Acts 12:23

Acts 12:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
• New International Version (NIV)Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the people’s worship instead of giving the glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died.

Context of Acts 12:23

21So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. 22And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. 24But the word of God grew and multiplied. 25And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark.

Acts 12:23 word by word

παραχρῆμα δὲ ἐπάταξεν αὐτὸν ἄγγελος κυρίου ἀνθ᾽ ὧν οὐκ ἔδωκεν τὴν δόξαν τῷ θεῷ, καὶ γενόμενος σκωληκόβρωτος ἐξέψυξεν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• immediatelyπαραχρῆμαparachrēma · instantlyG3916
• the angelἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
• of the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• smoteπατάσσωpatassō · to strikeG3960
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• becauseἀντίanti · forG473
• ·ὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• he gaveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• notοὐou · noG3756
• Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• the gloryδόξαdoxa · gloryG1391
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• he wasγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• eaten of wormsσκωληκόβρωτοςskōlēkobrōtos · worm-eatenG4662
• and gave up the ghostἐκψύχωekpsuchō · to expireG1634

Cross-references for Acts 12:23

• Exodus 12:12‘For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.
• 1 Samuel 25:38Then it happened, after about ten days, that the Lord struck Nabal, and he died.
• 2 Samuel 24:17Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, “Surely I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, be against me and against my father’s house.”
• 1 Chronicles 21:14So the Lord sent a plague upon Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell.
• 2 Chronicles 32:21Then the Lord sent an angel who cut down every mighty man of valor, leader, and captain in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned shamefaced to his own land. And when he had gone into the temple of his god, some of his own offspring struck him down with the sword there.
• Acts 10:25As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.
• Acts 14:14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out
• Exodus 9:17As yet you exalt yourself against My people in that you will not let them go.
• Exodus 10:3So Moses and Aaron came in to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me.
• Psalms 115:1Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy, Because of Your truth.
• Isaiah 37:23“Whom have you reproached and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice, And lifted up your eyes on high? Against the Holy One of Israel.
• Ezekiel 28:2“Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Because your heart is lifted up, And you say, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods, In the midst of the seas,’ Yet you are a man, and not a god, Though you set your heart as the heart of a god
• Daniel 4:30The king spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?”
• Daniel 5:18O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor.
• Luke 12:47And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:4who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

Commentaries on Acts 12:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23The angel of the Lord smote him - His death was most evidently a judgment from God. Because he gave not God the glory - He did not rebuke his flatterers, but permitted them to give him that honor that was due to God alone. See on Acts 12:21; (note). And was eaten of worms - Whether this was the morbus pedicularis, or whether a violent inflammation of his bowels, terminating in putrefaction, did not actually produce worms, which, for several days, swarmed…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23And immediately the angel of the Lord - Diseases and death axe in the Scriptures often attributed to an angel. See 2 Samuel 24:16; 1 Chronicles 21:12, 1 Chronicles 21:15, 1 Chronicles 21:20, 1 Chronicles 21:27; 2 Chronicles 32:21. It is not intended that there was a miracle in this case, but it certainly is intended by the sacred writer that his death was a divine judgment on him for his receiving homage as a god. Josephus says of him that he “did neither…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-25Verses 20-25 Many heathen princes claimed and received Divine honours, but it was far more horrible impiety in Herod, who knew the word and worship of the living God, to accept such idolatrous honours without rebuking the blasphemy. And such men as Herod, when puffed with pride and vanity, are ripening fast for signal vengeance. God is very jealous for his own honour, and will be glorified upon those whom he is not glorified by. See what vile bodies we…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. 22-2322-23. the people gave a shout, &c.--Josephus' account of his death is remarkably similar to this [Antiquities, 19.8.2]. Several cases of such deaths occur in history. Thus was this wretched man nearer his end than he of whom he had thought to make a public spectacle.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 12:23

• Angel (a Spirit)
• Caesarea
• Ghost
• Glorifying God
• Happiness
• Herod
• Jerusalem
• Self-Exaltation
• Sidon
• Tyre
• Worm

In the dictionaries

• God
• Angel of the Lord
• Agrippa I.
• Angel
• Constantly
• Destroyer
• Drusilla
• 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