Acts 12 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecontentconditionaldashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

Herod's hand on the church — James slain, Peter seized, the church at prayer 12:1–5

vv. 1–2 — the sword: the first of the Twelve to die

Now about that time Herod the king laid handsindependent — Agrippa I (r. 41–44) — ἐπιβάλλειν τὰς χεῖρας, Luke's arrest idiom; 'the king' sets up the chapter's contest of kings

to harm some who belonged to the church.purpose — purpose infinitive — κακόω, the LXX verb for oppressing God's people (Exod 5:22)

And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.independent — one stark clause, no elaboration — the cup of Mark 10:39 drunk; μαχαίρῃ likely beheading

vv. 3–5 — Peter seized at Passover; the church prays

And when he sawparticipial — preposed causal participle — leans on προσέθετο: popular approval is the motive

that it was pleasing to the Jews,content — what he saw — persecution as politics

he proceeded to arrest Peter also —independent — προσέθετο + infinitive, the LXX Hebraism 'he added to seize'; adjunctive καί: Peter next

now those were the days of Unleavened Bread —independent — narrator's parenthesis — the Passover frame: the church's deliverance timed to Israel's

Him he seized and put in prison,independent — connecting relative ὅν ('and him'), resuming Πέτρον past the parenthesis — set as mainline

handing him over to four squads of four soldiersparticipial — means participle — sixteen men in rotating watches; παραδίδωμι, the passion verb

to guard him,purpose — the φυλάσσω cluster begins — all this guarding about to fail

intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people.participial — Herod's plan stated — βουλόμενος, deliberate resolve; God cancels it before morning

So Peter was being kept in the prison,independent — μέν of the antithesis — durative imperfect: the custody runs on

but earnest prayer was being made to God by the church for him.independent — answering δέ — periphrastic imperfect: two simultaneous lines, prison and prayer; ἐκτενῶς as at Gethsemane (Luke 22:44)

The angel in the cell — chains fall, the iron gate opens 12:6–11

vv. 6–7 — the night before trial: the angel and the light

Now when Herod was about to bring him out,conditional — temporal ὅτε (typed cnd; no temporal key) — the very last night; leans forward on ἦν

on that very night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers,independent — periphrastic imperfect — asleep on death-row's eve: the sleep of trust

bound with two chains,participial — perfect participle — the settled state of bondage; each wrist to a guard

and sentries before the door were guarding the prison.independent — τε adds the second security ring — φύλακες, ἐτήρουν, φυλακήν: the guard-cluster piled up to be overcome

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood over him,independent — καὶ ἰδού — the Lukan irruption formula; ἐπέστη, his verb for sudden angelic arrival (Luke 2:9)

and a light shone in the cell.independent — epiphany-light in the οἴκημα (NT hapax) — the cell floodlit, the guards unseeing

And striking Peter on the side,participial — preposed participle leaning on ἤγειρεν — πατάσσω, the very verb that will kill Herod (v. 23): here it wakes, there it slays

he woke him,independent — ἐγείρω — the resurrection verb in miniature: raised from sleep, from death-row

saying:participial — speech-frame for the first command

'Get up quickly.'content — ἀνάστα — the rising-command; ἐν τάχει, no time to lose

And the chains fell from his hands.independent — the chains simply drop — no agent named; the loosing of Ps 116:16

vv. 8–10 — dress, follow: past the guards to the iron gate

And the angel said to him:independent — the speech-frame — travel instructions, absurdly practical

'Gird yourselfcontent — first command — the tunic belted for the road

and put on your sandals.'content — second command — the realistic detail: this is no vision's errand

And he did so.independent — wordless compliance — Peter obeys half-asleep

And he says to him:independent — historic present λέγει — the narrative quickens at the decisive command

'Wrap your cloak around youcontent — third command — the outer garment for the street

and follow me.'content — ἀκολούθει — the discipleship verb, here the angel as guide; present imperative: keep following

And going out,participial — preposed participle — leans on ἠκολούθει

he kept following,independent — durative imperfect — the walk through the prison, step by step

and he did not knowindependent — the narrator opens Peter's mind — the epistemic gap the chapter will close at v. 11

that what was happening through the angel was real,content — ἀληθές — the reality-word, answered by ἀληθῶς in v. 11

but thought he was seeing a vision.independent — ὅραμα — Peter has had visions before (10:10ff.); the mistake is earned

And passing through the first guard post and the second,participial — preposed participle — station by station; leans on ἦλθαν

they came to the iron gate leading into the city,independent — the last obstacle — iron: maximum security, maximum miracle

which opened for them of its own accord;relative — αὐτομάτη + divine passive ἠνοίγη — the LXX word for self-grown crops (Lev 25:5): God's unaided act

and going out,participial — preposed participle — leans on προῆλθον; out at last

they went on down one street,independent — one street's length — the angel escorts exactly as far as needed

and immediately the angel departed from him.independent — the abrupt exit — mission complete; Peter left standing in the dark street

v. 11 — Peter comes to himself

And Peter, coming to himself, said:independent — ἐν ἑαυτῷ γενόμενος — the prodigal's idiom (Luke 15:17); recognition arrives with the cold air

