But the word of God grew and multiplied.
Acts 5:39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
Acts 6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
Acts 11:21 And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.
continued to spread
The spread of the word of God indicates the growth and expansion of the early Christian church despite opposition and persecution. This phrase highlights the unstoppable nature of the Gospel, as seen in Acts 1:8, where Jesus commissions His disciples to be His witnesses "to the ends of the earth." The spread is both geographical, moving from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and beyond, and cultural, crossing barriers between Jews and Gentiles. This growth is often attributed to the work of the Holy Spirit, as seen in Acts 2 during Pentecost.
and multiply.
The multiplication of the word of God suggests not only an increase in the number of believers but also the deepening of their faith and understanding. This multiplication is reminiscent of the parable of the sower in Matthew 13, where the seed that falls on good soil yields a bountiful harvest. The early church's growth is marked by the establishment of new communities of faith, the appointment of leaders, and the development of doctrine. This multiplication is a testament to the power of the Gospel to transform lives and societies, fulfilling Jesus' promise in Matthew 16:18 that He will build His church.
Luke sets up a sharp contrast. Herod’s violent suppression (Acts 12:1–23) seemed unstoppable, yet “But” pivots the storyline: opposition ends, God’s agenda marches on.
• Acts 5:39 reminds us, “If it is from God, you will not be able to stop them.”
• Paul echoes in 2 Timothy 2:9, “God’s word is not chained.”
• Just as Pharaoh’s oppression only strengthened Israel (Exodus 1:12), Herod’s prideful demise shows the futility of fighting the Lord.
The focus is neither personalities nor strategies but the inspired, living message itself.
• Hebrews 4:12 calls it “living and active,” not stale words on a page.
• 1 Peter 1:25 anchors us: “The word of the Lord stands forever.”
Because Scripture is literally true, its authority fuels confidence for every generation.
The verb signals steady momentum, not a momentary spike.
• Jesus promised ongoing advance: “I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).
• Philippians 1:6 assures believers that He who began a good work will carry it on to completion.
Even leadership crises or cultural hostility cannot pause the divine timetable.
God’s word travels from mouth to mouth, house to house, city to city.
• Earlier Luke noted, “The word of God continued to spread, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased” (Acts 6:7).
• By Acts 19:20 the pattern persists: “So the word of the Lord powerfully continued to spread and prevail.”
Practical outworking:
- Geographic expansion (Jerusalem → Judea → Samaria → ends of the earth, Acts 1:8).
- Cultural crossings (Jews to Gentiles, Acts 10–11).
The gospel multiplies disciples, not just converts.
• Acts 9:31 reports churches being “built up…and increasing in numbers.”
• Colossians 1:6 testifies the gospel is “bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world.”
The imagery echoes Genesis 1:28—God delights in multiplication. Where the seed of the word falls into good soil, it bears “a crop—a hundredfold” (Luke 8:8).
Acts 12:24 declares that despite fierce opposition, the inspired message of Scripture kept advancing in reach and in the number of transformed lives. Herod’s throne crumbled; God’s word flourished. That same living word remains unstoppable today, assuring believers that every promise will stand and every purpose will be fulfilled.
(24) But the word of God grew and multiplied.--The words describe a continuous expansion. The death of the chief persecutor left free scope for the activity of the preachers of the gospel, of which they were not slow to avail themselves.Verse 24. - The word of God grew and multiplied in Jerusalem and the neighborhood, in spite of Agrippa's persecution. The blood of the martyr James was the seed of the Church, and the speedy vengeance taken by God upon the persecuter doubtless gave fresh courage to his people to confess the Name of Jesus Christ. As regards the preceding account of Herod Agrippa's death, it is corroborated in the most remarkable manner by the narrative in Josephus ('Ant. Jud.,' 19. 8:2). He there tells that when he had been three years King of all Judaea (see ver. 1, note) he went to Caesarea. And that on occasion of a festival celebrated "for the safety of Caesar" (some think to celebrate his return from Britain, while others, as Wieseler, think that they were the ordinary Quinquennalia, celebrated in the provinces), he exhibited games and spectacles in honor of Claudius. On the second day of these games, when a vast number of people were assembled in the theatre, Agrippa can? m, clothed in a garment wholly made of silver, which reflected the rays of the morning sun with a most dazzling and awful brilliancy. Whereupon his flatterers cried out that he was a god, and offered prayer to him. The king, he adds, did not rebuke them nor reject their impious flattery, he was presently seized with a violent pain in his bowels, which soon became so intense that he was carried out of the theatre to his palace, and expired after five days of excruciating pain. It is curious that in the above account Josephus says that Agrippa saw an owl sitting over his head, which he recognized as a messenger (ἄγγελον) of evil to him. Eusebius, quoting Josephus Eccl. Hist.,' 2. 10.), leaves out the owl, and says that Agrippa saw an angel sitting over his head, whom he recognized as the cause of his sufferings. Whiston, in a note, seeks to exonerate Eusebius from unfairness in the quotation by suggesting that the manuscript of Eusebius is in this place corrupt; but Bede quotes Josephus just as Eusebius does, unless perchance he is quoting him at second hand from Eusebius.