# Acts 12.20-23

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-10-29 | updated: 2026-10-29 -->

**Book:** [Acts](/codex/acts/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 18. Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter. 19. And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the guards, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judæa to Cæsarea, and tarried there.
>
> **20. Now he was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: and they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was fed from the king's country. 21. And upon a set day Herod arrayed himself in royal apparel, and sat on the throne, and made an oration unto them. 22. And the people shouted, saying, The voice of a god, and not of a man. 23. And immediately an angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.**
>
> 24. But the word of God grew and multiplied. 25. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministration, taking with them John whose surname was Mark. (Acts 12:18-25, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 18. Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. 19. When Herod had sought for him, and didn’t find him, he examined the guards, and commanded that they should be put to death. He went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.
>
> **20. Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus, the king’s personal aide, their friend, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. 21. On an appointed day, Herod dressed himself in royal clothing, sat on the throne, and gave a speech to them. 22. The people shouted, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” 23. Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he didn’t give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.**
>
> 24. But the word of God grew and multiplied. 25. Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their service, also taking with them John who was called Mark. (Acts 12:18-25, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 18. Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter. 19. 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.
>
> **20. And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country. <sup>was highly: or, bare an hostile mind, intending war</sup> <sup>the king's chamberlain: Gr. that was over the king's bedchamber</sup> 21. And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. 22. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. 23. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.**
>
> 24. But the word of God grew and multiplied. 25. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark. <sup>ministry: or, charge</sup> (Acts 12:18-25, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 18. And day having come, there was not a little stir among the soldiers what then was become of Peter, 19. and Herod having sought for him, and not having found, having examined the guards, did command [them] to be led away to punishment, and having gone down from Judea to Caesarea, he was abiding [there].
>
> **20. And Herod was highly displeased with the Tyrians and Sidonians, and with one accord they came unto him, and having made a friend of Blastus, who [is] over the bed-chambers of the king, they were asking peace, because of their country being nourished from the king's; 21. and on a set day, Herod having arrayed himself in kingly apparel, and having sat down upon the tribunal, was making an oration unto them, 22. and the populace were shouting, 'The voice of a god, and not of a man;' 23. and presently there smote him a messenger of the Lord, because he did not give the glory to God, and having been eaten of worms, he expired.**
>
> 24. And the word of God did grow and did multiply, 25. and Barnabas and Saul did turn back out of Jerusalem, having fulfilled the ministration, having taken also with [them] John, who was surnamed Mark. (Acts 12:18-25, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word._

- None of the words in this verse has its own lexicon entry yet.

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## Quoted in

**Concepts:**

- [Angels](/codex/angels/), via [Acts 12.23](/codex/acts-12-23/)

**People:**

- [James the Greater](/codex/james-the-greater/), via [Acts 12.23](/codex/acts-12-23/)

**Passages:**

- [Acts 10.1](/codex/acts-10-1/)
- [Acts 10.11](/codex/acts-10-11/)
- [Acts 10.40](/codex/acts-10-40/)
- [Acts 10.41](/codex/acts-10-41/)
- [Acts 10.44-46](/codex/acts-10-44-46/)
- [Acts 10.44-48](/codex/acts-10-44-48/)
- [Acts 10.47](/codex/acts-10-47/)
- [Acts 10.48](/codex/acts-10-48/)

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## Notes

_Your annotations._

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.
