Acts 12:1

1 It was around this time that King Herod began arresting and persecuting certain members of the Messianic community;

Acts 12:1 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 12:1

Now about that time
That the famine was in Judea, and Saul and Barnabas were sent thither with what the church at Antioch had collected.

Herod the king;
not Herod the great that slew the infants at Bethlehem, nor Herod Antipas that beheaded John, but Herod Agrippa; and so the Syriac version adds here, "who is surnamed Agrippa"; he was a grandson of Herod the great, and the son of Aristobulus: this prince

stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church;
Beza's ancient copy adds, "in Judea": it seems to be the church at Jerusalem; perhaps some of the principal members of them; and so the Ethiopic version renders it, the rulers of the house of God. It is scarcely credible that he should lay hands on any of them himself in person; but it is very likely he encouraged his soldiers, or his servants, to abuse them, reproach them, strike and buffet them, as they met with them in the streets; or when at worship, might disturb them, and break them up.

Acts 12:1 In-Context

1 It was around this time that King Herod began arresting and persecuting certain members of the Messianic community;

2 and he had Ya'akov, Yochanan's brother, put to death by the sword.

3 When Herod saw how much this pleased the Judeans, he went on to arrest Kefa as well. It was during the Days of Matzah,

4 so when Herod seized him, he threw him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each, with the intention of bringing him to public trial after Pesach.

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