The Meaning of Acts 12:3 Explained

Acts 12:3

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

YLT: and 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 --

Darby: And seeing that it was pleasing to the Jews, he went on to take Peter also: (and they were the days of unleavened bread:)

ASV: And when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. And those were the days of unleavened bread.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  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?

Verse Meaning

The Feast of Unleavened Bread was a seven-day celebration that began on the day after Passover each spring. This was one of the three yearly feasts in Jerusalem that the Mosaic Law required all Jewish males to attend. As on the day of Pentecost (ch2), the city would have been swarming with patriotic Jews when Herod made his grandstand political move of arresting Peter. These Jews knew Peter as the leading apostle among the Christians and as a Jew who fraternized with Gentiles (ch10). This was the third arrest of Peter that Luke recorded (cf. Acts 4:3; Acts 5:18). Note that this persecution of the Christians did not arise from anything they had done but simply because Herod wanted to gain popularity with the Jews.

Context Summary

Acts 12:1-12 - Loosened Bonds
This Herod was the grandson of Herod the Great. He courted the goodwill of the Jews, though he was dissolute, cruel, and unscrupulous. How wonderful that God can spare from His work men like James, whom it has taken him so long to train!-but doubtless other and higher service awaits them.
A quaternion numbered four: the total number of soldiers that guarded Peter, therefore, would be sixteen, exclusive of prison officials. But a praying household is stronger than the strongest precautions of human might.
God often delays His answers till the eve of our extremity; but Peter's sleep is typical of the quiet faith that can trust God absolutely, whether to live or die. When God bids us arise and obey, we must do so without considering the obstructions that confront us. It is our part to arise and gird ourselves; it is for Him to cause the chains to fall off and the iron gates to open. What are iron gates to Him who cleft a path through the Red Sea! The angel guides us super-naturally, only so long as we are dazed and unable to form a judgment for ourselves. As soon as we are able to consider a matter, he leaves us to make use of our God-given faculties, [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 12

1  King Herod persecutes the Christians, kills James, and imprisons Peter;
6  whom an angel delivers upon the prayers of the church
20  Herod in his pride taking to himself the honor due to God,
23  is stricken by an angel, and dies miserably
24  After his death, the word of God prospers
25  Saul and Barnabas return to Antioch

Greek Commentary for Acts 12:3

That it pleased the Jews [οτι αρεστον εστιν τοις Ιουδαιοις]
Indirect assertion with the present tense εστιν — estin retained. Αρεστον — Areston is the verbal adjective from αρεσκω — areskō followed by the dative as in John 8:29. [source]
Proceeded to seize [προσετετο συλλαβειν]
A patent Hebraism in Luke 20:11. already, and nowhere else in the N.T. It occurs in the lxx (Genesis 4:2; Genesis 8:12; Genesis 18:29, etc.). Second aorist middle indicative of προστιτημι — prostithēmi and the second aorist active infinitive of συλλαμβανω — sullambanō Literally, he added to seize, he seized Peter in addition to James. The days of unleavened bread (ημεραι των αζυμων — hēmerai tōn azumōn). By this parenthesis Luke locates the time of the year when Peter was arrested, the passover. It was a fine occasion for Agrippa to increase his favour among the crowds of Jews there by extra zeal against the Christians. It is possible that Luke obtained his information about this incident from John Mark for at his Mother‘s house the disciples gathered (Acts 12:12). [source]
The days of unleavened bread [ημεραι των αζυμων]
By this parenthesis Luke locates the time of the year when Peter was arrested, the passover. It was a fine occasion for Agrippa to increase his favour among the crowds of Jews there by extra zeal against the Christians. It is possible that Luke obtained his information about this incident from John Mark for at his Mother‘s house the disciples gathered (Acts 12:12). [source]
He proceeded to take [προσέθετο συλλαβεῖν]
Rev., seize. Lit., he added to take. A Hebrew form of expression. Compare Luke 19:11, he added and spake; Luke 20:12, again he sent a third; lit., he added to send. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 12:3

