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About that time, King Herod reached out to harm some who belonged to the church.
Acts 12:1 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB Now about that time, King Herod stretched out his hands to oppress some of the assembly.
  • KJV Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.
  • NKJV Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church.
  • NASB Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church, to do them harm.
  • NLT About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

About that time King Herod began to persecute some in the church. The church faces violent opposition from a ruler.

Overview

Herod Agrippa I, seeking favor with the Jewish leaders, turns his power against the believers. After the joy of expanding mission, Luke records fresh suffering, showing that the gospel's advance meets hostility. Yet the chapter will reveal God's sovereign protection over His church amid such threats.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 7

  • Matt 24:9Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.
  • John 15:20Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well.
  • Matt 10:17–18But beware of men; for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.
  • Luke 22:53Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on Me. But this hour belongs to you and to the power of darkness.”
  • John 16:2They will put you out of the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.
  • Acts 4:30as You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”
  • Acts 9:31Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria experienced a time of peace. It grew in strength and numbers, living in the fear of the Lord and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Acts videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Acts 12:1YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ActsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.

How Acts 12:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.