Acts 12:3

Acts 12:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)
• New International Version (NIV)When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread.

Context of Acts 12:3

1Now at that time Herod the king seized some from Messiah’s community to do them harm. 2He had Jacob, John’s brother, put to death with the sword. Seeing it pleased the Judean leaders, he proceeded to capture Peter as well. This was during the Days of Matzah. 4After seizing him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads with four soldiers each to guard him. He was intending to bring him before the people after Passover. 5So Peter was kept in prison, but prayer for him was being offered fervently to God by Messiah’s community.

Acts 12:3 word by word

ἰδὼν δὲ ὅτι ἀρεστόν ἐστιν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις, προσέθετο συλλαβεῖν καὶ Πέτρον, ἦσαν δὲ αἱ ἡμέραι τῶν ἀζύμων,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• he sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• ·εἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• it pleasedἀρεστόςarestos · pleasingG701
• the JewsἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
• he proceeded furtherπροστίθημιprostithēmi · to add (to)G4369
• to takeσυλλαμβάνωsullambanō · to seize/conceive/helpG4815
• PeterΠέτροςPetros · PeterG4074
• Thenδέde · thenG1161
• the daysἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
• of unleavened breadἄζυμοςazumos · unleavenedG106

Cross-references for Acts 12:3

• Acts 24:27But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and wishing to do the Judean leaders a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.
• Acts 25:9But Festus, wanting to do the Jewish leaders a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to be tried before me?”
• John 12:43for they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God.
• Galatians 1:10Am I now trying to win people’s approval, or God’s? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Messiah.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:4But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we declare it—not pleasing men but rather God, who examines our hearts.
• Acts 2:14But Peter, standing with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: “Fellow Judeans and all who are staying in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and pay attention to my words.
• Acts 4:13Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and figured out they were laymen without training, they were amazed. They began to realize that these men had been with Yeshua.
• Psalms 76:10when God rose up to judgment, to save all the humble of the land. Selah
• John 19:11Yeshua answered, “You would have no authority over Me if it hadn’t been given to you from above. For this reason, the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.”
• John 21:18“Amen, amen I tell you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.”
• Exodus 12:14“This day is to be a memorial for you. You are to keep it as a feast to Adonai. Throughout your generations you are to keep it as an eternal ordinance.
• Exodus 13:3Moses said to the people, “Remember this day, on which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage. For by a strong hand Adonai brought you out from this place. No hametz may be eaten.
• Exodus 23:15You are to observe the Feast of Matzot. For seven days you will eat matzot as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Aviv, for that is when you came out from Egypt. No one is to appear before Me empty-handed.
• Leviticus 23:6On the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Matzot to Adonai. For seven days you are to eat matzah .
• Matthew 26:17Now on the first day of matzah , the disciples came to Yeshua, saying, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”
• 1 Corinthians 5:7Get rid of the old hametz, so you may be a new batch, just as you are unleavened—for Messiah, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed.

Commentaries on Acts 12:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3He proceeded - to take Peter also - He supposed that these two were pillars on which the infant cause rested; and that, if these were removed, the building must necessarily come down. The days of unleavened bread - About the latter end of March or beginning of April; but whether in the third or fourth year of the Emperor Claudius, or earlier or later, cannot be determined.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3And because he saw that it pleased the Jews - This was the principle on which he acted. It was not from a sense of right; it was not to do justice, and to protect the innocent; it was not to discharge the appropriate duties of a magistrate and a king, but it was to promote his own popularity. It is probable that Agrippa would have acted in this way in any circumstances. He was ambitious, vain, and fawning; he sought, as his great principle, popularity…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 12:3

• Demagogism
• Herod
• Jerusalem
• King
• Minister, Christian
• Opinion, Public
• Passover
• Persecution
• Peter
• Prisoners
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Peter
• Peter, Simon Peter, Cephas
• unleavened bread
• Agrippa I.
• Constantly
• Drusilla
• Herod Agrippa I.
• Multiply
• Passover
• 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