Acts 12:9

Acts 12:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.
• New International Version (NIV)Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

Context of Acts 12:9

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. 8Then the angel said to him, ‘Put on your clothes and your shoes.’ Peter did what the angel told him to do. Then the angel said, ‘Now put on your coat and follow me.’ So Peter followed the angel out of the prison. He was not sure that all these things were really happening to him. He thought that he might be dreaming. 10Peter and the angel walked past the first group of soldiers in the prison. Then they walked past the second group of soldiers. After that, they came to the big metal gate in the wall of the prison. The city was outside this gate. The gate opened by itself in front of them. So Peter and the angel went out of the prison through the gate. They walked together along one street and then, suddenly, the angel went away. 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.’

Acts 12:9 word by word

καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἠκολούθει καὶ οὐκ ᾔδει ὅτι ἀληθές ἐστιν τὸ γινόμενον διὰ τοῦ ἀγγέλου, ἐδόκει δὲ ὅραμα βλέπειν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• he went outἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
• and followedἀκολουθέωakoloutheō · to followG190
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• wistεἴδωeidō · to perceive: knowG1492
• notοὐou · noG3756
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• it wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• trueἀληθήςalēthēs · trueG227
• which was doneγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• the angelἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
• butδέde · thenG1161
• thoughtδοκέωdokeō · to thinkG1380
• he sawβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
• a visionὅραμαhorama · visionG3705

Cross-references for Acts 12:9

• Acts 26:19‘So you should know this, King Agrippa. I obeyed the things that I heard from heaven that day.
• Genesis 6:22Noah obeyed God. He did everything that God had told him to do.
• John 2:5His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you to do.’
• Hebrews 11:8Abraham also believed God. When God told him to leave his home, he obeyed God. He left his home to go to another country, but he did not know where he was going. It was the place that God had promised to give to Abraham.
• Acts 10:3One afternoon, at about three o'clock, Cornelius had a vision. He clearly saw one of God's angels. The angel came in and said to him, ‘Cornelius!’
• Acts 11:5‘I was staying in a house in the city of Joppa. One day, when I was praying, I had a special dream. In this vision, I saw something that came down from heaven. It was like a large piece of cloth. Somebody held it at each of its four corners and let it come down to the ground next to me.
• Genesis 45:26They told him, ‘Joseph is still alive! He rules over all of Egypt!’ Jacob was so surprised that he did not believe what they said.
• Psalms 126:1When the Lord turned us round, so that we enjoyed a good life in Zion again, we thought that we were dreaming!
• 2 Corinthians 12:1I must continue to praise myself. It will not really help you, but I will tell you anyway. The Lord has shown me special things, like in a dream.

Commentaries on Acts 12:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9He - wist not - He knew not; from the Anglo-Saxon, to know. He supposed himself to be in a dream.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9And wist not - Knew not. That it was true - That it was real. But thought he saw a vision - He supposed that it was a representation made to his mind similar to what he had seen before. Compare Acts 10:11-12. It was so astonishing, so unexpected, so wonderful, that he could not realize that it was true.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-11Verses 6-11 A peaceful conscience, a lively hope, and the consolations of the Holy Spirit, can keep men calm in the full prospect of death; even those very persons who have been most distracted with terrors on that account. God's time to help, is when things are brought to the last extremity. Peter was assured that the Lord would cause this trial to end in the way that should be most for his glory. Those who are delivered out of spiritual imprisonment…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-11See “Angels” Theme Note.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-117-11. the angel of the Lord--rather, "an angel." came upon him--so in Lu 2:9, expressive of the unexpected nature of the visit. smote Peter on the side ... Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off ... Gird thyself ... And so he did ... Cast thy garment--tunic, which he had thrown off for the night.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 12:9

• Angel (a Spirit)
• Herod
• Jerusalem
• Minister, Christian
• Miracles
• Persecution
• Peter
• Prayer
• Prisoners
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

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

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