English Standard Version
Acts 12:2
2He killed James the brother of John with the sword,
Acts 12:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
- New International Version (NIV)He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
- New Living Translation (NLT)He had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword.
Context of Acts 12:2
1About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people.
Read all of Acts 12Acts 12:2 word by word
ἀνεῖλεν δὲ Ἰάκωβον τὸν ἀδελφὸν Ἰωάννου μαχαίρῃ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Acts 12:2
- Matthew 4:21And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.
- Matthew 20:23He said to them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
- Mark 10:35And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."
- 1 Kings 19:1Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
- Jeremiah 26:23and they took Uriah from Egypt and brought him to King Jehoiakim, who struck him down with the sword and dumped his dead body into the burial place of the common people.
- Hebrews 11:37They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—
Commentaries on Acts 12:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2He killed James the brother of John with the sword - This was James the greater, son of Zebedee, and must be distinguished from James the less, son of Alpheus. This latter was put to death by Ananias the high priest, during the reign of Nero. This James with his brother John were those who requested to sit on the right and left hand of our Lord, see Matthew 20:23; and our Lord's prediction was now fulfilled in one of them, who by his martyrdom drank of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2And he killed - He caused to be put to death with a sword, either by beheading, or piercing him through. The Roman procurators were entrusted with authority over life, though in the time of Pilate the Jews had not this authority. James, the brother of John - This was the son of Zebedee, Matthew 4:21. He is commonly called James the Greater, in contradistinction from James, the son of Alpheus, who is called James the Less, Matthew 10:3. In this manner…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-5Jesus had prophesied that his followers would experience persecution and difficulty (Luke 11:49–51). For the first time since his death, Roman authorities acted violently against the church. James, the brother of John, was among the first disciples Jesus called (Mark 1:16–20; Luke 5:1–11). He was one of the first Christians killed because of his faith. King Herod Agrippa took action to intentionally harm the church (Acts 12:20–23). It is possible that…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-191-3. Herod the king--grandson of Herod the Great, and son of Aristobulus. He at this time ruled over all his father's dominions. Paley has remarked the accuracy of the historian here. For thirty years before this there was no king at Jerusalem exercising supreme authority over Judea, nor was there ever afterwards, save during the three last years of Herod's life, within which the transactions occurred.Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 12:2
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
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