Acts 12:19 Meaning and Explanation
“And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Failing to find Peter, Herod interrogates the guards, orders their execution, and withdraws to Caesarea.
What Does Acts 12:19 Mean?
A search, an examination, and then the verdict custom expected: keepers who lost a prisoner paid with their lives. Thwarted and shamed before the very public he had meant to please, Herod quits Jerusalem for Caesarea, the seat of Roman government on the coast.
Luke does not soften the aftermath: Peter's deliverance cost the guards their lives, and Scripture lets that hard edge stand. Tyranny wastes the people nearest it; Herod spends his soldiers to save his pride. He leaves the city unhumbled, asking no questions about the God who emptied his prison, and goes down to the coast — toward the judgment that waits in the next scene.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 12:19
What does Acts 12:19 mean?
Failing to find Peter, Herod interrogates the guards, orders their execution, and withdraws to Caesarea.