Acts 12:15

Verse

“You are out of your mind,” they told her. But when she kept insisting it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”

American Standard Version (1901)

And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she confidently affirmed that it was even so. And they said, It is his angel.

And they said to her, You are off your head. But still she said, with decision, that it was so. And they said, It is his angel.

Douay-Rheims 1899

But they said to her: Thou art mad. But she affirmed that it was so. Then said they: It is his angel.

Free Bible Version

“You're mad!” they told her. But she kept on insisting it was true. So they said, “It must be his angel.”

Geneva Bible 1599

But they said vnto her, Thou art mad. Yet she affirmed it constantly, that it was so. Then said they, It is his Angel.

King James (Authorized) Version

And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.

Plain English Version

Those people said, “You are mad.” But she kept on telling them that Peter really was there. Then they said, “It can’t be him. It has to be the angel that looks after him.”

Translation for Translators

But one of them said to her, “You (sg) are crazy!” But she continued saying that it was really true. Then they repeatedly said, “No, it cannot be Peter. It is probably the angel who was guarding him who has come (OR, It is the angel who has guarded/protected him, and he has come to tell us that Peter has died.)”

Unlocked Literal Bible

So they said to her, “You are insane.” But she insisted that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.”

Noah Webster Bible

And they said to her, Thou art insane. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then they said, It is his angel.

World English Bible

They said to her, “You are crazy!” But she insisted that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.”

Young's Literal Translation

and they said unto her, 'Thou art mad;' and she was confidently affirming [it] to be so, and they said, 'It is his messenger;'

Context

The Rescue of Peter

¹⁴When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that she forgot to open the gate, but ran inside and announced, “Peter is standing at the gate!”¹⁵“You are out of your mind,” they told her. But when she kept insisting it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”

Sermons

Let Me Speak, Lastly, to Those Who Do Pray

J.C. Ryle

Summary

This verse depicts the disbelief of those praying for Peter's release when he actually stands at the door. Their reaction, attributing the miraculous event to Peter's angel, reflects their astonishment and lack of immediate recognition of God's intervention. The passage highlights the power of prayer and God's ability to exceed human expectations through His divine intervention. It also serves as a reminder that God works in mysterious ways, often surprising us with His deliverance and answering prayers in ways we may not anticipate.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

It is his angel - It was a common opinion among the Jews that every man has a guardian angel, and in the popish Church it is an article of faith. The Jews also believed that angels often assumed the likeness of particular persons. They have many stories of the appearance of Elijah in the likeness of different rabbins. As αγγελος signifies in general a messenger, whether Divine or human, some have thought that the angel or messenger here means a servant or person which the disciples supposed was sent from Peter to announce something of importance to the brethren: it was also an opinion among the Jews, even in the time of the apostles, as appears from Philo, that the departed souls of good men officiated as ministering angels; and it is possible that the disciples at Mary's house might suppose that Peter had been murdered in the prison; and that his spirit was now come to announce this event, or give some particular warning to the Church.

John Gill Bible Commentary

And they said unto her, thou art mad, &c. "Or art thou not mad?" as the Ethiopic version, and two of Beza's exemplars read, and some others: they thought the girl must be out of her senses; they looked upon the thing impossible; for though they were praying for him, and praying in faith, yet they might have no expectation of a deliverance; but were praying that they might be supported under such a trial, and that it might be sanctified to them; and for Peter, that he might be strengthened and made steadfast, and kept faithful to the last; and bear, by his sufferings and death, a glorious and honourable testimony for Christ: but she constantly affirmed that it was even so; she asserted it over and over, and was positive in it; nothing they could say could put her off of it; she was sure of it; which when they observed, they could not tell what to say to it, but as follows: then said they, it is his angel; not his tutelar or guardian angel, everyone having, as some think, a particular angel to attend him; whereas sometimes one angel attends many persons, and sometimes many angels encamp about, and are a guard to a single saint; nor did they think it was an angel sent to give notice of his death, as some persons, by one means or another, have had previous notices of the death of their friends; but rather, that it was an angel in Peter's shape, who had something to communicate: and this agrees with the notions of the Jews, who think that angels do assume the shapes of men on certain occasions: so they say (i), when Moses was in danger in Pharaoh's court, God sent Michael, the prince of the host of heaven, "in the shape of an executioner"; who brought him at once out of Egypt, and set him at the border of it, the distance of three days journey: Bar Kaphra says (k), an angel descended , "in the likeness of Moses", and caused him to flee, and they thought the angel had been Moses: and so it is elsewhere said (l), that an angel descended "in the likeness of Solomon", sitting upon his throne: there are some who think, that the sense of the brethren praying for Peter, was not that it was an angel, a celestial spirit, but a messenger sent by Peter from the prison on some errand: who represented him, or mentioning his name, the damsel took him for Peter himself. Beza's ancient copy reads, "then said they unto her, perhaps it is his angel", and so the Syriac version. (i) Chronicon Mosis, fol. 6. 1. (k) Debarim Rabba, sect. 2. fol. 237. 1. (l) Midrash Kohelet, fol. 64. 4.