The Meaning of Acts 12:22 Explained

Acts 12:22

KJV: And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.

YLT: and the populace were shouting, 'The voice of a god, and not of a man;'

Darby: And the people cried out, A god's voice and not a man's.

ASV: And the people shouted,'saying , The voice of a god, and not of a man.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  the people  gave a shout,  [saying, It is] the voice  of a god,  and  not  of a man. 

What does Acts 12:22 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 12:13-25 - Beyond Their Faith
Mark's mother was evidently a woman of property, as her house was large enough to receive the many who felt that prayer was the key to open Peter's prison. Rhoda is Rose. Her portrait has charmed every generation. It is so lifelike and natural. How good for every servant-maid to love the devotional meeting, and to be welcomed to it! Christianity had introduced a new spirit into the world. How often our deliverances seem too good to be true! These praying friends of Peter would not believe the maid, though she told them that their prayers were answered. This proves that while their faith was very imperfect, their request was granted. When we believe not, God remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself, 2 Timothy 2:13. The James mentioned in Acts 12:17 was the brother of our Lord, and afterward head of the church in Jerusalem, Acts 15:13. See James 1:1.
What a contrast between Peter's deliverance and Herod's death! Be not afraid of the reproach of men, for "the moth shall eat them up like a garment," Isaiah 51:8. During these happenings Paul and Barnabas were in Jerusalem, and in after years their minds must often have reverted to them. Probably Paul's remembrance of this incident inspired his constant request for prayer in his own behalf, Ephesians 6:18-20.
For Review Questions, see the e-Sword Book Comments. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 12

1  King Herod persecutes the Christians, kills James, and imprisons Peter;
6  whom an angel delivers upon the prayers of the church
20  Herod in his pride taking to himself the honor due to God,
23  is stricken by an angel, and dies miserably
24  After his death, the word of God prospers
25  Saul and Barnabas return to Antioch

Greek Commentary for Acts 12:22

Shouted [επεπωνει]
Imperfect active, kept on shouting, calling out to him. Old verb, but only four times in the N.T. and all by Luke. The heathen crowd (δημος — dēmos) repeated their flattering adulation to gain Herod‘s favour. [source]
The voice of a god [τεου πωνη]
In the pagan sense of emperor worship, not as the Supreme Being. But it was pleasing to Herod Agrippa‘s vanity. [source]
The people [δῆμος]
The assembled people. [source]
A god []
As most of the assembly were heathen, the word does not refer to the Supreme Being, but is to be taken in the pagan sense - a god. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 12:22

Luke 23:21 Shouted [ἐπεφώνουν]
Imperfect. Kept shouting. Used by Luke only. Compare Acts 12:22; Acts 22:24. [source]
Acts 21:34 Some shouting one thing, some another [αλλοι αλλο τι επεπωνουν]
Same idiom of αλλοι αλλο — alloi allo as in Acts 19:32 which see. The imperfect of επιπωνεω — epiphōneō to call out to, suits well the idiom. This old verb occurs in the N.T. only in Luke and Acts (already in Acts 12:22). [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 12:22 mean?

- And the people were crying out Of a god [this is the] voice and not of a man
δὲ δῆμος ἐπεφώνει Θεοῦ φωνὴ καὶ οὐκ ἀνθρώπου

  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
δῆμος  the  people 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: δῆμος  
Sense: the people, the mass of people assembled in a public place.
ἐπεφώνει  were  crying  out 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐπιφωνέω 
Sense: to call out to, shout.
Θεοῦ  Of  a  god 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
φωνὴ  [this  is  the]  voice 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: φωνή  
Sense: a sound, a tone.
ἀνθρώπου  of  a  man 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.

What are the major concepts related to Acts 12:22?

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