Acts 12 5

Acts 12:5 kjv

Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

Acts 12:5 nkjv

Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.

Acts 12:5 niv

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

Acts 12:5 esv

So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

Acts 12:5 nlt

But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.

Acts 12 verses

Acts 12 5 Meaning

Acts 12:5 describes the intense spiritual battle taking place as the Apostle Peter was imprisoned and faced execution. While earthly powers held Peter captive, the early church responded with fervent, unceasing prayer directly to God on his behalf. This verse highlights the profound contrast between human limitations and divine intervention activated through the collective, earnest petition of believers.

Acts 12 5 Context

Acts 12 begins with Herod Agrippa I initiating a severe persecution against the early church to appease the Jewish leaders. He had already executed James, the brother of John, with the sword (Acts 12:1-2). Seeing that this pleased the Jews, Herod proceeded to arrest Peter during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, intending to execute him publicly after the Passover. Peter was heavily guarded, secured by chains between two soldiers, with additional guards outside the prison cells (Acts 12:3-4). The church was thus facing a critical threat to one of its leading apostles, understanding the gravity of the situation and the likely outcome without divine intervention.

Acts 12 5 Word analysis

• Peter (Πέτρος - Petros): Simon Peter, the leading apostle, symbolic figure of the early church's leadership. His imprisonment represented a significant challenge and threat to the Christian community.

• therefore (οὖν - oun): A conjunction indicating a logical consequence or continuation. It links Peter's imprisonment directly to Herod's previous actions (executing James) and the observed pleasure of the Jews, suggesting a calculated political move by Herod.

• was kept (ἐτηρεῖτο - etēreito): Imperfect passive verb, signifying a continuous state or repeated action of being held. This emphasizes Peter's secure, ongoing confinement, indicating careful custody and the seeming impossibility of escape by human means.

• in prison (ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ - en tē phylakē): Literally "in the jail" or "in custody." This highlights Peter's vulnerable position, under the absolute power of the authorities and awaiting certain execution.

• but (δὲ - de): A strong adversative conjunction, introducing a contrast. It sets the stage for the crucial response of the church, pitting human imprisonment against spiritual action.

• prayer (προσευχὴ - proseuchē): A general term for supplication, worship, or communion with God. Here, it specifically refers to petition, an earnest request for divine intervention.

• was made (ἐγένετο - egeneto): Literally "came to pass" or "became." It denotes the initiation and active happening of the prayer.

• without ceasing (ἐκτενὴς - ektenēs): A critical adjective meaning "stretched out," "earnest," "intense," "fervent," or "persistent." It implies not just continuity in time, but a heartfelt, sustained, and focused effort in prayer. It is not casual but an agony of intercession, reflecting the urgency and gravity of the situation. This same word describes love in 1 Pet 4:8.

• of the church (ὑπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας - hypo tēs ekklēsias): Emphasizes corporate prayer by the collective assembly of believers. It was a united effort by the entire Christian community, underscoring the communal bond and shared concern.

• unto God (πρὸς τὸν Θεόν - pros ton Theon): Clearly states the direct and singular recipient of their fervent pleas. Their prayers were not directed to saints or angels, but solely to the Almighty.

• for him (περὶ αὐτοῦ - peri autou): Indicating the object and purpose of their prayer—Peter’s deliverance.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "Peter therefore was kept in prison" vs. "but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him": This striking antithesis highlights the contrast between the grim reality of Peter's physical imprisonment by powerful human authorities and the spiritual counter-action initiated by the praying church. It’s a tension between earthly control and heavenly appeal, setting the stage for divine intervention.

Acts 12 5 Bonus section

The intensity of the church's prayer described by ektenēs ("without ceasing" or "fervent") in Acts 12:5 parallels the earnestness seen in other biblical contexts of intense spiritual striving. For instance, Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane is described using a related adverb, ektenesteron (Luke 22:44), emphasizing its agonizing intensity. This shows that the early church understood that facing existential threats required an extraordinary level of devotion in prayer. The corporate nature of this prayer signifies unity in crisis, where the well-being of one leader becomes a burden shared by the entire body of Christ, reinforcing the communal aspect of their faith and dependence on each other's intercession.

Acts 12 5 Commentary

Acts 12:5 is a pivotal verse, encapsulating the church's ultimate spiritual weapon against overwhelming worldly power: corporate, fervent prayer. While Herod's political maneuver resulted in Peter's secure imprisonment and planned execution, the believing community recognized that their true recourse was not in human schemes or protests, but in direct appeal to God. The phrase "without ceasing" (ektenēs) elevates this prayer from a mere routine to an intense, persistent spiritual struggle. It suggests a sustained, earnest stretching out of their hearts and minds to God, reflecting the depth of their desperation and their unwavering faith in God's ability to intervene. This demonstrates a vital lesson: in times of severe crisis and human impossibility, the church's most potent action is unified, importunate prayer directed to the sovereign Lord. It underscores dependence on God and foreshadows the miraculous deliverance that follows.