Acts 12:4 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.
Acts 12:4 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.
Acts 12:4 niv
After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
Acts 12:4 esv
And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people.
Acts 12:4 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.
Acts 12 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 12:14 | "This day is to be a memorial day for you, which all your generations are to celebrate as a festival to the LORD." | Fulfillment of the Passover command |
| Exo 12:15 | "For seven days you are to eat bread without yeast. On the very first day, remove any yeast from your houses..." | Emphasis on unleavened bread |
| Exo 12:18 | "Eat unleavened bread during the first month from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twenty-first day." | Passover duration |
| Lev 23:4-8 | Instructions for the Feast of Unleavened Bread | Passover regulations |
| Num 28:16-25 | Offerings during the Feast of Unleavened Bread | Temple sacrifices during Passover |
| Deut 16:1-8 | Regulations for observing the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread | Passover observance rules |
| Matt 26:2 | "As you know, after two days the Passover and Unleavened Bread are to be celebrated..." | Jesus' reference to Passover |
| Mark 14:1 | "Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away..." | Mark's mention of Passover |
| Luke 22:1 | "Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, known as the Passover, was approaching." | Luke's reference to Passover |
| John 18:39 | Pilate asking if they wanted Barabbas released at Passover | Passover context with Pilate |
| 1 Cor 5:7 | "Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch of dough—since you truly are unleavened—because Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed." | Christ as Passover lamb |
| 1 Cor 5:8 | "Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with unleavened bread, the bread of sincerity and truth." | Spiritual application of Passover |
| Heb 12:1 | "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily ensnares, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." | "Leaven" as hindering sin |
| Isa 53:7 | "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth." | Fulfillment of sacrifice theme |
| Psalm 118:22 | "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone." | Christ as the cornerstone |
| Zech 9:9 | "Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." | Triumphal entry parallel |
| 1 Peter 1:18-19 | "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot." | Christ's sacrificial blood |
| Acts 4:27 | "...indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed." | Herod's role in Jesus' trial |
| John 19:14 | "It was the day of Preparation for the Passover; it was about noon." | Preparation for Passover |
| Rom 6:4 | "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." | Baptism as new life |
Acts 12 verses
Acts 12 4 Meaning
This verse speaks of the Passover and Unleavened Bread festivals. The Greek word "Pascha" (Πάσχα) refers specifically to the Passover. The term "artos azymos" (ἄρτος ἄζυμος) translates to "bread without yeast" or "unleavened bread," a key component of the Passover observance. This signifies a commitment to sincerity and purity, removing the "leaven" of sin and corruption, a theme frequently echoed in the New Testament.
Acts 12 4 Context
Chapter 12 of Acts details a period of intense persecution for the early Christian church in Jerusalem. King Herod Agrippa I, seeking to please the Jewish leaders and the populace, arrested Peter and intended to put him to death after the Passover. This verse, establishing the time of the festival, sets the scene for Peter's miraculous deliverance from prison, orchestrated by an angel. The inclusion of the Passover context highlights the salvific nature of the events, mirroring the liberation of Israel from Egyptian bondage through the original Passover. Herod's actions demonstrate the volatile political and religious climate, where adhering to Jewish tradition and gaining favor among the people could lead to severe persecution of Christians.
Acts 12 4 Word Analysis
"Paskha" (Πάσχα): The Greek word for "Passover." It is a transliteration of the Hebrew "Pesach" (פֶּסַח). This refers to the annual Jewish festival commemorating the Exodus from Egypt, particularly the night when God "passed over" the houses of the Israelites, sparing them from the final plague. It signifies liberation and redemption.
"arte" (ἄρτι): An adverb meaning "now" or "at this moment." It places the narrative directly in the present time frame of the events.
"hypagein" (ὑπάγειν): A verb meaning "to go," "to depart," or "to proceed." Here, it indicates the passing of time and the approach of the festivals.
"artos azymos" (ἄρτος ἄζυμος): A compound phrase. "Artos" (ἄρτος) means "bread," and "azymos" (ἄζυμος) means "unleavened" or "without leaven." This refers to the unleavened bread that was eaten during the week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread, which immediately followed the Passover.
"geinomene" (γινομένη): The feminine present participle of the verb "ginomai" (γίνομαι), meaning "to become," "to happen," or "to be born." Here, it means "being celebrated" or "taking place."
"hedas" (ἑορτάζειν): The infinitive of the verb "heortazo," meaning "to celebrate a feast" or "to keep a festival." It emphasizes the observance of religious holidays.
"Passover and Unleavened Bread": This phrase is significant because the Feast of Unleavened Bread was immediately adjacent to and closely associated with the Passover meal. They were often collectively referred to.
"intent to deliver him up": This indicates Herod's malicious intention and his readiness to proceed with Peter's execution, highlighting the danger Peter was in.
"after these days": This phrase signifies the temporal proximity to the Passover festival, underscoring the planned timing of Herod's actions, likely to coincide with or be in close proximity to the major festival for public effect.
Acts 12 4 Bonus Section
The phrase "Passover and Unleavened Bread" collectively refers to the two major festivals that ran consecutively. The Passover was the sacrifice and meal on the 14th of Nisan, while the Feast of Unleavened Bread lasted seven days, from the 15th to the 21st of Nisan. In ancient practice, these were intricately linked, representing the whole of the redemption from Egypt. Herod's desire to carry out the execution at this specific time could have been for political reasons, to show his observance of Jewish customs or perhaps to coincide with a time when the populace was particularly watchful of religious matters. This period was central to Jewish identity and remembrance of God's saving power.
Acts 12 4 Commentary
This verse grounds the narrative in the crucial religious calendar of Israel. By linking Peter's impending death to the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Luke underscores the profound theological parallels. Christ, the true Passover lamb, was sacrificed during this very period. Peter's deliverance from Herod mirrors Israel's deliverance from Egypt. The unleavened bread signifies purity and a life purged of the "leaven" of sin, a concept Paul later develops concerning the Christian life. Herod's intent highlights human cruelty and opposition to God's people, but the timing of God's intervention, framed by these significant feasts, points to a sovereign plan of redemption.