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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

Acts 12:13

Peter knocked on the outside door. A servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Herod;   Jerusalem;   Minister, Christian;   Persecution;   Peter;   Prayer;   Prisoners;   Rhoda;   Rulers;   Women;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Houses;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Herod;   House;   Peter;   Rhoda;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Mark;   Peter;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Door-Keeper;   Dwellings;   Herod Agrippa I.;   Knock;   Rhoda;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Acts of the Apostles;   Rhoda;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Acts;   Architecture in the Biblical Period;   Doorkeeper;   Herod;   Ordinances;   Rhoda;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Herod;   Mark, Gospel According to;   Peter;   Porter;   Rhoda;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Door;   Door ;   Gate;   Herod;   House;   Maid;   Name ;   Peter;   Porter ;   Rhoda ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Herod, Family of;   New Testament;   Rhoda ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Rhoda;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Dwelling;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Rho'da;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Damsel;   Doorkeeper;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for January 3;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He knocked at the door of the outer gate, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer.
King James Version (1611)
And as Peter knocked at the doore of the gate, a damosell came to hearken, named Rhoda.
King James Version
And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.
English Standard Version
And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer.
New American Standard Bible
When he knocked at the door of the gate, a slave woman named Rhoda came to answer.
New Century Version
Peter knocked on the outside door, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it.
Amplified Bible
When he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
When he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer.
Legacy Standard Bible
And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer.
Berean Standard Bible
He knocked at the outer gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it.
Contemporary English Version
Peter knocked on the gate, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer.
Complete Jewish Bible
He knocked at the outside door, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer.
Darby Translation
And when he had knocked at the door of the entry, a maid came to listen, by name Rhoda;
Geneva Bible (1587)
And when Peter knocked at the entrie doore, a maide came foorth to hearken, named Rhode,
George Lamsa Translation
When he knocked at the door of the courtyard, a little girl named Rhoda came out to answer.
Good News Translation
Peter knocked at the outside door, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer it.
Lexham English Bible
And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a female slave named Rhoda came up to answer.
Literal Translation
And Peter was knocking at the door of the porch, and a servant girl named Rhoda came near to listen.
American Standard Version
And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a maid came to answer, named Rhoda.
Bible in Basic English
And he gave a blow on the door, and a young girl came to it, named Rhoda.
Hebrew Names Version
When Kefa knocked at the door of the gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer.
International Standard Version
When he knocked at the outer gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer it.
Etheridge Translation
And he knocked at the gate of the court, and there came forth to answer him a damsel whose name was Roda.
Murdock Translation
And he knocked at the gate of the court; and a maid named Rhoda came to reply to him.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
As Peter knocked at the entrie doore, a damsell came foorth to hearken, named Rhoda.
English Revised Version
And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a maid came to answer, named Rhoda.
World English Bible
When Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And as he knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.
Weymouth's New Testament
When he knocked at the wicket in the door, a maidservant named Rhoda came to answer the knock;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne he knockid at the dore of the yate, a damysel, Rode bi name, cam forth to se.
Update Bible Version
And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a female slave came to answer, named Rhoda.
Webster's Bible Translation
And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.
New English Translation
When he knocked at the door of the outer gate, a slave girl named Rhoda answered.
New King James Version
And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer.
New Living Translation
He knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it.
New Life Bible
When Peter knocked at the gate, a girl named Rhoda went to see who it was.
New Revised Standard
When he knocked at the outer gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, when he had knocked at the door of the porch, there came unto it a maiden to hearken, by name Rhoda;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken. whose name was Rhode.
Revised Standard Version
And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a maid named Rhoda came to answer.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
As Peter knocked at the entry dore a damsell cam forth to herken named Rhoda.
Young's Literal Translation
And Peter having knocked at the door of the porch, there came a damsel to hearken, by name Rhoda,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
As Peter knocked at the entry dore, there came forth a damsell to herken, named Rhoda.
Mace New Testament (1729)
when he had knock'd at the door of the gate, a servant named Rhoda came to ask who was there.
Simplified Cowboy Version
He knocked on the door. A servant girl named Rhoda asked who was there.