'Now I know trulycontent — νῦν οἶδα ἀληθῶς — answering οὐκ ᾔδει and ἀληθές of v. 9: it was real

that the Lord sent out his angelcontent — the confession's first verb — divine commissioning

and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the people of the Jews were expecting.'content — ἐξαιρέω ἐκ χειρός — exodus rescue-language (Exod 18:4) spoken at Passover

Rhoda at the gate — answered prayer disbelieved 12:12–17

vv. 12–14 — the recognized voice; joy forgets the gate

And realizing this,participial — preposed participle — leans on ἦλθεν; the situation grasped, a destination chosen

he came to the house of Mary the mother of John surnamed Mark,independent — the first named house-church in Acts; John Mark introduced — flagged for 13:5 and 15:37–39

where many were gathered together and praying.relative — locative οὗ — the ἐκτενής prayer of v. 5 still in session as its answer knocks

And when he knocked at the door of the gateway,participial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning; the outer πυλών of a substantial house

a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer,independent — Rhoda ('Rose') — Luke names the doorkeeper; ὑπακοῦσαι, to attend the knock

and recognizing Peter's voice,participial — preposed participle — recognition by voice alone, through the shut door

for joy she did not open the gate,independent — ἀπὸ τῆς χαρᾶς — the joy that forgets to open; Luke's most human comic touch (cf. Luke 24:41)

but running in,participial — preposed participle — leans on ἀπήγγειλεν; she dashes indoors instead

she announcedindependent — the report — while Peter stands locked out

that Peter was standing before the gateway.content — indirect discourse — perfect ἑστάναι: he stands there this moment

vv. 15–16 — 'You are mad' — 'It is his angel'

But they said to her:independent — the praying church answers its answered prayer

'You are mad.'content — μαίνῃ — the madness-charge thrown at unbelievable good news (cf. 26:24)

But she kept insistingindependent — iterative imperfect διϊσχυρίζετο — she will not be talked down (only elsewhere Luke 22:59)

that it was so.content — indirect discourse — οὕτως ἔχειν, 'it is so': the servant-girl right, the church wrong

And they kept saying:independent — iterative imperfect — the repeated counter-explanation

'It is his angel.'content — the guardian-angel belief (cf. Matt 18:10; Tob 5) — easier to credit than the rescue they prayed for

But Peter kept on knocking;independent — ἐπέμενεν κρούων — the debate indoors, the knocking outdoors: sustained comic tableau

and opening the door,participial — preposed participle — leans on εἶδαν; the gate finally opened

they saw himindependent — sight settles it — the ἀληθῶς of v. 11 now theirs

and were amazed.independent — ἐξέστησαν — beside themselves; the standard response to divine acts (2:7)

v. 17 — the motion for silence; tell James

But motioning to them with his hand to be silent,participial — preposed participle — the orator's silencing gesture (13:16; 21:40); leans on διηγήσατο

he related to themindependent — διηγέομαι — the full account, compressed by Luke to one clause

how the Lord had brought him out of the prison,content — indirect question — ἐξήγαγεν, the exodus leading-out verb: the Lord, not the angel, credited

and he said:independent — the parting instruction

'Report these things to James and to the brothers.'content — James the Lord's brother — the Jerusalem leadership quietly passing to him

And going out,participial — preposed participle — leans on ἐπορεύθη

he went to another place.independent — ἕτερον τόπον — deliberately unnamed: protection, or the limit of Luke's tradition; Peter exits the narrative's center

Morning — the stir and the sentence on the guards 12:18–19

Now when day came,participial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning; the standard Lukan dawn-formula

there was no small stir among the soldiersindependent — οὐκ ὀλίγος — the classic Lukan litotes: a very great commotion; the guards face the escapee's penalty

as to what could have become of Peter.content — indirect question with bewildered ἄρα — the content of the stir

And Herod, having searched for him and not found him,participial — preposed participles — the thorough hunt fails; leans on ἐκέλευσεν

having interrogated the guards,participial — ἀνακρίνω — the formal judicial examination; second preposed participle

ordered them led away to execution,independent — ἀπαχθῆναι — the judicial euphemism: the guards die the death Peter escaped

and going down from Judea to Caesarea,participial — preposed participle — leans on διέτριβεν; down from the hill-city to the coast, the stage for vv. 20–23

he stayed there.independent — durative imperfect — the extended residence before the fatal day

