Acts 12:1

King James Version (KJV)

Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

Translations

Acts 12:1 - Amplified Bible

ABOUT THAT time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to afflict {and} oppress {and} torment some who belonged to the church (assembly).

Acts 12:1 - American Standard Version

Now about that time Herod the king put forth his hands to afflict certain of the church.

Acts 12:1 - Bible in Basic English

Now, about that time, Herod the king made cruel attacks on the Christians.

Acts 12:1 - Darby Bible

At that time Herod the king laid his hands on some of those of the assembly to do them hurt,

Acts 12:1 - English Standard Version

About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church.

Acts 12:1 - King James Version

Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

Acts 12:1 - La Biblia de las Americas

Por aquel tiempo el rey Herodes echò mano a algunos que pertenecìan a la iglesia para maltratarlos.

Acts 12:1 - The Message

That’s when King Herod got it into his head to go after some of the church members. He murdered James, John’s brother. When he saw how much it raised his popularity ratings with the Jews, he arrested Peter—all this during Passover Week, mind you—and had him thrown in jail, putting four squads of four soldiers each to guard him. He was planning a public lynching after Passover.

Acts 12:1 - New American Standard Bible

Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them.

Acts 12:1 - Nueva Biblia Latinoamericana de Hoy

Por aquel tiempo el rey Herodes (Agripa I) echò mano a algunos que pertenecìan a la iglesia para maltratarlos.

Acts 12:1 - World English Bible

Now about that time, Herod the king put forth his hands to oppress some of the assembly.

Acts 12:1 - Young's Living Translation

And about that time, Herod the king put forth his hands, to do evil to certain of those of the assembly,

Acts 12:1 - Additional Comments

Herod the Great (not the Herod in this chapter) was a "client king", assigned to rule the area of modern day Israel and Syria. He was the Herod who killed the male infants at the time of Jesus' birth (Matt 2:16). He was known for his brutality, even killing some of his sons and a wife. He died shortly after Jesus' birth. Judea was then divided amongst his sons.
Archelaus (Matt 2:22), a son of Herod the Great, ruled the southern region of Judea, which included Bethlehem and Jerusalem. He died a few years after the birth of Jesus, in 6 AD.
Herod Antipas (not the Herod in this chapter), another son of Herod the Great, was the tetrarch of Galilee and Persia during most of Jesus' life on earth (Luke 23:7). He was a frivolous and vain prince, and was known for many infamous crimes (Mark 8:15, Luke 3:19, 13:31-32). He beheaded John the Baptist (Matt 14:1-12) at the instigation of his wife Herodias, who was the wife of his half-brother Herod-Philip. Pilate sent Christ to him when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover (Luke 23:7). He asked some idle questions of Him, and after caused Him to be mocked, then sent Him back to Pilate.
Herod Agrippa I (this Herod), was from the tribe of Edom, originating from Esau, the estranged brother and enemy of Jacob. He was the son of Aristobulus and Bernice, and grandson of Herod the Great.
He seems to have been a proselyte of the Jewish religion, for Josephus says he was zealous for the Mosaic rites, and a bigot for the ceremonies.
He was a tetrarch of Galilee (as Herod Antipas was), but later possessed the entire Judean kingdom of his grandfather, Herod the Great, with the title of king, granted to him by emperor Claudius (see notes on 11:28).
On the second day of a festival held in the honor of emperor Claudius, he appeared in the great theatre of Caesarea. "The king came in clothed in magnificent robes, of which silver was the costly brilliant material. It was early in the day, and the sun's rays fell on the king, so that the eyes of the beholder were dazzled with the brightness which surrounded him. Voices here and there from the crowd exclaimed that it was the apparition of something divine. And when he spoke and made an oration to them, they gave a shout, saying 'It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.' But in the midst of this idolatrous ostentation an angel of God suddenly smote him. He was carried out of the theater a dying man." He died (AD 44) of the same loathsome malady which slew his grandfather (Acts 12:21-23), at 54 years old, having reigned for 4 years as tetrarch, and 3 as king over the whole of Palestine. After his death his kingdom came under the control of the prefect of Syria, and Palestine was now fully incorporated with the empire.
His son Herod Agrippa II rules for a number of years, but it is unclear how much power he had or how long he ruled.

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