Acts 12:5

Weymouth New Testament

So Peter was kept in prison; but long and fervent prayer was offered to God by the Church on his behalf.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was praying fervently to God for him.

King James Version (1611)
Peter therefore was kept in prison, but prayer was made without ceasing of the Church vnto God for him.

King James Version
Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

English Standard Version
So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

New American Standard Bible
So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made to God intensely by the church.

New Century Version
So Peter was kept in jail, but the church prayed earnestly to God for him.

Amplified Bible
So Peter was kept in prison, but fervent and persistent prayer for him was being made to God by the church.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.

Legacy Standard Bible
So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.

Berean Standard Bible
So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was fervently praying to God for him.

Contemporary English Version
While Peter was being kept in jail, the church never stopped praying to God for him.

Complete Jewish Bible
So Kefa was being held under watch in prison, but intense prayer was being made to God on his behalf by the Messianic community.

Darby Translation
Peter therefore was kept in the prison; but unceasing prayer was made by the assembly to God concerning him.

Easy-to-Read Version
So Peter was kept in jail, but the church was constantly praying to God for him.

Geneva Bible (1587)
So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer was made of ye Church vnto God for him.

George Lamsa Translation
And while Simon Peter was kept in the prison, continual prayer was offered for him to God by the church.

Good News Translation
So Peter was kept in jail, but the people of the church were praying earnestly to God for him.

Lexham English Bible
Thus Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer was fervently being made to God by the church for him.

Literal Translation
Then Peter was indeed kept in the prison, but fervent prayer was made by the assembly to God on his behalf.

American Standard Version
Peter therefore was kept in the prison: but prayer was made earnestly of the church unto God for him.

Bible in Basic English
So Peter was kept in prison: but the church made strong prayer to God for him.

Hebrew Names Version
Kefa therefore was kept in the prison, but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God for him.

International Standard Version
So Peter was being kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was being offered by the church.

Etheridge Translation
And while Shemun was kept in the house of the bound, constant prayer was offered by the church on his behalf unto Aloha.

Murdock Translation
And while Simon was in custody in the prison, continual prayer to God in his behalf, was offered to God by the church.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Peter was kept in pryson: But prayer was made without ceassyng of the Churche, vnto God for hym.

English Revised Version
Peter therefore was kept in the prison: but prayer was made earnestly of the church unto God for him.

World English Bible
Peter therefore was kept in the prison, but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God for him.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
So Peter was kept in the prison; but continual prayer was made to God by the church for him.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Petre was kept in prisoun; but preier was maad of the chirche with out ceessing to God for hym.

Update Bible Version
Peter therefore was kept in the prison: but prayer was made earnestly of the church to God for him.

Webster's Bible Translation
Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing by the church to God for him.

New English Translation
So Peter was kept in prison, but those in the church were earnestly praying to God for him.

New King James Version
Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant [fn] prayer was offered to God for him by the church.

New Living Translation
But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.

New Life Bible
So Peter was held in prison. But the church kept praying to God for him.

New Revised Standard
While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Peter, therefore, was kept in the prison; but, prayer, was, earnestly, being made by the assembly, unto God, concerning him.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Peter therefore was kept in prison. But prayer was made without ceasing by the church unto God for him.

Revised Standard Version
So Peter was kept in prison; but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Then was Peter kepte in preson. But prayer was made with out ceasynge of the congregacion vnto God for him.

Young's Literal Translation
Peter, therefore, indeed, was kept in the prison, and fervent prayer was being made by the assembly unto God for him,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Peter was kepte in the preson But prayer was made without ceassinge of the congregacion, vnto God for him.

Mace New Testament (1729)
thus Peter was kept in prison, but the Church prayed to God, without ceasing, for him,

THE MESSAGE
All the time that Peter was under heavy guard in the jailhouse, the church prayed for him most strenuously.

Simplified Cowboy Version
But while Pete was locked up, everyone who rode for the Lord prayed for him constantly.

Contextual Overview

⁵ So Peter was kept in prison; but long and fervent prayer was offered to God by the Church on his behalf. ⁶ Now when Herod was on the point of taking him out of prison, that very night Peter was asleep between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards were on duty outside the door. ⁷ Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell; and, striking Peter on the side, he woke him and said, "Rise quickly." Instantly the chains dropped off his wrists. ⁸ "Fasten your girdle," said the angel, "and tie on your sandals." He did so. Then the angel said, "Throw your cloak round you, and follow me." ⁹ So Peter went out, following him, yet could not believe that what the angel was doing was real, but supposed that he saw a vision. ¹⁰ And passing through the first ward and the second, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. This opened to them of itself; and, going out, they passed on through one of the streets, and then suddenly the angel left him. ¹¹ Peter coming to himself said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel and has rescued me from the power of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were anticipating." ¹² So, after thinking things over, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John surnamed Mark, where a large number of people were assembled, praying. ¹³ When he knocked at the wicket in the door, a maidservant named Rhoda came to answer the knock; ¹⁴ and recognizing Peter's voice, for very joy she did not open the door, but ran in and told them that Peter was standing there.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

prayer was made without ceasing: or, instant and earnest prayer was made, Acts 12:12, Isaiah 62:6, Isaiah 62:7, Matthew 18:19, Luke 18:1, 1 Corinthians 12:26, 2 Corinthians 1:11, Ephesians 6:18-20, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Hebrews 13:3, James 5:16

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 12:23 - God forbid Psalms 10:17 - cause Psalms 18:6 - distress Psalms 34:17 - cry Psalms 102:2 - in the day Psalms 127:2 - for so he Isaiah 65:24 - General Jeremiah 37:21 - Thus Daniel 3:20 - to bind Acts 5:18 - General Romans 1:9 - that Romans 12:12 - continuing 2 Corinthians 6:5 - imprisonments Colossians 1:9 - do

Cross-References

Acts 7:4
"Thereupon he left Chaldaea and settled in Haran till after the death of his father, when God caused him to remove into this country where you now live.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Peter therefore was kept in prison,.... Till the feast of the passover was at an end:

but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him; this was not done by them as a body together, but either by them in several bands at different places, or by some of the principal of the church at some one certain place, and where they might frequently change companies, and keep on a continual incessant prayer for days together; and whereas it is very likely it might be at the beginning of the passover, when Peter was taken up, and it was now at the close of it, when he was delivered, the church might be engaged by companies alternately, a whole week together, in prayer, on this occasion.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But prayer was made - The church was apprised of his imprisonment and danger, and had no resource but to apply to God by prayer. In scenes of danger there is no other refuge; and the result shows that even in most discouraging circumstances God can hear prayer. Nothing scarcely could appear more hopeless than the idea of rescuing Peter out of the hands of Herod, and out of the prison, and out of the custody of sixteen men, by prayer. But the prayer of faith Was prevalent with God.

Without ceasing - Intense, steady, ardent prayer. The word used here ἐκτενής ektenēs is found in only one other place in the New Testament, 1 Peter 4:8, “Have fervent charity among yourselves.” The word has rather the idea that their prayer was earnest and fervent than that it was constant.

Of the church - By the church.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 12:5. Prayer was made without ceasing — The Greek word εκτενης signifies both fervour and earnestness, as well as perseverance. These prayers of the Church produced that miraculous interference mentioned below, and without which Peter could not have thus escaped from the hands of this ruthless king.