Acts 12:4

Acts 12:4

And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

a. NLT: Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: And when he had taken him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him; intending after the Passover to bring him forth to the people. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT:  Whom also having seized, he did put in prison, having delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him, intending after the passover to bring him forth to the people. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]  

d. Classic Amplified: And when he had seized [Peter], he put him in prison and delivered him to four squads of soldiers of four each to guard him, purposing after the Passover to bring him forth to the people. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Peshitta Eastern Text: So he seized him and put him in prison and delivered him to the care of sixteen soldiers to keep him, so that he might deliver him to the Jewish people after the Passover.   [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT. Copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; Copyright  Ⓒ 1957 by A.J. Holmon Co. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

f. NIV: After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. [THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.]

1. “And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him…”

a.  And [Strong: 3739. hos hos, including feminine he hay, and neuter ho ho probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc.] 

b. [Strong: 2532 kai kahee; apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

c. [when he had] apprehended [him] [Strong: 4084. piazo pee-ad'-zo probably another form of 971; to squeeze, i.e. seize (gently by the hand (press), or officially (arrest), or in hunting (capture)):--apprehend, catch, lay hand on, take. Compare 4085.]

d. he put [him] [Strong: 5087. tithemi tith'-ay-mee, a prolonged form of a primary theo theh'-o (which is used only as alternate in certain tenses) to place (in the widest application, literally and figuratively; properly, in a passive or horizontal posture, and thus different from 2476, which properly denotes an upright and active position, while 2749 is properly reflexive and utterly prostrate):--+ advise, appoint, bow, commit, conceive, give, X kneel down, lay (aside, down, up), make, ordain, purpose, put, set (forth), settle, sink down.]

e. in [Strong: 1519. eis ice a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases:--(abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), ...ward, (where-)fore, with. Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively).]

f. prison [Strong: 5438. phulake foo-lak-ay' from 5442; a guarding or (concretely, guard), the act, the person; figuratively, the place, the condition, or (specially), the time (as a division of day or night), literally or figuratively:--cage, hold, (im-)prison(-ment), ward, watch.]

g. [and] delivered [him] [Strong: 3860. paradidomi par-ad-id'-o-mee from 3844 and 1325; to surrender, i.e yield up, intrust, transmit:--betray, bring forth, cast, commit, deliver (up), give (over, up), hazard, put in prison, recommend.]

h. [to] four [Strong: 5064. tessares tes'-sar-es, or neuter tessara tes'-sar-ah a plural number; four:--four.]

i. quadterions [Strong: 5069. tetradion tet-rad'-ee-on neuter of a presumed derivative of tetras (a tetrad; from 5064); a quaternion or squad (picket) of four Roman soldiers:--quaternion.]

1). [Unger’s Bible Dictionary: A quarternion of soldiers was a guard consisting of four soldiers, this being the usual number of the guard to which the custody of captives and prisoners was entrusted, two soldiers being confined with the prisoner and two keeping guard outside. In the account (Acts 12:4) the four quarternions mentioned were on guard one at a time during each of the four watches.”]

j. of soldiers [Strong: 4757. stratiotes strat-ee-o'-tace from a presumed derivative of the same as 4756; a camper-out, i.e. a (common) warrior (literally or figuratively):--soldier.]

k. [to] keep [Strong: 5442. phulasso foo-las'-so probably from 5443 through the idea of isolation; to watch, i.e. be on guard (literally of figuratively); by implication, to preserve, obey, avoid:--beward, keep (self), observe, save.]

l. him [Strong: 846. autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

2. “…intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.”

a. intending [Strong: 1014. boulomai boo'-lom-ahee middle voice of a primary verb; to "will," i.e. (reflexively) be willing:--be disposed, minded, intend, list, (be, of own) will (-ing).]

b. after [Strong: 3326. meta met-ah' a primary preposition (often used adverbially); properly, denoting accompaniment; "amid" (local or causal); modified variously according to the case (genitive association, or accusative succession) with which it is joined; occupying an intermediate position between 575 or 1537 and 1519 or 4314; less intimate than 1722 and less close than 4862):--after(-ward), X that he again, against, among, X and, + follow, hence, hereafter, in, of, (up-)on, + our, X and setting, since, (un-)to, + together, when, with (+ -out). Often used in composition, in substantially the same relations of participation or proximity, and transfer or sequence.]

c. [Strong: 3588. [to] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [to] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé  hē, hai, tas.]

d. Easter [Strong: 3957. pascha pas'-khah of Chaldee origin (compare 6453); the Passover (the meal, the day, the festival or the special sacrifices connected with it):--Easter, Passover.] [Zodhiates: The Passover].

e. [to bring] him [Strong: 846. autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

f. forth [Strong: 321. anago an-ag'-o from 303 and 71; to lead up; by extension to bring out; specially, to sail away:--bring (again, forth, up again), depart, launch (forth), lead (up), loose, offer, sail, set forth, take up.]

g. [to] the [Strong: 3588. [tō] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tō] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé  hē, hai, tas.]

h. people [Strong: 2992. laos lah-os' apparently a primary word; a people (in general; thus differing from 1218, which denotes one's own populace):--people.]

1). The people referred to in this verse are of course the Jewish people. Herod saw that killing James pleased them and in an effort to improve relations between the Jewish people and himself he went after Peter also. He then intended to wait until after Passover to bring him forth and execute him to please them. This is further established later in the chapter.

a). Acts 12:11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the Jews.