Acts 12:4

When he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.

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

When he had arrested him, he put him in prison and delivered him to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.

BSB

He arrested him and put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out to the people after the Passover.

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.

ASV

And when he had taken him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him; intending after the Passover to bring him forth to the people.

BBE

And having taken him, he put him in prison, with four bands of armed men to keep watch over him; his purpose being to take him out to the people after the Passover.

Original Greek

Look up a word

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

ὃν hon whom G3739 καὶ kai also G2532 πιάσας piasas having seized G4084 ἔθετο etheto he put G5087 εἰς eis in G1519 φυλακὴν phulakēn prison G5438 παραδοὺς paradous having delivered [him] G3860 τέσσαρσιν tessarsin to four G5064 τετραδίοις tetradiois sets of four G5069 στρατιωτῶν stratiōtōn soldiers G4757 φυλάσσειν phulassein to guard G5442 αὐτόν auton him G846 βουλόμενος boulomenos intending G1014 μετὰ meta after G3326 τὸ to the G3588 πάσχα pascha Passover G3957 ἀναγαγεῖν anagagein to bring out G321 αὐτὸν auton him G846 τῷ tō to the G3588 λαῷ.¶ laō people G2992

The early church

Whom having arrested, he put in ward, having delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers. This was done both of rage, and of fear. He slew James the brother of John with the sword. Do you mark their courage? For, that none may say that without danger or fear of danger they brave death, as being sure of God's delivering them, therefore he permits some to be put to death, and chief men too, Stephen and James, thereby convincing their slayers themselves, that not even these things make them fall away, and hinder them.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Acts
He feared lest Peter, in consequence of the slaying of James, should withdraw; and wishing to have him in safe keeping, he put him in prison: "and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers": the stricter the custody, the more wondrous the display.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Acts

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 1–5

James was one of the sons of Zebedee, whom Christ told that they should drink of the cup that he was to drink of, and be baptized with the baptism that he was to be baptized with, Mt 20:23. Now the words of Christ were made good in him; and if we suffer with Christ, we shall reign with him. Herod imprisoned Peter: the way of persecution, as of other sins, is downhill; when men are in it, they cannot easily stop. Those make themselves an easy prey to Satan, who make it their business to please men. Thus James finished his course. But Peter, being designed for further services, was safe; though he seemed now marked out for a speedy sacrifice. We that live in a cold, prayerless generation, can hardly form an idea of the earnestness of these holy men of old. But if the Lord should bring on the church an awful persecution like this of Herod, the faithful in Christ would learn what soul-felt prayer is.

Read Matthew Henry on Acts 12 →

Cross-references

18

Topics

SoldiersCriminalsPrisonImprisonmentEaster (A.V.)Quaternion

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