Acts 12:16

But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
But	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
Peter	Πέτρος Petros	G4074	a (piece of) rock (larger than G3037 (λίθος)) · noun — nominative singular masculine, a proper name
continued	ἐπέμενεν epemenen	G1961	to stay over · verb — imperfect active indicative, 3rd person singular
knocking	κρούων· krouōn	G2925	to rap · verb — present active participle, nominative singular masculine
and	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
opened	ἀνοίξαντες anoixantes	G455	to open up (literally or figuratively · verb — aorist active participle, nominative plural masculine
saw	εἶδαν eidan	G1492	used only in certain past tenses · verb — second aorist active indicative, 3rd person plural
him	αὐτὸν auton	G846	the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — accusative singular masculine
astonished	ἐξέστησαν. exestēsan	G1839	to put (stand) out of wits · verb — second aorist active indicative, 3rd person plural

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Acts 12:5-19

We have here an account of Peter's deliverance out of prison, by which the design of Herod against him was defeated, and his life preserved for further service, and a stop given to this bloody torrent. Now, I. One thing that magnified his deliverance was that it was a signal answer to prayer (Act 12:5): Peter was kept in prison with a great deal of care, so that it was altogether impossible, either by force or by stealth, to get him out. But prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him, for prayers and tears are the church's arms; therewith she fights, not only against her enemies, but for her friends: and to these means they have recourse. 1. The delay of Peter's trial gav…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 12:16

Peter continued knocking--delay being dangerous.

Adam Clarke on Acts 12:15

It is his angel - It was a common opinion among the Jews that every man has a guardian angel, and in the popish Church it is an article of faith. The Jews also believed that angels often assumed the likeness of particular persons. They have many stories of the appearance of Elijah in the likeness of different rabbins. As αγγελος signifies in general a messenger, whether Divine or human, some have thought that the angel or messenger here means a servant or person which the disciples supposed was sent from Peter to announce something of importance to the brethren: it was also an opinion among the Jews, even in the time of the apostles, as appears from Philo, that the departed souls of good men…

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John Gill on Acts 12:16

But Peter continued knocking,.... That they might come to him, and let him in; beginning to be impatient, and being very desirous of seeing his friends, as well as being in danger of being taken up, and had to prison again, should any of his enemies come by, who knew him: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished: they could hardly believe their own eyes; it was amazing to them, how it should be, that he should be delivered out of prison, when they knew there was such a strong guard about him.

The Church Fathers

And he said, Tell James and the brethren. That they may rejoice: that they may not be anxious. Through these those learn, not those through him: such thought had he for the humbler part!
— John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 26

For that they may not say, "It was his Angel," after he was gone, they say this first, and then they see himself overthrowing their notion of the matter. Had it been the Angel, he would have knocked at the door, would not have retired to another place. And what followed in the day, make them sure.
— John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 26

But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished. But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go show these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.
— John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 26

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Herod Agrippa I. — Son of Aristobulus and Bernice, and grandson of Herod the Great. He was made tetrarch of the provinces formerly held by Lysanias II., and ultimately possessed the entire kingdom of his grandfather,…
Knock — “Though Orientals are very jealous of their privacy, they never knock when about to enter your room, but walk in without warning or ceremony. It is nearly impossible to teach an Arab servant to knock…
Herod · 3. — 3.
Prisoners · Peter — Peter

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Acts 12:16

Word by word — the Greek

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Acts 12:5-19

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 12:16

Adam Clarke on Acts 12:15

John Gill on Acts 12:16

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Acts 12:16

Word by word — the Greek

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Acts 12:5-19

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 12:16

Adam Clarke on Acts 12:15

John Gill on Acts 12:16

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on Acts 12:12-18

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Acts 12:13-17