Acts 12 11

Acts 12:11 kjv

And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that 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.

Acts 12:11 nkjv

And when Peter had come to himself, he said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people."

Acts 12:11 niv

Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen."

Acts 12:11 esv

When Peter came to himself, he said, "Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting."

Acts 12:11 nlt

Peter finally came to his senses. "It's really true!" he said. "The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!"

Acts 12 verses

Acts 12 11 Meaning

Peter, delivered from prison by an angel, experienced a miraculous divine intervention, causing him to recognize God's power at work. This realization led him to exclaim about the certainty of God's deliverance, acknowledging it was not a mere phantom but the Lord's direct action.

Acts 12 11 Context

This verse occurs in Acts chapter 12, detailing the early days of the Christian church and the intense persecution they faced. King Herod Agrippa I had James, another prominent apostle, executed with a sword. Seeing the favorable reaction of the Jewish leaders, Herod then arrested Peter, intending to follow the same course of action after Passover. The church, however, engaged in fervent, unceasing prayer for Peter's release. The preceding verses describe an angel miraculously opening Peter's prison cell and leading him out, past sleeping guards, and through an iron gate that opened by itself. Peter, still disoriented, was left on a street. It is at this point that he "came to himself" and recognized the Lord's intervention. This is significant in light of the immense danger and his expected execution.

Acts 12 11 Word analysis

• “Then” (εἶτα, eita): Indicates a sequence of events, following the miraculous passage through the gates.

• “Peter” (Πέτρος, Petros): Refers to Simon Peter, one of Jesus' chief apostles.

• “came to himself” (ἐξέστη, exestē): From the verb existēmi, meaning to stand out of oneself, to be astonished, or to come to one's senses. It conveys a state of being dazed or shocked that is now being overcome. This is a perfect passive form, indicating a state that resulted from an action.

• “and said” (καὶ εἶπεν, kai eipen): The conjunction "and" connects the state of realization with his verbal expression.

• “Now I see” (νῦν κατανοῶ, nyn katanoō): "Nyn" (now) emphasizes the present realization. "Katanoō" signifies understanding, perceiving, and grasping the truth or reality of a situation. It's a deeper understanding than just seeing.

• “that the Lord” (ὅτι ὁ Κύριος, hoti ho Kyrios): "Hoti" is a conjunction introducing a subordinate clause explaining what Peter now understands. "Ho Kyrios" is the definite article with "Kyrios" (Lord), strongly identifying the action as belonging to the Lord God, Yahweh.

• “has sent” (ἐξαπέστειλεν, exapesteilen): From the verb exapostellō, meaning to send out, to dispatch. It indicates the sending forth of the angel. This is in the aorist tense, signifying a completed action.

• “his angel” (τὸν ἄγγελον αὐτοῦ, ton angelon autou): "Ton angelon" is the accusative case of angelos, meaning messenger, particularly a divine messenger (angel). "Autou" means "his," referring back to the Lord.

• “and has delivered” (καὶ ἐρρύσατο, kai errusato): "Kai" (and) joins the two actions attributed to the Lord. "Errusato" is the aorist middle indicative of rhysaomai, meaning to rescue, to deliver, to save from danger. It strongly implies a snatching away from peril.

• “me from the hand” (ἐκ χειρὸς, ek cheiros): "Ek" (from) signifies separation or deliverance out of. "Cheiros" (hand) represents control, power, possession, or authority. The phrase implies being rescued from the grip or power of someone.

• “of Herod” (Ἡρώδου, Hērōdou): The genitive case of Hērōdēs, referring to King Herod Agrippa I, who had arrested him.

• “and from all that the people” (καὶ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν προσδοκιῶν τοῦ λαοῦ, kai apo pantōn tōn prosdokian tou laou): "Kai apo" (and from) further enumerates what he was delivered from. "Pantōn tōn" (all the). "Prosodokion" (plural of prosdokion) means expectation, anticipation, or hope. The "laou" (of the people) refers to the Jewish people who supported Herod's actions and would have likely celebrated Peter's execution, as well as those who were expecting his demise and their own continued status quo. It implies deliverance from the hostile intentions and anticipation of his destruction by the Jewish populace who were aligned with Herod.

• Peter's state of mind: The phrase "came to himself" vividly portrays Peter's disorientation during the miraculous escape. He was in a dazed state, perhaps even questioning the reality of what was happening, much like one would be under extreme stress or shock.

• Divine action vs. human perception: The verse highlights the transition from a state of stunned disbelief to a clear understanding that God's power was the operative force. He recognized that this was no ordinary event but a direct act of divine intervention.

• Deliverance from multiple threats: Peter explicitly states deliverance from two sources: Herod's power ("hand of Herod") and the hostile expectations and anticipated actions of the people. This emphasizes the comprehensive nature of God's rescue.

Acts 12 11 Bonus section

The word "Prosodokion" (expectations) used in the verse, while translated here as "expectations" or "hopes," can also imply the anticipations of certain outcomes. In this context, it suggests the Jewish populace's eager anticipation of Peter's death, which Herod also anticipated executing, and the relief they would feel from the elimination of another prominent Christian leader. Peter's deliverance thus means being saved from this collective, hostile expectation and its intended fulfillment. This understanding emphasizes the triumph of God's will over human plots and expectations. Furthermore, the context of constant prayer from the church highlights the indispensable role of believers' intercession in God's unfolding plans for His people, as evidenced by their prayers for Peter leading to his miraculous release.

Acts 12 11 Commentary

Peter's awakening to the reality of his miraculous escape underscores the overwhelming nature of divine intervention. It was not just a physical release but a spiritual awakening to the tangible presence and power of God acting on his behalf. This profound realization ("Now I see that the Lord has sent his angel") serves as a powerful testimony to God's faithfulness and His active engagement in the lives of His people, even in the face of deadly opposition. It affirms that God hears the prayers of His church and intervenes sovereignly to rescue and protect those He loves. Peter's specific mention of being delivered from both Herod's "hand" and "all the expectations of the people" indicates a full deliverance not just from physical danger but also from the sociopolitical climate that sought his demise.