Acts 12:19

Acts 12:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Cesarea, and there abode.
• New International Version (NIV)After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And after Herod searched for him and did not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent time there.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.

Context of Acts 12:19

17Peter 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. When 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. 20At that time, King Herod was angry with the people who lived in Tyre and Sidon. A group of men from these cities went together to speak to Herod about the problem. A man called Blastus was an important servant in King Herod's house. The group of men said to Blastus, ‘Please help us when we speak to King Herod.’ Then they went and they said to Herod, ‘Please stop being angry with our people. We want to be friends again.’ They said this because they needed to buy food in King Herod's country. 21Herod decided on which day he would meet with them. He put on his beautiful clothes and he sat in his special seat as king. Then he spoke his message to all the people.

Acts 12:19 word by word

Ἡρῴδης δὲ ἐπιζητήσας αὐτὸν καὶ μὴ εὑρὼν ἀνακρίνας τοὺς φύλακας ἐκέλευσεν ἀπαχθῆναι, καὶ κατελθὼν ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαίας εἰς Καισάρειαν διέτριβεν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• when HerodἩρώδηςHērōdēs · HerodG2264
• had soughtἐπιζητέωepizēteō · to seek afterG1934
• for himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• found himεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
• notμήmē · notG3361
• he examinedἀνακρίνωanakrinō · to investigateG350
• the keepersὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the keepersφύλαξphulax · guard; keeperG5441
• and commanded thatκελεύωkeleuō · to orderG2753
• should be put to deathἀπάγωapagō · to lead awayG520
• he went downκατέρχομαιkaterchomai · to descendG2718
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• JudeaἸουδαίαIoudaia · JudeaG2449
• toεἰςeis · towardG1519
• CesareaΚαισάρειαKaisareia · CaesareaG2542
• andδιατρίβωdiatribō · to remainG1304

Cross-references for Acts 12:19

• 1 Samuel 23:14David stayed in places where he would be safe. They were in the desert, and in the hill country of Ziph. Saul always tried to find David. But God did not let Saul catch David.
• Psalms 37:32Evil people wait for a chance to kill righteous people.
• Jeremiah 36:26Instead, the king told Prince Jerahmeel to go and find the secretary Baruch and the prophet Jeremiah. Jerahmeel went with Azriel's son Seraiah and Abdeel's son Shelemiah to take hold of them. But the Lord had hidden Baruch and Jeremiah.
• Matthew 2:13After the men had gone away, Joseph had a dream. In the dream, he saw one of the Lord God's angels. The angel said to him, ‘Herod will look for the child, so that his soldiers can kill him. You must get up and take the child and his mother with you. Go immediately to Egypt. I will tell you when you can return again. You must remain there until then.’
• Acts 12:4After the soldiers caught Peter, they put him in prison. While he was in prison, four different groups of soldiers guarded him. There were four soldiers in each group. Herod wanted to judge Peter in front of everybody. After the Passover festival had finished, he would bring Peter out of the prison to do this.
• Matthew 28:11The women went to tell the disciples Jesus' message. At the same time, some of the soldiers who had watched the rock also went into the city. The soldiers told the leaders of the priests everything that had happened at the rock.
• Daniel 2:11You are asking us to do something much too difficult! Nobody can do it, except the gods. And they do not live among men.’
• Matthew 2:16When the wise men did not return to Herod, he was very angry. He knew that they had deceived him. So he sent his men to Bethlehem. He said to them, ‘Kill all the baby boys in Bethlehem. Kill the boys who live near there too. Kill all the boys who are two years old or younger than that.’ The wise men had told Herod how long ago they had first seen the special star. So he decided to kill the baby boys of that age.
• John 12:10So the leaders of the priests decided to kill not only Jesus, but Lazarus too.
• Acts 21:8The next day, we left Ptolemais and we sailed to Caesarea. We stayed there with Philip. He was someone who taught people the good news about Jesus. He was one of the seven men that the believers had chosen in Jerusalem.
• Acts 25:13Several days after this, King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea. They wanted to say ‘welcome’ to Festus as the new ruler.
• 1 Kings 20:43So King Ahab of Israel went home to his palace in Samaria. He was angry and upset.
• Esther 6:12After this, Mordecai returned to sit at the king's gate. But Haman hurried back home. He covered his face because he was ashamed and upset.

Commentaries on Acts 12:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Commanded that they should be put to death - He believed, or pretended to believe, that the escape of Peter was owing to the negligence of the keepers: jailers, watchmen, etc., ordinarily suffered the same kind of punishment which should have been inflicted on the prisoner whose escape they were supposed to have favored. He went down from Judea to Caesarea - How soon he went down, and how long he stayed there, we know not.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19He examined the keepers - The soldiers who were entrusted with his custody. Probably only those who had the special care of him at that watch of the night. The word “examine” here means “to inquire diligently, to make investigation.” He subjected them to a rigid scrutiny to ascertain the manner of his escape; for it is evident that Herod did not mean to admit the possibility of a miraculous interposition. Should be put to death - For having failed to keep…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. 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. 18-1918-19. as soon as it was day, &c.--His deliverance must have been during the fourth watch (three to six A.M.); else he must have been missed by the keepers at the change of the watch [Wies].Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 12:19

• Caesarea
• Herod
• Homicide
• Jerusalem
• Minister, Christian
• Persecution
• Peter
• Prisoners
• Rulers
• Soldiers
• Watchman

In the dictionaries

• Judea
• Herod
• Judaea, or Judea
• Herod, Herod Antipas
• Herod, Herod the Great
• Judea, Judah
• Constantly
• Herod Agrippa I.
• Multiply
• Raise

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