1King Herod persecuteth the Christians, killeth James, and imprisoneth Peter, who upon the prayers of the church is delivered by an angel. 20Herod, in his pride assuming the glory due to God, is smitten by an angel, and dieth miserably. 24After his death the word of God prospereth. 25Barnabas and Saul return to Antioch.
1NOW about that time 1Herod the king stretched forth his hands 2to vexa certain of the church.
1 Namely, Agrippa, son of Aristobulus, who was a son of Herod the great, and this Herod Agrippa was the father of this Agrippa, of whom hereafter, Acts 25; 26, more is spoken.
2 Gr. to ill-treat some of those of the church.
a harm*
2And he killed 3James theb brother of John with the sword.
3 Namely, the son of Zebedee and the brother of John, as it stands here in the text, and Mat. 10:2, one of the principal apostles of Christ, whom Christ, with Peter and John, oftentimes took with Him. The other James therefore, of whom we read in verse 17; Acts 15:13 and Gal. 2:9, and who left behind the epistle of James, who is also called Christ’s brother, Mark 6:3; and James the less, Mark 15:40, was another apostle, the son of Alphæus, and of the sister of Mary, and the brother of Joses, as appears by comparing Mat. 13:55 and 27:56; Gal. 1:19. See also Mat. 10:3; Mark 3:18.
b Mat. 4:21.
3And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days 4of unleavened bread.)
4 That is, the feast days of the Passover, as may be seen also from the following verse.
4Andc when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to 5four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easterd to bring him forth to the people.
c John 21:18.
5 Gr. four fourlings of soldiers, that is, sixteen soldiers, for each sentinel or watch with the Romans consisted of four soldiers of one company, whereof there were four ordained for the safe-keeping of the apostle, to keep the watch by turns in the four night watches.
d Passover. Gr. paska
5Peter therefore was kept in prison: but 6prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
6 Or, an earnest, zealous, fervent.
6And when Herod would have 7brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, 8bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
7 Namely, to cause him to be openly put to death or executed.
8 Namely, by the hands, verse 7, whereof one chain was fastened to Peter’s right hand, and on the left hand of the one soldier, and the other chain on Peter’s left hand, and to the right hand of the other soldier between whom he slept; a manner of doing usual with the Romans in strict imprisonments, as Paul also was so imprisoned at Rome, although bound only to one soldier and in greater freedom. See Acts 28:16, compared with Eph. 6:20; and 2 Tim. 1:16 and Seneca Epist. 5.
7And,e behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and 9a light shined in 10the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
e Acts 5:19; 16:26.
9 Namely, of the shining figure of the angel, as Mat. 28:3 and Luke 2:9.
10 Or, cell, dungeon. Some take this for the entire house of the prison, others for the inmost part only, where the prisoners were locked in.
8And the angel said unto him, 11Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
11 Namely, to go forth more readily; seeing the Jews wore long robes, which they in their hurried walks tucked and tied up with girdles. About sandals see the annotation at Mark 6 on verse 9.
9And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw 12a vision.
12 That is, that this seemed to be done to him in a vision, not that it was really done.
10When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto 13the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his ownf accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.
13 This was the last gate of the prison, through which being gone, they came into the streets of the city.
f Acts 16:26.
11And when Peter 14was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, thatg the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.
14 That is, now understanding that it was not a vision, but a real event and deliverance.
g Dan. 6:23.
12And when he had considered the thing, he cameh to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was 15Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
h Acts 4:23.
15 This one is the same, who afterward departed with the apostle Paul and Barnabas, verse 25, and, as some think, who wrote the Gospel.
13And as Peter knocked at the door 16of the gate, 17a damsel came 18to hearken, named Rhoda.
16 Or, of the hallway.
17 Gr. paidiske, which signifies also a little maid or virgin, who is no servant.
18 Namely, whoever it was who knocked by night, to give those who were in the house a timely warning, if there had been any danger.
14And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.
15And they said unto her, 19Thou art mad. But 20she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, 21It is his angel.
19 Or, thou art out of thy wits, not knowing what thou sayest.
20 Or, she confirmed it.
21 Or, It is his messenger; as the word angel is so taken sometimes. See Luke 7:24. But seeing by this word is signified for the most part the angels of heaven, therefore this is understood by many of an angel who was joined to Peter by God for a keeper in this trouble, as Mat. 18:10 is also said of the most inconsiderable believer that their angels always see the face of the Father in the heavens. From which it follows that God indeed sends the angels for the service and protection of the faithful, Psalm 34:7 and 91:11; Heb. 1:14, but notwithstanding it does not follow from this that every person would always have just one particular good and bad angel for company, as some think.
16But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were 22astonished.
22 Namely, at this unexpected presence of Peter, not being able to conceive how this came to pass.
17But he, beckoning unto them withi 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 23James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went 24into another place.
i Acts 13:16; 19:33; 21:40.
23 Namely, the less, for the other was already killed. See of him in the annotation on verse 2.
24 Namely, outside of Jerusalem, to propagate the Gospel; not willing to put himself unnecessarily into the same danger, out of which the Lord had delivered him, and that according to Christ’s admonition, Mat. 10:23.
18Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.
19And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he 25examined the keepers, and commanded that they 26should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there 27abode.
25 Gr. anakrinas, which word signifies to examine judicially anyone by torturing or otherwise.
26 Namely, either into prison, or to be punished with death, as this word also sometimes signifies.
27 Namely, a certain time, to set up some theater shows in honor of the emperor Claudius, to which a great multitude of the leading Jews came together, Josephus, Antiq. lib. 19, cap. 7. Of this Cæsarea, see Acts 10:1.
20¶And Herod 28was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus 29the king’s chamberlainj their friend, desired peace; because their country was 30nourished by the king's country.
28 Or, was very wroth against those of Tyre and Sidon.
29 Gr. who was over the king’s bed chamber.
j manager of household*
30 For, although Tyre and Sidon were mighty cities, notwithstanding because they were situated on the sea, and they had little land, they could not provide themselves of sustenance. See of their situation, Isaiah 23.
21And 31upon a set day Herod, 32arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon 33his throne, and made an oration unto them.
31 This was the second day of the theater shows, as Josephus testifies, Antiq. lib. 19, cap. 7, who also relates there the miserable death of this Herod Agrippa.
32 Glistering with silver, whereon the sun did shine, as Josephus, in the place before mentioned, records this history in detail.
33 Or, judgment seat.
22And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
23And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because 34he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
34 That is, that he accepted such divine honor, without turning it from himself unto God, to Whom it only belonged; as the apostles did in such a case, Acts 10:26 and 14:14, and the angel, Rev. 19:10 and 22:9.
24¶Butk the word of God 35grew and multiplied.
k Isa. 55:11; Acts 6:7.
35 Namely, this tyrant and persecutor of the church being now taken away by God’s judgment.
25And Barnabas and Saul 36returned from Jerusalem, when they had 37fulfilled their 38ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was 39Mark.
36 Namely, to Antioch.
37 Or, had accomplished.
38 Namely, to bring the relief or alms of the faithful of Antioch to the poor at Jerusalem, for which purpose they were sent, Acts 11:30.
39 See of him in verse 12, previously.