Acts 5:15 · Bible study
Acts 5:15 Commentary: Peter’s Shadow and Divine Healing Power
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
What does Acts 5:15 mean? Did Peter’s shadow heal? Explore the faith of the early church and the power of God working through human instruments.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The people’s faith was so strong they expected healing even from Peter’s shadow, though Luke does not confirm any cures.
- Key words: σκιὰ (skia, “shadow”); ἐπισκιάσῃ (episkiasē, “might overshadow”); κραβάττων (krabattōn, “mats” for the poor).
- Main debate: Whether any healing actually occurred through the shadow, and whether this reflects faith or superstition.
- Theological theme: God’s sovereign power works through appointed human agents, but the agent is never the source.
- Best use: A test case for discussing the role of physical signs, the faith of the early church, and the dangers of saint-worship.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.
WEB World English Bible 2000
They even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mattresses, so that as Peter came by, at least his shadow might overshadow some of them.
KJV King James Version 1769
Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
insomuch that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that, as Peter came by, at the least his shadow might overshadow some one of them.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
so as into the broad places to bring forth the ailing, and to lay them upon couches and mats, that at the coming of Peter, even his shadow might overshadow some one of them;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
so that they brought out the sick into the streets and put [them] on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter, when he came, might overshadow some one of them.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that, when Peter came, his shadow at the least might overshadow any of them and they might be delivered from their infirmities.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Tanto que echaban los enfermos por las calles, y los ponían en camas y en lechos, para que viniendo Pedro, á lo menos su sombra tocase á alguno de ellos.
De maneira que traziam os enfermos às ruas, e os botavam em camas e macas, para que, vindo Pedro, pelo menos a sombra dele cobrisse a alguns deles.
en sorte qu’ on apportait les malades dans les rues et qu’ on les plaçait sur des lits et des couchettes, afin que, lorsque Pierre passerait, son ombre au moins couvrît quelqu’ un d’ eux.
also daß sie die Kranken auf die Gassen heraustrugen und legten sie auf Betten und Bahren, auf daß, wenn Petrus käme, sein Schatten ihrer etliche überschattete.
Alzo dat zij de kranken uitdroegen op de straten, en legden op bedden en beddekens, opdat, als Petrus kwam, ook maar de schaduw iemand van hen beschaduwen mocht.
tanto che portavano perfino gli infermi per le piazze, e li mettevano su lettucci e giacigli, affinché, quando Pietro passava, l’ombra sua almeno ne adombrasse qualcuno.
Tak że i na ulice wynosili chorych i kładli je na pościelach i łóżkach, aby przynajmniej cień Piotra przychodzącego zacienił niektórych z nich.
так что выносили больных на улицы и полагали на постелях и кроватях, дабы хотя тень проходящего Петра осенила кого из них.
甚至 有人將病人 抬 到 街上， 放 在 床 上或 褥子上，指望 彼得 過來的時候，或者 得他的影兒 照 在 甚麼人身上。
And they even took into the streets people who were ill, and put them on beds, so that when Peter went by, some of them might be in his shade.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Acts 5:15
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
The commentators agree that Acts 5:15 reports the extraordinary faith of the Jerusalem believers, but they stop short of saying Peter’s shadow actually healed anyone. Barnes notes that Luke “does not say that any were healed in this way, nor that they were commanded to do this”, he simply records the people’s impression. Clarke likewise reads the scene as a practical response to a crowd too large for the apostles to touch everyone: the sick were placed where Peter’s lengthening shadow might pass over them. Gill and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown point out that the text does not claim a cure, and Calvin warns against using the verse to justify relic-worship or the primacy of Peter. What unites these readings is a focus on the people’s faith, not on any inherent power in Peter’s shadow. The power belonged to God; the shadow was only a visible sign of the people’s trust that God could heal through his apostle.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Faith rewarded with healing: The parallel with Acts 19:12 and the woman touching Jesus’ garment (Matthew 9:21) suggests God honors such tangible faith.
- No healing by shadow itself: Luke does not say any were healed; he only records the people’s initiative. Barnes, Clarke, and Gill highlight this silence.
- Example of God using weak means: Even if no shadow-healing occurred, the scene shows God’s power can work through any created thing when faith is present (Calvin).
