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Acts 12:23

Made Simple — Modern English Translation

Translated by Verse Made Simple Editorial
KJV ORIGINAL
And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE

Right then and there, God's angel struck him down because he didn't give God the credit he deserved. His body was eaten by worms, and he died.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

Pride comes before the fall, literally don't try to take God's spotlight.

📚 Historical Context

In the book of Acts, King Herod Agrippa I was a ruler in the Roman Empire who had been persecuting the early Christian church, including the arrest and execution of James and the imprisonment of Peter. During a public address in Caesarea, the crowds flattered him by declaring him a god, reflecting the cultural tendency in the ancient world to deify rulers for political gain. As a result, God intervened through an angel to judge Herod for not giving proper glory to the Almighty, demonstrating the biblical principle that human pride invites divine correction.

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