Acts 12:2

He commanded a soldier to cut off the head of the apostle James, the older brother of the apostle John.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

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

In Context

1It was about this time that King Herod Agrippa sent soldiers [MTY] who seized and put in prison some of the leaders of the congregation in Jerusalem. He did that because he wanted to make the believers suffer.

3When Herod realized that he had pleased the leaders of the Jewish people by doing that, he commanded soldiers to arrest Peter in order to kill him, too. This happened during the festival when the Jewish people ate bread that did not have yeast.

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Cross References

1 Kings 19:1When Ahab got home, he told his wife Jezebel what Elijah had done. He told her that Elijah had killed all the prophets of Baal.

Jeremiah 26:23They captured Uriah and took him back to Jerusalem to King Jehoiakim. The king then had a soldier kill Uriah with a sword. Then they buried his corpse in a place where poor people are buried.

Matthew 20:23Then Jesus said to them, “Yes, you will suffer as I will suffer [IDM]. But I am not the one who chooses the ones who will sit next to me and rule with me. God, my Father, will give those places [MTY] to the ones whom he appoints.”

Mark 10:38But Jesus said to them, “You do not understand what you are asking for.” Then he asked them, “Can you endure suffering [MTY] like I am about to suffer? Can you endure being killed [MTY] as I will be killed {people killing you as they will kill me}?”

Hebrews 11:37Some of those believers were stoned to death {People killed some of those believers by throwing stones at them}. Others were cut completely in two. Others were killed with swords. Others of these people who trusted God wandered around the land wearing garments made only of skins from sheep and goats. They did not have any money. They were continually oppressed and tormented {People continuously oppressed them and tormented them}.

Matthew Henry on Acts 12:2-5

The Martyrdom of James; Peter's Imprisonment. 1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. 2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) 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. Ever since the… Read the whole commentary →

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