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.
Parallel translations
- WEB 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.
- 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.
- NKJV So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.
- NASB When he had arrested him, he put him in prison, turning him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending only after the Passover to bring him before the people.
- NLT Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover.
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
Herod imprisoned Peter under heavy guard, intending to try him publicly after Passover. Every human precaution is taken to hold him fast.
Overview
Four squads of four soldiers ensured Peter could not escape, and Herod planned a public spectacle after the feast. The elaborate security heightens the wonder of the deliverance to come. Human power arrays itself against God's servant, setting the stage for God to display that no prison can thwart His purpose.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Prov 19:21Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.
- Luke 22:33“Lord,” said Peter, “I am ready to go with You even to prison and to death.”
- Luke 21:12But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. On account of My name they will deliver you to the synagogues and prisons, and they will bring you before kings and governors.
- Acts 4:28They carried out what Your hand and will had decided beforehand would happen.
- John 13:36–38“Lord, where are You going?” Simon Peter asked. Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now, but you will follow later.”
- Acts 4:3They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in custody until the next day.
- Esth 3:13And the letters were sent by couriers to each of the royal provinces with the order to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews—young and old, women and children—and to plunder their possessions on a single day, the thirteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month.
- 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 21:18Truly, truly, I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”
- Matt 26:5“But not during the feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
- Prov 27:1Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
- Matt 27:64–66So give the order that the tomb be secured until the third day. Otherwise, His disciples may come and steal Him away and tell the people He has risen from the dead. And this last deception would be worse than the first.”
- Esth 3:6–7And when he learned the identity of Mordecai’s people, he scorned the notion of laying hands on Mordecai alone. Instead, he sought to destroy all of Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the kingdom of Xerxes.
- Lam 3:37Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it?
- Acts 8:3But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
- John 19:23When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided His garments into four parts, one for each soldier, with the tunic remaining. It was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
- Acts 16:23–24And after striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to guard them securely.
- Acts 5:18and arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 12:4 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.