Acts 12:5

Acts 12:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
• New International Version (NIV)So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.

Context of Acts 12:5

3King Herod saw that the Jews were happy because he had killed James. So he sent his soldiers to take hold of Peter too. This happened during the Festival of Flat Bread. 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. So Herod kept Peter in prison. But during that time, the group of believers prayed that God would help Peter. 6It was the night before King Herod wanted to bring Peter out of the prison and judge him. The soldiers had tied Peter to themselves with chains. So Peter was sleeping between two soldiers. Some other soldiers were guarding the doors of the prison. 7Then, an angel from the Lord God suddenly appeared in the prison. A bright light shone in the room where Peter was sleeping. The angel touched Peter's shoulder so that Peter woke up. He said to Peter, ‘Hurry! Stand up!’ Immediately the chains fell off Peter's hands.

Acts 12:5 word by word

Ὁ μὲν οὖν Πέτρος ἐτηρεῖτο ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ· προσευχὴ δὲ ἦν ἐκτενῶς γινομένη ὑπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας πρὸς τὸν θεὸν περὶ αὐτοῦ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• PeterΠέτροςPetros · PeterG4074
• thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• ·μένmen · on the other handG3303
• was keptτηρέωtēreō · to keep: guardG5083
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• prisonφυλακήphulakē · prison/watch: prisonG5438
• butδέde · thenG1161
• prayerπροσευχήproseuchē · prayerG4335
• wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• madeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• without ceasingἐκτενήςektenēs · ferventG1618
• ofὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
• the churchἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
• untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• forὑπέρhuper · above/forG5228
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for Acts 12:5

• Acts 12:12When 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.
• Isaiah 62:6I have put guards on your walls, Jerusalem. They should never be quiet, during the day and during the night. You people who cause the Lord to remember his promises, never stop and rest!
• Matthew 18:19Two people may agree together to ask God for something. If they agree like that, then my Father in heaven will give them what they ask for.
• Luke 18:1Then Jesus told his disciples a story. He wanted to teach them that they must go on praying always. They must not get tired.
• 1 Corinthians 12:26Then if one part of the body hurts, every other part also hurts. If people praise one part, every part of the body is also happy.
• 2 Corinthians 1:11We also know that you continue to help us as you pray for us. As many people pray for us, they will thank God when he answers their prayers. They will see that God is very kind to us, and they will thank him.
• Ephesians 6:18As you stand strongly like that, always pray for God's help. Pray about everything as God's Spirit helps you to pray. For this purpose, watch carefully all the time. Also, continue to pray for all God's people everywhere.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:17Pray at all times.
• Hebrews 13:3Remember to help those believers who are in prison. Think about what that would be like, if you were there with them. Remember those believers who are receiving trouble from people. Think about them as if you were receiving the same pain in your own body.
• James 5:16So you should tell each other about any wrong things that you have done. Then you will be able to pray for each other, so that God makes you well again. When a good person prays to God, God does powerful things.

Commentaries on Acts 12:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Prayer was made without ceasing - The Greek word signifies both fervor and earnestness, as well as perseverance. These prayers of the Church produced that miraculous interference mentioned below, and without which Peter could not have thus escaped from the hands of this ruthless king.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5But prayer was made - The church was apprised of his imprisonment and danger, and had no resource but to apply to God by prayer. In scenes of danger there is no other refuge; and the result shows that even in most discouraging circumstances God can hear prayer. Nothing scarcely could appear more hopeless than the idea of rescuing Peter out of the hands of Herod, and out of the prison, and out of the custody of sixteen men, by prayer. But the prayer of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5the church was fervently praying: God answers the earnest prayers of his people (12:6–17; see Luke 11:1–13; 18:1–8; compare Matthew 7:7–11; John 15:7; Philippians 4:6–7; James 5:16; 1 John 3:22).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5-65-6. prayer was made without ceasing--rather, "instant," "earnest," "urgent" (Margin); as in Lu 22:44; Ac 26:7; and 1Pe 4:8 (see Greek). of the church unto God for him--not in public assembly, for it was evidently not safe to meet thus; but in little groups in private houses, one of which was Mary's (Ac 12:12). And this was kept up during all the days of unleavened bread.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 12:5

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Criminals
• Herod
• Jerusalem
• Minister, Christian
• Persecution
• Peter
• Prayer
• Prison
• Prisoners
• Rulers
• Soldiers

In the dictionaries

• God
• Peter
• Peter, Simon Peter, Cephas
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Constantly
• Herod Agrippa I.
• Multiply
• Prayer
• Raise
• Vex

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