Acts 12:24 Meaning and Explanation
“But the word of God grew and multiplied.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →While the persecutor perishes, the word of God keeps growing and multiplying.
What Does Acts 12:24 Mean?
One short verse turns the chapter inside out. It opened with Herod stretching out his hands to vex the church; it closes with Herod in the grave and the word of God flourishing. Luke marks the advance of the gospel with refrains like this throughout Acts (6:7; 9:31; 19:20).
'Grew and multiplied' is the language of living things — seed and harvest, children and increase. Kings rage for a chapter; the word grows through all of them. Every generation of believers has read this verse from inside the shadow of some Herod and found it still true: the gospel is not racing its enemies, it is outliving them. 'The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever' (Isaiah 40:8).
Acts 12:24 in the Original Language
auxano (αὐξάνω), 'grew' -- to grow as a living, planted thing grows.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 12:24
What does Acts 12:24 mean?
While the persecutor perishes, the word of God keeps growing and multiplying.