The death of Herod — the voice of a god, the worms 12:20–23

vv. 20–21 — Tyre and Sidon; the royal robes

Now he was furiously angry with the Tyrians and Sidonians;independent — periphrastic imperfect — θυμομαχέω (NT hapax): sustained royal rage, cause unstated

and with one accord they came to him,independent — ὁμοθυμαδόν — Luke's unanimity word, here for a trade delegation, not the praying church

and having won over Blastus, the man over the king's bedchamber,participial — preposed means participle — the chamberlain bought as intermediary; leans on ᾐτοῦντο

they kept asking for peace,independent — iterative imperfect — the standing petition

because their country was fed from the king's country.cause — διὰ τό + infinitive — the economic motive: Phoenicia eats from Herod's land (cf. 1 Kgs 5:11)

And on the appointed day Herod, having put on his royal robesparticipial — preposed participle — Josephus's robe of silver cloth (Ant. 19.344); leans on ἐδημηγόρει

and having taken his seat on the tribunal,participial — second preposed participle — enthroned on the βῆμα to receive homage

was delivering a public address to them.independent — δημηγορέω (NT hapax) — the formal oration; the pomp assembled for the fall

vv. 22–23 — the acclamation and the stroke

And the people kept shouting:independent — iterative imperfect — sustained acclamation, and Herod's sustained silence

'The voice of a god, and not of a man!'content — verbless acclamation — Hellenistic ruler-cult formula (so Josephus, Ant. 19.345); the honor Herod fails to refuse

Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him,independent — παραχρῆμα — Luke's instant-judgment adverb; ἐπάταξεν, the same angel-verb that woke Peter (v. 7): the chapter's hinge

because he did not give the glory to God;cause — ἀνθ᾽ ὧν — the exact charge: the sin is an omission; glory kept is death (cf. Josh 7:19)

and becoming worm-eaten,participial — preposed participle — σκωληκόβρωτος (NT hapax): the tyrant's death of 2 Macc 9:9 (Antiochus IV); leans on ἐξέψυξεν

he breathed his last.independent — ἐκψύχω — elsewhere only Ananias and Sapphira (5:5, 10): the deaths of those who touch God's honor

The word grows — the return with John Mark 12:24–25

But the word of God kept growing and multiplying.independent — the growth-refrain (6:7; 9:31; 19:20) set against the worm-eaten king — αὐξάνω + πληθύνω, Genesis's 'be fruitful and multiply' (Gen 1:28)

And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem,independent — ἐξ Ἰερουσαλήμ printed against the well-attested εἰς — the famous crux; the bridge back to Antioch and on to ch. 13

having completed the ministry,participial — the famine relief of 11:29–30 delivered — the errand that framed the chapter

taking along with them John who was surnamed Mark.participial — συμπαραλαμβάνω — the very compound of the later dispute over Mark (15:37–38); the companion picked up from v. 12's house

Analysis. Acts 12 is a narrative diptych hinged on one verb: πατάσσω. The angel of the Lord who strikes (πατάξας, v. 7) the sleeping Peter's side to wake him for rescue is the angel who strikes (ἐπάταξεν, v. 23) the enthroned Herod dead for accepting a god's acclamation — the layout keeps both blows on flush-left mainlines so the echo is visible. Around that hinge the shape is Luke's narrative norm: mainline aorists and imperfects down the left margin; preposed circumstantial participles and genitive absolutes leaning forward, anchorless, on the verb below (ἰδὼν δέ, πατάξας, κρούσαντος αὐτοῦ, Γενομένης ἡμέρας, the triple-participle robing and enthroning of v. 21); and speech hanging blue beneath its verb of saying — the angel's staccato commands under εἶπεν and the historic present λέγει (v. 8), Peter's νῦν-οἶδα confession under εἶπεν (v. 11), the Μαίνῃ / it-is-his-angel exchange under three verbs of saying (v. 15), and the crowd's fatal verbless θεοῦ φωνή under ἐπεφώνει (v. 22). The word-cluster φυλακή / φύλαξ / φυλάσσω saturates vv. 4–10 — sixteen soldiers, two chains, two guard posts, an iron gate — precisely so the escape can be all God's: the divine passive ἠνοίγη with αὐτομάτη ('of its own accord,' the LXX word for self-grown crops), and Peter's summary verbs ἐξαπέστειλεν / ἐξείλατο / ἐξήγαγεν, exodus vocabulary at Passover. Choices the layout takes a side on: the connecting relative ὅν of v. 4 stands flush left as a fresh mainline ('and him he seized'), since the Unleavened-Bread parenthesis interrupts the syntax; the ὅτε-clause of v. 6 and the temporal genitive absolutes lean forward without anchors; ἀληθές (v. 9) and ἀληθῶς (v. 11) are flagged as the deliberate echo they are — the vision-or-reality question raised and answered; and in v. 25 the printed ἐξ Ἰερουσαλήμ ('from Jerusalem') is kept against the well-attested εἰς — the famous crux — while the growth-refrain of v. 24 (αὐξάνω + πληθύνω, Genesis's 'be fruitful and multiply') stands as the one-line counterpoint to the king eaten by worms.