Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
Parallel translations
- WEB Peter therefore was kept in the prison, but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God for him.
- BSB So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was fervently praying to God for him.
- NKJV Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.
- NASB So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made to God intensely by the church.
- NLT But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.
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
While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed earnestly to God for him. The believers respond to crisis with fervent, united prayer.
Overview
Against Herod's guards the church wields the weapon of constant prayer. Luke draws a deliberate contrast between human imprisonment and the church's appeal to God. The verse teaches that the believers' first recourse in trouble is earnest, corporate prayer, trusting God to act.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- 1 Cor 12:26And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
- Jas 5:16Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
- 1 Th 5:17Pray without ceasing.
- Eph 6:18–20Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
- 2 Cor 1:11Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
- Matt 18:19Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
- Luke 18:1And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
- Acts 12:12And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
- Isa 62:6–7I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence,
- Heb 13:3Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.
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 12:5 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
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