And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
After arresting Peter, Herod threw him in prison and assigned sixteen soldiers to guard him, four squads taking shifts around the clock. His plan was to wait until after Passover, then drag Peter out for a public trial.
Sometimes the enemy thinks they've got you locked down, but they have no idea what God's about to do.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Acts, around 44 AD, King Herod Agrippa I was intensifying his persecution of the early Christian church, having just executed James, the brother of John, to please the Jewish leaders. He then arrested Peter and placed him under heavy guard with four squads of four soldiers each, a common Roman military practice to ensure no escape during high-security situations. Herod intended to bring Peter to trial after the Passover festival, as the original Greek term "Pascha" refers to this Jewish observance, not the later Christian holiday of Easter.
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