Contextual Overview

5 So Peter was kept in jail, but the church was constantly praying to God for him. 6 One night, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two of the soldiers. More soldiers were guarding the door of the jail. Herod was planning to bring Peter out before the people the next day. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord was standing there, and the room was filled with light. The angel tapped Peter on the side and woke him up. The angel said, "Hurry, get up!" The chains fell off Peter's hands. 8 The angel said, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." Peter did as he was told. Then the angel said, "Put on your coat and follow me." 9 So the angel went out and Peter followed. He did not know if the angel was really doing this. He thought he might be seeing a vision. 10 Peter and the angel went past the first guard and the second guard. Then they came to the iron gate that separated them from the city. The gate opened for them by itself. After they went through the gate and walked about a block, the angel suddenly left. 11 Peter realized then what had happened. He thought, "Now I know that the Lord really sent his angel to me. He rescued me from Herod and from everything those Jews thought would happen to me." 12 When Peter realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John, who was also called Mark. Many people were gathered there and were praying. 13 Peter knocked on the outside door. A servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it. 14 She recognized Peter's voice, and she was very happy. She even forgot to open the door. She ran inside and told the group, "Peter is at the door!"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

knocked: Acts 12:16, Luke 13:25

hearken: or, ask who was there

Reciprocal: Daniel 3:24 - astonied Acts 20:16 - had

Cross-References

Genesis 11:29
Abram and Nahor both married. Abram's wife was named Sarai. Nahor's wife was named Milcah. Milcah was the daughter of Haran. Haran was the father of Milcah and Iscah.
Genesis 12:3
I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curse you. I will use you to bless all the people on earth."
Genesis 12:5
He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the slaves, and all the other things he had gotten in Haran. Then he and his group moved to the land of Canaan.
Genesis 12:6
Abram traveled through the land as far as the town of Shechem and then to the big tree at Moreh. The Canaanites were living in the land at that time.
Genesis 12:8
Then he left that place and traveled to the mountains east of Bethel. He set up his tent there. Bethel was to the west, and Ai was to the east. Abram built another altar at that place to honor the Lord , and he worshiped the Lord there.
Genesis 12:12
When the Egyptian men see you, they will say, ‘This woman is his wife.' Then they will kill me and keep you alive because they want you.
Genesis 12:13
So tell them that you are my sister. Then they will be good to me because of you. In this way you will save my life."
Genesis 20:2
Abraham told people that Sarah was his sister. King Abimelech of Gerar heard this. Abimelech wanted Sarah, so he sent some servants to take her.
Genesis 20:5
Abraham himself told me, ‘This woman is my sister,' and she also said, ‘This man is my brother.' I am innocent. I did not know what I was doing."
Genesis 26:7
His wife Rebekah was very beautiful. The men of that place asked Isaac about Rebekah. He said, "She is my sister." He was afraid to tell them Rebekah was his wife. He was afraid the men would kill him so that they could have her.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, c. The lesser door in the great gate, or the door of the porch through which they entered into the house. So the Jews distinguish between

פתח, "the door", and שער, "the gate" see Judges 18:16 where the Septuagint use the same words as here. Kimchi h says,

"xtp, "the door" is what is of the gate, without the folding doors; for all is called שער, "the gate", whether within or without, with the folding doors, and the outward threshold, as that is joined to the side posts and lintel.''

The door was kept shut, for fear of the Jews, lest they should be disturbed: here Peter stood and knocked:

a damsel came to hearken; hearing a knocking, she came out to the door, and listened, to try if she could know who it was, a friend or a foe, before she opened; or she came "to answer", as the Syriac version renders it, to know who was there, and what he or she wanted, and to give an answer. And the damsel was

named Rhoda, which signifies a rose in the Greek language: so the Jewish women often had their names, in the Hebrew tongue, from flowers and trees, as Susanna from a lily, or rose: and which, perhaps, was the Hebrew name of this damsel; and Esther was called Hadassah, from the myrtle tree.

h Sepher Shorash. rad. פתח

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

At the door of the gate - Rather the door of the vestibule, or principal entrance into the house. The house was entered through such a porch or vestibule, and it was the door opening into this which is here intended. See the notes on Matthew 9:2.

A damsel - A girl.

Came to hearken - To hear who was there.

Named Rhoda - This is a Greek name signifying a rose. It was not unusual for the Hebrews to give the names of flowers, etc., to their daughters. Thus, Susanna, a lily; Hadessa, a myrtle; Tamar, a palm-tree, etc. (Grotius).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 12:13. As Peter knocked — The door was probably shut for fear of the Jews; and, as most of the houses in the east have an area before the door, it might have been at this outer gate that Peter stood knocking.

A damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. — She came to inquire who was there. Rhoda signifies a rose; and it appears to have been customary with he Jews, as Grotius and others remark, to give the names of flowers and trees to their daughters: thus Susannah signifies a lily, Hadassah, a myrtle, Tamar, a palm tree, &c., &c.


 
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