Bible Strands
Acts 12:22
And they began to shout, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Herod speaks to the assembled crowd while seated on his royal throne. The people respond by shouting that his voice belongs to a god rather than a human.
The words — δῆμος (dēmos) = the people, and θεοῦ (theou) = of a god.
The thread — The crowd’s deification of a ruler parallels the worship of the beast in Revelation 13:4 and the arrogant flattery condemned in Jude 1:16.
Why it lands — The text records the people’s claim that Herod’s voice is divine, immediately followed by his judgment for refusing to give glory to God. Readers must determine whether they direct honor to God or to human power.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
Cross-references
- Acts 14:10 In a loud voice Paul called out, “Stand up on your feet!” And the man jumped up and began to walk.
- Jude 1:16 These men are discontented grumblers, following after their own lusts; their mouths spew arrogance; they flatter others for their own advantage.
- Revelation 13:4 They worshiped the dragon who had given authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can wage war against it?”
- Psalms 12:2 They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.
- Daniel 6:7 All the royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors have agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce a decree that for thirty days anyone who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions.