Acts 12:6

Acts 12:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
• New International Version (NIV)The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And 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.

Context of Acts 12:6

4Then 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. 5But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him. The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. 7Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists. 8Then the angel told him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Now put on your coat and follow me,” the angel ordered.

Acts 12:6 word by word

ὅτε δὲ ἤμελλεν προαγαγεῖν αὐτὸν ὁ Ἡρῴδης, τῇ νυκτὶ ἐκείνῃ ἦν ὁ Πέτρος κοιμώμενος μεταξὺ δύο στρατιωτῶν δεδεμένος ἁλύσεσιν δυσίν, φύλακές τε πρὸ τῆς θύρας ἐτήρουν τὴν φυλακήν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• whenὅτεhote ho te hē te tō te · whenG3753
• Herodὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• HerodἩρώδηςHērōdēs · HerodG2264
• wouldμέλλωmellō · to ensueG3195
• have broughtπροάγωproagō · to go/bring beforeG4254
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• the sameἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
• nightνύξnux · nightG3571
• PeterΠέτροςPetros · PeterG4074
• wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• sleepingκοιμάωkoimaō · to sleepG2837
• betweenμεταξύmetaxu · between/meanwhileG3342
• twoδύοduo · twoG1417
• soldiersστρατιώτηςstratiōtēs · soldierG4757
• boundδέωdeō · to bindG1210
• chainsἅλυσιςhalusis · chainG254
• andτεte · and/bothG5037
• the keepersφύλαξphulax · guard; keeperG5441
• beforeπρόpro · beforeG4253
• the doorθύραthura · doorG2374
• keptτηρέωtēreō · to keep: guardG5083
• the prisonφυλακήphulakē · prison/watch: prisonG5438

Cross-references for Acts 12:6

• Genesis 22:14Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”
• Deuteronomy 32:26I would have annihilated them, wiping out even the memory of them.
• 1 Samuel 23:26Saul and David were now on opposite sides of a mountain. Just as Saul and his men began to close in on David and his men,
• Psalms 3:5I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me.
• Psalms 4:8In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.
• Isaiah 26:3You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
• Philippians 4:6Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
• Hebrews 13:6So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”
• Acts 21:33Then the commander arrested him and ordered him bound with two chains. He asked the crowd who he was and what he had done.
• Acts 28:20I asked you to come here today so we could get acquainted and so I could explain to you that I am bound with this chain because I believe that the hope of Israel—the Messiah—has already come.”
• Jeremiah 40:4But I am going to take off your chains and let you go. If you want to come with me to Babylon, you are welcome. I will see that you are well cared for. But if you don’t want to come, you may stay here. The whole land is before you—go wherever you like.
• Ephesians 6:20I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.
• 2 Timothy 1:16May the Lord show special kindness to Onesiphorus and all his family because he often visited and encouraged me. He was never ashamed of me because I was in chains.
• Acts 5:23“The jail was securely locked, with the guards standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!”
• Matthew 28:4The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.

Commentaries on Acts 12:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains - Two soldiers guarded his person; his right hand being bound to the left hand of one, and his left hand bound to the right hand of the other. This was the Roman method of guarding their prisoners, and appears to be what is intimated in the text.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6And when Herod would have brought him forth - When he was about to bring him to be put to death. The same night - That is, the night preceding. The intention of Herod was to bring him out as soon as the Passover was over; but during the night which immediately preceded the day in which he intended to bring him to punishment, Peter was rescued. Peter was sleeping - Here is an instance of remarkable composure, and an illustration of the effects of peace of…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. 6-19God, through an angel, guided Peter out of prison. Peter reunited with his praying friends, and God sent him to continue proclaiming the good news about Jesus. The message advanced by God's power, even when the church and apostles faced strong opposition and discouragement.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5-65-6. prayer was made without ceasing--rather, "instant," "earnest," "urgent" (Margin); as in Lu 22:44; Ac 26:7; and 1Pe 4:8 (see Greek). of the church unto God for him--not in public assembly, for it was evidently not safe to meet thus; but in little groups in private houses, one of which was Mary's (Ac 12:12). And this was kept up during all the days of unleavened bread.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 12:6

• Chains
• Herod
• Jerusalem
• Minister, Christian
• Miracles
• Persecution
• Peter
• Prayer
• Prisoners
• Rulers
• Soldiers

In the dictionaries

• Peter
• Herod
• Herod, Herod Antipas
• Herod, Herod the Great
• Peter, Simon Peter, Cephas
• Chain
• Constantly
• Herod Agrippa I.
• Multiply
• Prayer

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