• Minister, Christian
• Persecution
• Peter
• Prayer
• Prisoners
• Prudence
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Apostle
• Constantly
• Herod Agrippa I.
• James
• Multiply
• Raise
• Vex
• Acts of the Apostles
• Apostolic Age
• Galatians, Epistle to the

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