John 8:29 Is with me [μετ εμου εστιν]
The Incarnation brought separation from the Father in one sense, but in essence there is complete harmony and fellowship as he had already said (John 8:16) and will expand in John 17:21-26. He hath not left me alone First aorist active indicative of απιημι — aphiēmi “He did not leave me alone.” However much the crowds and the disciples misunderstood or left Jesus, the Father always comforted and understood him (Mark 6:46; Matthew 14:23; John 6:15). That are pleasing to him This old verbal adjective, from αρεσκω — areskō to please, in N.T. only here, Acts 6:4; Acts 12:3; 1 John 3:22. The joy of Jesus was in doing the will of the Father who sent him (John 4:34). [source]
Acts 6:2 Fit [αρεστον]
Pleasing, verbal adjective from αρεσκω — areskō to please, old word, but in the N.T. only here and Acts 12:3; John 8:29; 1 Jo John 3:22. Non placet. Should forsake (καταλειπσαντας — kataleipsantas). Late first aorist active participle for usual second aorist καταλιποντας — katalipontas from καταλειπω — kataleipō to leave behind. Serve tables Present active infinitive of διακονεω — diakoneō from διακονος — diakonos “Tables” here hardly means money-tables as in John 2:15, but rather the tables used in the common daily distribution of the food (possibly including the love-feasts, Acts 2:43-47). This word is the same root as διακονια — diakonia (ministration) in Acts 6:1 and διακονος — diakonos (deacon) in Philemon 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:8-13. It is more frequently used in the N.T. of ministers (preachers) than of deacons, but it is quite possible, even probable, that the office of deacon as separate from bishop or elder grew out of this incident in Acts 6:1-7. Furneaux is clear that these “seven” are not to be identified with the later “deacons” but why he does not make clear. [source]
Philippians 4:3 Help [συλλαμβάνου]
Lit., take hold with. Compare Luke 5:7. The verb is used of conception, Luke 1:24; arrest, Matthew 26:55; Acts 12:3; catching, as fish, Luke 5:9. Compare the compound συναντιλάμβανομαι help Luke 10:40(note); Romans 8:26. [source]
Hebrews 12:19 Be spoken to them any more [προστεθῆναι αὐτοῖς]
Lit. be added. See on Luke 3:19; see on Luke 20:11; see on Acts 12:3. To them refers to the hearers, not to the things heard. Rend. “that no word more should be spoken unto them.” Comp. Exodus 20:19; Deuteronomy 5:25; Deuteronomy 18:16. [source]
1 John 3:22 We receive of him [λαμβανομεν απ αυτου]
See 1 John 1:5 for απ αυτου — ap' autou (from him).Because (οτι — hoti). Twofold reason why we receive regularly (λαμβανομεν — lambanomen) the answer to our prayers (1) “we keep” (τηρουμεν — tēroumen for which see 1 John 2:3) his commandments and (2) “we do” (ποιουμεν — poioumen we practise regularly) “the things that are pleasing” (τα αρεστα — ta aresta old verbal adjective from αρεσκω — areskō to please, with dative in John 8:29 with same phrase; Acts 12:3 and infinitive in Acts 6:2, only other N.T. examples) “in his sight” (ενωπιον αυτου — enōpion autou common late vernacular preposition in papyri, lxx, and in N.T., except Matthew and Mark, chiefly by Luke and in the Apocalypse), in God‘s eye, as in Hebrews 13:21. [source]
1 John 3:22 Because [οτι]
Twofold reason why we receive regularly (λαμβανομεν — lambanomen) the answer to our prayers (1) “we keep” (τηρουμεν — tēroumen for which see 1 John 2:3) his commandments and (2) “we do” (ποιουμεν — poioumen we practise regularly) “the things that are pleasing” (τα αρεστα — ta aresta old verbal adjective from αρεσκω — areskō to please, with dative in John 8:29 with same phrase; Acts 12:3 and infinitive in Acts 6:2, only other N.T. examples) “in his sight” (ενωπιον αυτου — enōpion autou common late vernacular preposition in papyri, lxx, and in N.T., except Matthew and Mark, chiefly by Luke and in the Apocalypse), in God‘s eye, as in Hebrews 13:21. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 12:3 mean?

Having seen now that pleasing it is to the Jews he proceeded to take also Peter these were the days of the Unleavened [Bread]
ἰδὼν δὲ ὅτι ἀρεστόν ἐστιν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις προσέθετο συλλαβεῖν καὶ Πέτρον ἦσαν [αἱ] ἡμέραι τῶν ἀζύμων

ἰδὼν  Having  seen 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: εἶδον 
Sense: to see with the eyes.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
ἀρεστόν  pleasing 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: ἀρεστός  
Sense: pleasing, agreeable.
ἐστιν  it  is 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
τοῖς  to  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰουδαίοις  Jews 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: Ἰουδαῖος  
Sense: Jewish, belonging to the Jewish race.
προσέθετο  he  proceeded 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: προστίθημι  
Sense: to put to.
συλλαβεῖν  to  take 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: συλλαμβάνω  
Sense: to seize, take: one as prisoner.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
Πέτρον  Peter 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Πέτρος  
Sense: one of the twelve disciples of Jesus.
ἦσαν  these  were 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
ἡμέραι  days 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Plural
Root: ἡμέρα  
Sense: the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night.
τῶν  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀζύμων  Unleavened  [Bread] 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root: ἄζυμος  
Sense: unfermented, free from leaven or yeast.