New King James Version
Acts 12:4
4So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.
Acts 12:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
- New International Version (NIV)After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover.
Context of Acts 12:4
2Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover. 5Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 6And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.
Read all of Acts 12Acts 12:4 word by word
ὃν καὶ πιάσας ἔθετο εἰς φυλακὴν παραδοὺς τέσσαρσιν τετραδίοις στρατιωτῶν φυλάσσειν αὐτόν, βουλόμενος μετὰ τὸ πάσχα ἀναγαγεῖν αὐτὸν τῷ λαῷ.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- whenὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- he had apprehended himπιάζωpiazō · to arrest/catchG4084
- he putτίθημιtithēmi · to placeG5087
- inεἰςeis · towardG1519
- prisonφυλακήphulakē · prison/watch: prisonG5438
- and deliveredπαραδίδωμιparadidōmi · to deliverG3860
- to fourτέσσαρεςtessares tessara · fourG5064
- quaternionsτετράδιονtetradion · squad of fourG5069
- of soldiersστρατιώτηςstratiōtēs · soldierG4757
- to keepφυλάσσωphulassō · to keep/guard: guardG5442
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- intendingβούλομαιboulomai · to planG1014
- afterμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
- Easterπάσχαpascha · Passover lambG3957
- to bringἀνάγωanagō · to leadG321
- to the peopleλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992
Cross-references for Acts 12:4
- Acts 4:3And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.
- Acts 5:18and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison.
- Acts 8:3As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.
- Matthew 24:9“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.
- Luke 21:12But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake.
- Luke 22:33But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.”
- John 13:36Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.”
- John 21:18Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.”
- Acts 16:23And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely.
- Matthew 27:64Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.”
- Acts 4:28to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.
- Esther 3:6But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus—the people of Mordecai.
- Proverbs 19:21There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.
- Proverbs 27:1Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
- Lamentations 3:37Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass, When the Lord has not commanded it?
- Matthew 26:5But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”
Commentaries on Acts 12:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Four quaternions of soldiers - That is, sixteen, or four companies of four men each, who had the care of the prison, each company taking in turn one of the four watches of the night. Intending after Easter to bring him forth - , After the passover. Perhaps there never was a more unhappy, not to say absurd, translation than that in our text. But, before I come to explain the word, it is necessary to observe that our term called Easter is not exactly the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4And when he had apprehended him - When he had taken or arrested him. He put him in prison - During the solemnities of this religious festival, it would have been deemed improper to have engaged in the trial of a supposed criminal. The minds of the people were expected to be devoted solely to the services of religion; and hence, Herod chose to retain him in custody until the Passover had ended. To four quaternions of soldiers - A “quaternion” was a company…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Herod had Peter guarded by four squads of soldiers, making it impossible for the apostle to escape (compare 12:6). God was in control, even though the circumstances seemed impossible for humans to overcome (compare 4:27–31; Genesis 18:14; Jeremiah 32:17, 27; Matthew 19:26; Mark 10:27; Luke 1:37; 18:27).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers--that is, to four parties of four each, corresponding to the four Roman watches; two watching in prison and two at the gates, and each party being on duty for the space of one watch. intending after Easter--rather, "after the Passover"; that is, after the whole festival was over. (The word in our King James Version is an ecclesiastical term of later date, and ought not to have been employed here). to bring…Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 12:4
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries