12 And when he became clear about this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John named Mark, where a number of them had come together for prayer.
So Peter was kept in prison: but the church made strong prayer to God for him.
And Barnabas and Saul came back from Jerusalem, when their work was ended, taking with them John named Mark.
And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my brother-workers.
And at Salamis they were preaching the word of God in the Synagogues of the Jews: and John was with them, helping them.
Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and take him with you; for he is of use to me in the work.
And before they make their request I will give an answer, and while they are still making prayer to me, I will give ear.
She who is in Babylon, who has a part with you in the purpose of God, sends you her love; and so does my son Mark.
And we are certain that if we make any request to him which is right in his eyes, he will give ear to us: And if we are certain that he gives ear to all our requests, we are equally certain that we will get our requests.
And Barnabas had a desire to take with them John, named Mark. But Paul was of the opinion that it was not right to take with them one who had gone away from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone on with the work. And there was a sharp argument between them, so that they were parted from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and went by ship to Cyprus;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Acts 12
Commentary on Acts 12 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 12
In this chapter we have the story,
Act 12:1-4
Ever since the conversion of Paul, we have heard no more of the agency of the priests in persecuting the saints at Jerusalem; perhaps that wonderful change wrought upon him, and the disappointment it gave to their design upon the Christians at Damascus, had somewhat mollified them, and brought them under the check of Gamaliel's advice-to let those men alone, and see what would be the issue; but here the storm arises from another point. The civil power, not now, as usual (for aught that appears) stirred up by the ecclesiastics, acts by itself in the persecution. But Herod, though originally of an Edomite family, yet seems to have been a proselyte to the Jewish religion; for Josephus says he was zealous for the Mosaic rites, a bigot for the ceremonies. He was not only (as Herod Antipas was) tetrarch of Galilee, but had also the government of Judea committed to him by Claudius the emperor, and resided most at Jerusalem, where he was at this time. Three things we are here told he did-
Act 12:5-19
We have here an account of Peter's deliverance out of prison, by which the design of Herod against him was defeated, and his life preserved for further service, and a stop given to this bloody torrent. Now,
Act 12:20-25
In these verses we have,