Acts 12 · Verse 3

Acts 12:3

And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)
Acts 12:3, King James Version

Acts 12:3 in other translations

BSBAnd seeing that this pleased the Jews, Herod proceeded to seize Peter during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
WEBWhen he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This was during the days of unleavened bread.
ASVAnd when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. And those were the days of unleavened bread.
YLTand having seen that it is pleasing to the Jews, he added to lay hold of Peter also--and they were the days of the unleavened food--
DARBYAnd seeing that it was pleasing to the Jews, he went on to take Peter also: (and they were the days of unleavened bread:)
BBEAnd when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews he went on to take Peter in addition. This was at the time of the feast of unleavened bread.
WebsterAnd because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. Then were the days of unleavened bread.

What does Acts 12:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 12:1-3

Ac 12:1-19. Persecution of the Church by Herod Agrippa I--Martyrdom of James and Miraculous Deliverance of Peter. 1-3. Herod the king--grandson of Herod the Great, and son of Aristobulus. He at this time ruled over all his father's dominions. Paley has remarked the accuracy of the historian here. For thirty years before this there was no king at Jerusalem exercising supreme authority over Judea, nor was there ever…

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Barnes' Notes
Verse 3. And because he saw it pleased the Jews. This was the principle on which he acted. It was not from a sense of right; it was not to do justice, and protect the innocent; it was not to discharge the appropriate duties of a magistrate, and a king; but it was to promote his own popularity. It is probable that Agrippa would have acted in this way in any circumstances. He was ambitious, vain, and fawning; he sought, as his great principle, popularity; and he was willing to sacrifice, like many others, truth and justice to obtain this end. But there was also a particular reason for this in his case. He held his appointment under the Roman emperor. This foreign rule was always unpopular among the Jews. In order, therefore, to secure a peaceful reign, and to prevent insurrection and tumult, it was necessary for him to court their favour; to indulge their wishes, and to fall in with their prejudices. Alas! how many monarchs and rulers there have been, who were governed by no better principle, and whose sole aim has been to secure popularity, even at the expense of law, and truth and justice. That this was the character of Herod, is attested by Josephus, Ant., b. xix., chap. 8,  3:
"This king (Herod Agrippa) was by nature very beneficent, and
liberal in his gifts, and very ambitious to please the
people with such large donations; and he made himself very
illustrious by the many expensive presents he made them. He
took delight in giving, and rejoiced in living with
good reputation."


To take Peter also. Peter was one of the most conspicuous men in the church. He had made himself particularly obnoxious by his severe and pungent discourses, and by his success in winning men to Christ. It was natural, therefore, that he should be the next object of attack.

The days of unleavened bread. The passover, or the seven days immediately succeeding the passover, during which they were required to eat bread without leaven, Ex 12:15-18. It was some time during this period that Herod chose to apprehend Peter.

Why this season was selected is not known. As it was, however, a season of religious solemnity, and as Herod was desirous of showing his attachment to the religious rites of the nation, (Josephus, Ant., b. xix., chap. 7,  3,) it is probable that he chose this period to show to them more impressively his purpose to oppose all false religions, and to maintain the existing establishments of the nation.

(d) "pleased the Jews" Acts 24:27 (e) "take Peter also" Jn 21:18 (f) "days of unleavened bread" 12:14,15

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 He proceeded - to take Peter also - He supposed that these two were pillars on which the infant cause rested; and that, if these were removed, the building must necessarily come down. The days of unleavened bread - About the latter end of March or beginning of April; but whether in the third or fourth year of the Emperor Claudius, or earlier or later, cannot be determined.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 12:1-5

James was one of the sons of Zebedee, whom Christ told that they should drink of the cup that he was to drink of, and be baptized with the baptism that he was to be baptized with, Mt 20:23. Now the words of Christ were made good in him; and if we suffer with Christ, we shall reign with him. Herod imprisoned Peter: the way of persecution, as of other sins, is downhill; when men are in it, they cannot easily stop…

Read the full comment on Acts 12:1-5 →

Acts 12:3 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἰδὼνidōnHaving seenG1492
ὅτιhotithatG3754
ἀρεστόνarestonpleasingG701
ἐστινestinit isG1510
τοῖςtoisto theG3588
Ἰουδαίοις,IoudaioisJews,G2453
προσέθετοprosethetohe proceededG4369
συλλαβεῖνsullabeinto takeG4815
καὶkaialsoG2532
Πέτρον,PetronPeter —G4074
ἦσανēsanthese wereG1510
δὲdenowG1161
ἡμέραιhēmeraidaysG2250
τῶνtōnof theG3588
ἀζύμων,azumōnUnleavened [Bread] —G106

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 12:3

  • Exodus 23:15

    Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)

  • John 12:43

    For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

  • Acts 24:27

    But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.

  • Leviticus 23:6-14

    And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, …

  • Exodus 12:14-20

    And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever. …

  • Acts 25:9

    But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?

  • Acts 20:6

    And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.

  • Exodus 13:3-7

    And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten. This day came ye out in the month Abib. And it shall be when the Lord shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the Lord. …

  • Galatians 1:10

    For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

  • 1 Corinthians 5:7-8

    Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

  • John 19:11

    Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

  • Psalms 76:10

    Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
he saw.
24:27; 25:9; Joh 12:43; Ga 1:10; 1Th 2:4
he proceeded.
2:14; 4:13; Ps 76:10; Joh 19:11; 21:18
Then.
Ex 12:14-20; 13:3-7; 23:15; Le 23:6-14; Mt 26:17; 1Co 5:7,8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 12:2

    And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

  • Acts 12:3

    And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)

  • Acts 12:4

    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.

Read all of Acts 12

Acts 12:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y viendo que había agradado á los Judíos, pasó adelante para prender también á Pedro. Eran entonces los días de los ázimos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et voyant que cela était agréable aux Juifs, il continua, en faisant prendre aussi Pierre; (or c’étaient les jours des pains sans levain;)
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und als er sah, daß es den Juden gefiel, fuhr er fort, auch Petrus festzunehmen,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Videns autem quia placeret Judæis, apposuit ut apprehenderet et Petrum. Erant autem dies Azymorum.