New Living Translation
Acts 12:17
17He motioned for them to quiet down and told them how the Lord had led him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers what happened,” he said. And then he went to another place.
Acts 12:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.
- New International Version (NIV)Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this,” he said, and then he left for another place.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, "Tell these things to James and to the brothers." Then he departed and went to another place.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place.
Context of Acts 12:17
15“You’re out of your mind!” they said. When she insisted, they decided, “It must be his angel.” 16Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed. He motioned for them to quiet down and told them how the Lord had led him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers what happened,” he said. And then he went to another place. 18At dawn there was a great commotion among the soldiers about what had happened to Peter. 19Herod Agrippa ordered a thorough search for him. When he couldn’t be found, Herod interrogated the guards and sentenced them to death. Afterward Herod left Judea to stay in Caesarea for a while.
Read all of Acts 12Acts 12:17 word by word
κατασείσας δὲ αὐτοῖς τῇ χειρὶ σιγᾶν, διηγήσατο αὐτοῖς πῶς ὁ κύριος αὐτὸν ἐξήγαγεν ἐκ τῆς φυλακῆς· εἶπέν τε· ἀπαγγείλατε Ἰακώβῳ καὶ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ταῦτα. καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἐπορεύθη εἰς ἕτερον τόπον.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- he, beckoningκατασείωkataseiō · to signalG2678
- unto themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- with the handὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- with the handχείρcheir · handG5495
- to hold their peaceσιγάωsigaō · be silentG4601
- declaredδιηγέομαιdiēgeomai · to relate fullyG1334
- howπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
- the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
- had broughtἐξάγωexagō · to lead outG1806
- out ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- the prisonφυλακήphulakē · prison/watch: prisonG5438
- he saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Go shewἀπαγγέλλωapaggellō · to announceG518
- these thingsοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- unto JamesἸάκωβοςIakōbos · JamesG2385
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- to the brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
- he departedἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
- and wentπορεύωporeuomai · to travelG4198
- intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- anotherἕτεροςheteros · otherG2087
- placeτόποςtopos · placeG5117
Cross-references for Acts 12:17
- Acts 13:16So Paul stood, lifted his hand to quiet them, and started speaking. “Men of Israel,” he said, “and you God-fearing Gentiles, listen to me.
- Acts 19:33The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward and told him to explain the situation. He motioned for silence and tried to speak.
- Acts 21:40The commander agreed, so Paul stood on the stairs and motioned to the people to be quiet. Soon a deep silence enveloped the crowd, and he addressed them in their own language, Aramaic.
- Luke 1:22When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.
- John 13:24Simon Peter motioned to him to ask, “Who’s he talking about?”
- Psalms 66:16Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me.
- Psalms 102:20to hear the groans of the prisoners, to release those condemned to die.
- Psalms 107:21Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them.
- Psalms 116:14I will keep my promises to the Lord in the presence of all his people.
- Psalms 146:7He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The Lord frees the prisoners.
- Acts 15:13When they had finished, James stood and said, “Brothers, listen to me.
- Acts 21:18The next day Paul went with us to meet with James, and all the elders of the Jerusalem church were present.
- 1 Corinthians 15:7Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles.
- Galatians 1:19The only other apostle I met at that time was James, the Lord’s brother.
- Galatians 2:9In fact, James, Peter, and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me, and they accepted Barnabas and me as their co-workers. They encouraged us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews.
- James 1:1This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing to the “twelve tribes”—Jewish believers scattered abroad. Greetings!
Commentaries on Acts 12:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Declared - how the Lord had brought him out of the prison - He still persisted in the belief that his deliverance was purely supernatural. It seems that some modern critics could have informed him of his mistake. See Acts 12:11. Show these things unto James, and to the brethren - That is, in one word, show them to the Church, at the head of which James undoubtedly was; as we may clearly understand by the part he took in the famous council held at…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17But he, beckoning - To prevent the noise, and tumult, and transport which was likely to be produced. His wish was, not that there should be clamorous joy, but that they should listen in silence to what God had done. It was sufficient to awe the soul, and produce deep, grateful feeling. A noise might excite the neighboring Jews, and produce danger. Religion is calm and peaceful; and its great scenes and surprising deliverances are rather suited to awe…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-19Verses 12-19 God's providence leaves room for the use of our prudence, though he has undertaken to perform and perfect what he has begun. These Christians continued in prayer for Peter, for they were truly in earnest. Thus men ought always to pray, and not to faint. As long as we are kept waiting for a mercy, we must continue praying for it. But sometimes that which we most earnestly wish for, we are most backward to believe. The Christian law of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-17Rhoda was very surprised when Peter appeared, so she left him standing at the closed door. She and the other Christians thought God's answer to their prayers was amazing (12:5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-1712-17. he came to the house of Mary, &c.--who "must have had a house of some pretensions to receive a large number; and, accordingly, we read that her brother Barnabas (Col 4:10) was a person of substance (Ac 4:37). She must also have been distinguished for faith and courage to allow such a meeting in the face of persecution" [Webster and Wilkinson]. To such a house it was natural that Peter should come. mother of John ... Mark--so called to distinguish…Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 12:17
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 Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries