Acts 12:2
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New International Version (©1984)
He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.

New Living Translation (©2007)
He had the apostle James (John's brother) killed with a sword.

English Standard Version (©2001)
He killed James the brother of John with the sword,

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

International Standard Version (©2008)
He even had James the brother of John killed with a sword.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
And he murdered Yaqob the brother of Yohannan with the sword.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
He had James, the brother of John, executed.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

American King James Version
And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

American Standard Version
And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword.

Darby Bible Translation
and slew James, the brother of John, with the sword.

English Revised Version
And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

Weymouth New Testament
and James, John's brother, he beheaded.

World English Bible
He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword.

Young's Literal Translation
and he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword,

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And he killed ... - He caused to be put to death with a sword, either by beheading, or piercing him through. The Roman procurators were entrusted with authority over life, though in the time of Pilate the Jews had not this authority.

James, the brother of John - This was the son of Zebedee, Matthew 4:21. He is commonly called James the Greater, in contradistinction from James, the son of Alpheus, who is called James the Less, Matthew 10:3. In this manner were the predictions of our Saviour respecting him fulfilled, Matthew 20:23, "Ye shall indeed drink of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with."


Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

He killed James the brother of John with the sword - This was James the greater, son of Zebedee, and must be distinguished from James the less, son of Alpheus. This latter was put to death by Ananias the high priest, during the reign of Nero. This James with his brother John were those who requested to sit on the right and left hand of our Lord, see Matthew 20:23; and our Lord's prediction was now fulfilled in one of them, who by his martyrdom drank of our Lord's cup, and was baptized with his baptism. By the death of James, the number of the apostles was reduced to eleven; and we do not find that ever it was filled up. The apostles never had any successors: God has continued their doctrine, but not their order.

By killing with the sword we are to understand beheading. Among the Jews there were four kinds of deaths:

1Stoning;

2burning;

3. killing with the sword, or beheading; and,

4. strangling.

The third was a Roman as well as a Jewish mode of punishment. Killing with the sword was the punishment which, according to the Talmud, was inflicted on those who drew away the people to any strange worship, Sanhedr. fol. iii. James was probably accused of this, and hence the punishment mentioned in the text.


Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. This was James, the son of Zebedee, whom our Lord told, that he should be baptized with the baptism he was baptized with, Matthew 20:22 meaning the baptism of martyrdom; and he was the first martyr among the apostles: the death he was put to was one of the four capital punishments among the Jews, and was reckoned by them the most disgraceful of them all, and was inflicted upon deceivers of the people; and such an one James was thought to be (e).

(e) Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 7. sect. 1, 3. & 11. 4.


Vincent's Word Studies

Killed - with the sword

While the martyrdom of Stephen is described at length, that of James, the first martyr among the apostles, is related in two words.


Geneva Study Bible

And he {b} killed James the brother of John with the sword.

(b) Violently, his cause not being heard at all.


People's New Testament

12:2 He killed James the brother of John. One of the three apostles most intimate with the Savior. The first apostle to suffer martyrdom. He is the only apostle whose death is recorded in the New Testament, save Judas the betrayer.

With the sword. He beheaded James. This James, the apostle, is to be distinguished from James, the brother of the Lord (Ga 1:19), whose name appears after this in Acts, and who wrote the Epistle of James.


Wesley's Notes

12:2 James the brother of John - So one of the brothers went to God the first, the other the last of the apostles.


Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2. killed James . with the sword-beheaded him; a most ignominious mode of punishment, according to the Jews. Blessed martyr! Thou hast indeed "drunk of thy Lord's cup, and hast been baptized with his baptism." (See on [1997]Mr 10:38-40.) A grievous loss this would be to the Church; for though nothing is known of him beyond what we read in the Gospels, the place which he had as one of the three whom the Lord admitted to His closest intimacy would lead the Church to look up to him with a reverence and affection which even their enemies would come to hear of. They could spring only upon one more prized victim; and flushed with their first success, they prevail upon Herod to seize him also.


Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

12:1-5 James was one of the sons of Zebedee, whom Christ told that they should drink of the cup that he was to drink of, and be baptized with the baptism that he was to be baptized with, Mt 20:23. Now the words of Christ were made good in him; and if we suffer with Christ, we shall reign with him. Herod imprisoned Peter: the way of persecution, as of other sins, is downhill; when men are in it, they cannot easily stop. Those make themselves an easy prey to Satan, who make it their business to please men. Thus James finished his course. But Peter, being designed for further services, was safe; though he seemed now marked out for a speedy sacrifice. We that live in a cold, prayerless generation, can hardly form an idea of the earnestness of these holy men of old. But if the Lord should bring on the church an awful persecution like this of Herod, the faithful in Christ would learn what soul-felt prayer is.


Matthew 4:21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them,
Matthew 20:23 Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."
Mark 10:39 "We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with,
Acts 12:1 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them.

Beheaded Death James John John's Killed Slew Sword


And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

James. Mt 4:21,22 20:23 Mr 10:35,38

with. 1Ki 19:1,10 Jer 26:23 Heb 11:37

Acts Chapter 12 Verse 2

Alphabetical: a And brother death had He James John of put sword the to with

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