Acts 12:17

But he, beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, “Tell these things to James, and to the brothers.” Then he departed, and went to another place.

World English Bible

Learn

Your notes

Private to you. Anything you write on this verse, here or while reading, shows up here and in My study.

Other translations

WEBBE

But he, beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.

BSB

Peter motioned with his hand for silence, and he described how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. “Send word to James and to the brothers,” he said, and he left for another place.

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.

ASV

But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him forth out of the prison. And he said, Tell these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went to another place.

BBE

But he made a sign to them with his hand to be quiet, and gave them an account of how the Lord had taken him out of prison. And he said, Give the news to James and the brothers. And then he went away.

Original Greek

Look up a word

Tap a word to see what it means and everywhere else it's used.

κατασείσας kataseisas Having made a sign G2678 δὲ de then G1161 αὐτοῖς autois to them G846 τῇ tēa with the G3588 χειρὶ cheiri hand G5495 σιγᾶν sigan to be silent G4601 διηγήσατο diēgēsato he related G1334 αὐτοῖς autois to them G846 πῶς pōs how G4459 ὁ ho the G3588 κύριος kurios Lord G2962 αὐτὸν auton him G846 ἐξήγαγεν exēgagen had brought G1806 ἐκ ek out of G1537 τῆς tēs the G3588 φυλακῆς phulakēs prison G5438 εἶπέν eipen He said G2036 τε te then G5037 ἀπαγγείλατε apangeilate do report G518 Ἰακώβῳ Iakōbō to James G2385 καὶ kai and G2532 τοῖς tois to the G3588 ἀδελφοῖς adelphois brothers G80 ταῦτα tauta these things G3778 καὶ kai And G2532 ἐξελθὼν exelthōn having gone out G1831 ἐπορεύθη eporeuthē he went G4198 εἰς eis to G1519 ἕτερον heteron another G2087 τόπον.¶ topon place G5117

The early church

But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished. 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 show these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.

John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Acts

But when he continued knocking, and when they had opened, and saw him, they were astonished. But he beckoning to them with his hand made them keep quiet, to hear all that had happened to him. He was now an object of more affectionate desire to the disciples, not only in consequence of his being saved, but by his sudden coming in upon them and straightway departing. Now, both his friends learn all clearly; and the aliens also learn, if they had a mind, but they had not. The same thing happened in the case of Christ. "Tell these things," he says, "to James, and to the brethren." How free from all vainglory! Nor did he say, Make known these things to people everywhere, but, "to the brethren. And he withdrew to another place:" for he did not tempt God, nor fling himself into temptation: since, when they were commanded to do this, then they did it. "Go," it was said, "speak in the temple to the people." But this the Angel said not here; on the contrary, by silently removing him and bringing him out by night, he gave him free permission to withdraw - and this too is done, that we may learn that many things are providentially brought about after the manner of men - so that he should not again fall into peril.

John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Acts

And he said, Tell James and the brethren. That they may rejoice: that they may not be anxious. Through these those learn, not those through him: such thought had he for the humbler part!

John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Acts

For that they may not say, "It was his Angel," after he was gone, they say this first, and then they see himself overthrowing their notion of the matter. Had it been the Angel, he would have knocked at the door, would not have retired to another place. And what followed in the day, make them sure.

John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Acts

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 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 self-denial and of suffering for Christ, has not done away the natural law of caring for our own safety by lawful means. In times of public danger, all believers have God for their hiding-place; which is so secret, that the world cannot find them. Also, the instruments of persecution are themselves exposed to danger; the wrath of God hangs over all that engage in this hateful work. And the range of persecutors often vents itself on all in its way.

Read Matthew Henry on Acts 12 →

Cross-references

People & places

Jesus James

Topics

James

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.