Acts 12 6

Acts 12:6 kjv

And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

Acts 12:6 nkjv

And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.

Acts 12:6 niv

The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance.

Acts 12:6 esv

Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison.

Acts 12:6 nlt

The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate.

Acts 12 verses

Acts 12 6 Meaning

Acts 12:6 describes the dire circumstances of Peter the Apostle just hours before his scheduled execution by King Herod Agrippa I. Despite the imminent threat, Peter was remarkably calm, soundly sleeping while positioned between two Roman soldiers, to whom he was fastened by two chains. Adding to the stringent security, additional guards were posted outside the prison door, underscoring the formidable human measures taken to ensure Peter's confinement.

Acts 12 6 Context

Acts 12:6 vividly sets the scene for one of the New Testament's most dramatic deliverances. It follows King Herod Agrippa I's decision to persecute the nascent Christian community in Jerusalem, likely to gain favor with Jewish religious authorities. He had already martyred James, the brother of John, with the sword (Acts 12:1-2), a harsh demonstration of his power. Seeing that this pleased the Jewish leaders, Herod then arrested Peter, intending to execute him publicly after the Passover and Unleavened Bread festival (Acts 12:3-4). This timing was strategic, avoiding any potential public unrest during a major religious feast. Throughout Peter's imprisonment, the church was engaged in fervent, unceasing prayer for him (Acts 12:5). The elaborate security measures described in verse 6 – two soldiers, two chains, and external guards – highlight the human impossibility of Peter's escape, thus amplifying the divine miracle that immediately follows. The narrative then shifts dramatically as an angel of the Lord liberates Peter, completely nullifying Herod's meticulously planned execution and asserting God's sovereignty over earthly rulers and their designs.

Acts 12 6 Word analysis

• And: Links this specific moment directly to the preceding events, particularly Herod's malicious intentions and the church's earnest prayers.

• when Herod: Refers to Herod Agrippa I, who was king of Judea (AD 41-44). His actions exemplify worldly authority opposing God's plan.

• would have brought him forth: From Greek μέλλεν προαγαγεῖν ( mellen proagagein). This phrase denotes a firm intention or imminent plan to bring Peter out for public trial and likely execution. It implies the event was scheduled for the next day, right after the feast, emphasizing God's perfect, last-minute intervention.

• the same night: Greek τῇ νυκτὶ ἐκείνῃ (tē nykti ekeinē). This specifies the exact, critical night preceding the intended execution. It highlights God's precision in timing, choosing the very moment when Peter's situation appeared most hopeless from a human perspective.

• Peter: The Apostle, chosen by Christ. His personal state here contrasts sharply with his former impulsiveness, showing a deep trust in God despite facing martyrdom.

• was sleeping: Greek κοιμώμενος (koimōmenos). The imperfect participle emphasizes a continuous, profound state of sleep. This is remarkable given his imminent death; it signifies an extraordinary peace that surpasses human understanding (Phil 4:7), perhaps a gift from God, or a demonstration of Peter's complete trust and surrender to the Lord's will, echoing Jesus's peaceful sleep during a storm (Mk 4:38). It stands in stark contrast to the anxiety one might expect.

• between two soldiers: Greek μεταξύ στρατιωτῶν (metaxu stratiōtōn). This describes a specific Roman method of high-security imprisonment called custodia militaris, where the prisoner was physically chained, usually by one wrist, to a guard on either side. It highlights the close, inescapable surveillance.

• bound with two chains: Greek δεδεμένος ἁλύσεσιν δυσὶν (dedemenos halusesin dysin). This re-emphasizes the double security measure. One chain likely fastened Peter's right hand to one soldier, and another chain fastened his left hand to the other soldier. This detail is crucial for magnifying the later miraculous escape, as such bonds were considered unbreakable by human means.

• and the keepers: From Greek φύλακες (phylakes). These were dedicated prison guards responsible for the immediate security of the facility.

• before the door kept the prison: From Greek φυλάσσοντες τὴν φυλακήν (phylassontes tēn phylakēn). This indicates another layer of security: guards positioned at the exterior of Peter's cell or at the main prison entrance. The phrase literally means "guarding the guard-post" or "guarding the prison." It signifies complete encirclement and a meticulous system to prevent any escape, highlighting the insurmountable human obstacles God was about to effortlessly overcome.

• Herod would have brought him forth: This phrase starkly presents human power, intention, and malice pitted against God's sovereign plan. Herod's 'bringing forth' was a declaration of human will and control over life and death.

• the same night Peter was sleeping: This juxtaposition highlights divine timing and Peter's peaceful spiritual state. The "same night" points to God's precise moment for intervention, and Peter's "sleeping" underscores his profound faith and peace, undisturbed by the most severe temporal threat.

• between two soldiers, bound with two chains: This details the extraordinary human measures of confinement. It vividly portrays a scenario designed for absolute control and impossibility of escape, emphasizing the extent of Herod's precautions and, consequently, the magnitude of the miracle that was about to unfold.

• and the keepers before the door kept the prison: This describes the final outer layer of security. The guards, diligent in their duties, created a barrier that no ordinary human effort could breach, ensuring that Peter's deliverance could only be attributed to a supernatural act.

Acts 12 6 Bonus section

• The meticulous detailing of Herod's security measures in Acts 12:6 acts as a literary device that magnifies the subsequent miracle. The more secure Peter is humanly, the more profound the divine intervention appears.
• The phrase "kept the prison" (or "guarded the guard-post") underscores that not only were guards present, but they were actively maintaining watch and following protocols, ruling out negligence as a factor in Peter's escape.
• Peter's undisturbed sleep parallels Jesus sleeping during the storm in Mark 4:38. Both demonstrate a peace and trust in God amidst immediate, life-threatening danger, contrasting sharply with the fear or anxiety of others.
• This verse sets up a direct theological polemic against the idea of human control over destiny. Herod's detailed plan is completely nullified by God's unforeseen intervention, asserting God's ultimate authority over all earthly powers and circumstances (Prov 19:21).

Acts 12 6 Commentary

Acts 12:6 serves as the dramatic prelude to one of the Bible's most explicit accounts of divine intervention. It meticulously details the seemingly insurmountable obstacles facing Peter: chained to two armed guards in his cell, with further guards at the prison entrance, all orchestrated by a king bent on his execution the very next day. This description emphasizes the human impossibility of escape, a critical narrative element designed to underscore God's absolute sovereignty and the miraculous nature of Peter's deliverance. Peter's profound, undisturbed sleep amidst such peril is a powerful testament to peace that only God can grant (Phil 4:7) or a profound trust in God's will (Ps 4:8), whether for life or death. It is the calm before God's storm, where human strength and evil intent are utterly powerless against divine will, activated by the fervent prayers of the early church (Acts 12:5). The elaborate security setup in this verse functions to magnify God's glory in the subsequent, effortless liberation of Peter, asserting God's dominion over even the most formidable earthly powers.