Acts 12:22

New Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Acts 12:22 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And the people shouted, [saying], The voice of a god, and not of a man.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And the people shouted, [saying], The voice of a god, and not of a man.
Acts 12:22 — American Standard Version

Context — Acts 12

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
22And the people shouted, [saying], The voice of a god, and not of a man.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And the people gave a shout, etc.] At the end of the oration; these were flatterers, as Josephus says in the place before referred to, who cried out one from another, saluting him as God; saying, be merciful to us, hitherto we have revered thee as a man, henceforward we confess thee somewhat more excellent than mortal nature: and so it follows here, saying it is the voice of a God, and not of a man; the Vulgate Latin version reads, “the voices of God and not men”; and the Ethiopic version, “the city shouted in, or with the voice of God”, with the voice of man; as if this referred to the acclamation of the people, and not the speech of the king; very wrongly.”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“the people gave a shout, &c.--JOSEPHUS' account of his death is remarkably similar to this [Antiquities, 19.8.2]. Several cases of such deaths occur in history. Thus was this wretched man nearer his end than he of whom he had thought to make a public spectacle.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“And the people gave a shout - A loud applause. It is the voice of a god ... - It is not probable that the Jews joined in this acclamation, but that it was made by the idolatrous Gentiles. Josephus gives a similar account of their feelings and conduct. He says, “And presently his flatterers cried out, one from one place, and another from another (though not for his good), that he was a god; and they added, ‘Be thou merciful unto us; for although we have hitherto reverenced thee only as a king, yet shall we henceforth own thee as a superior to mortal nature.’” It is true that Josephus says that this was done when they saw his splendid apparel, and that he gives no account of his addressing the…”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Act 14:10-13; Psa 12:2; Dan 6:7; Jde 1:16; Rev 13:4 Acts 12:23”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification