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Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church.
Acts 12:1 · New King James Version
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.
  • BSB About that time, King Herod reached out to harm some who belonged to 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 up to oppression, and will kill you. You will be hated by all of the nations for my name’s sake.
  • John 15:20Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his lord.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
  • Matt 10:17–18But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you.
  • Luke 22:53When I was with you in the temple daily, you didn’t stretch out your hands against me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”
  • John 16:2They will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time comes that whoever kills you will think that he offers service to God.
  • Acts 4:30while you stretch out your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy Servant Jesus.”
  • Acts 9:31So the assemblies throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, and were built up. They were multiplied, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort 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.