What is clear: The Jerusalem believers were convinced that Peter was God’s instrument for healing, and they acted on that conviction in a concrete, public way.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Whether healing occurred by Peter’s shadow | Luke does not explicitly state that anyone was healed by the shadow; the text records the people’s expectation, not a result. | Some argue the silence implies healing did not happen (Barnes, Clarke). Others say the similar pattern in Acts 19:12 suggests God did grant cures even through indirect means (Cambridge, though cautious). |
| Role of Peter in the early church | Peter was the most prominent apostle during this period; his name alone appears here because of his leading role in earlier miracles. | Protestant traditions see this as a normal apostolic function; Catholic tradition may view Peter’s prominence as supporting his primacy, though the verse does not directly teach that. |
| Faith vs superstition | The people’s actions were motivated by genuine faith in God’s power, not magic. | Some commentators (Calvin) warn that similar reasoning can lead to relic worship. Others (Matthew Henry) emphasize the simplicity of faith that uses any means to reach Jesus. |
| Continuation of apostolic signs | Miracles through objects (Peter’s shadow, Paul’s handkerchiefs) are recorded only in the apostolic age. | Some traditions (Pentecostal/charismatic) see this as a pattern for ongoing healing ministries. Others (Reformed, cessationist) argue these signs were limited to the founding generation. |
| Relevance for modern healing practices | The core principle is that God heals in response to faith, often using human instruments. | Does this encourage seeking physical contact with healing ministers? Or does it warn against putting confidence in the instrument rather than God? Christians differ on practical application. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Act 5:15 sits at the climax of a section describing the early church’s growth and power. The preceding verses (5:12, 14) report “many signs and wonders” done by the apostles among the people, with the believers meeting regularly in Solomon’s Porch, a covered colonnade on the Temple mount. This was a public, high-traffic area. After the judgment on Ananias and Sapphira (5:1, 11), the church was purified, and “great fear” led to both awe and an influx of new believers. The apostles’ miracles drew enormous crowds from Jerusalem and surrounding towns (v. 16).
In this cultural setting, placing the sick outdoors on beds and couches (κλινάριον for the wealthy; κραββατος for the poor) was practical: the warm climate allowed the ill to be exposed in the open air (Cambridge). Clarke speculates the sun was declining, lengthening Peter’s shadow so that it could reach more people. The gesture echoes a wider phenomenon in Jewish and Greco-Roman healing practices, where a holy person’s touch or even proximity was sought. But the early church never separated such practices from faith in Jesus’ name. Matthew 9:21 shows a woman seeking only to touch Jesus’ garment; here the people extend that principle to Peter, the leading apostle.
Luke does not condemn the people’s action, nor does he endorse it as a divinely ordained method. He simply records that the community’s faith was so concrete that they carried their sick into the streets. The contrast with the jealous high priest and Sadducees in verses 17, 18 makes clear that the people’s trust in God’s power through the apostles was a direct threat to the religious establishment.
Textual Notes
The verse is well preserved in the Greek manuscripts. The main textual variation is in the concluding clause: the Vulgate Latin version adds “and they might be delivered from their infirmities,” but as Gill notes, this addition “is not supported by any copy, nor is it in any other version.” The Byzantine text does not include it. The Cambridge Bible observes that the best Greek authorities read “even into the streets” (καὶ εἰς) rather than simply “into.” None of the supplied sources mention any other significant variant affecting interpretation.
Reception History
Acts 5:15 has been used across church history to discuss the relationship between divine power and physical objects. In the medieval era, the verse was cited to support venerating relics and the bones of saints, on the assumption that if Peter’s shadow could heal, then his remains or garments could also carry power. Calvin strongly opposed this use, arguing that the apostles were unique ministers of the gospel and that their temporary gift should not be exploited for later practices of saint-worship. During the Reformation, the verse became a test case for distinguishing biblical miracles from later traditions. In modern charismatic and Pentecostal circles, the passage is sometimes read as a precedent for “healing lines” or impartation through physical proximity, while many in Reformed and mainline traditions emphasize that Luke’s silence about actual healings by the shadow cautions against making too much of the method. Throughout, the church has agreed that the ultimate healer is Christ, not his servant.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Faith shows itself in action. The believers did not wait for the apostles to come to them, they brought the sick into the streets. Their faith was not passive but moved their feet.
- God uses ordinary means for extraordinary ends. A shadow has no power of its own, but God can work through anything. This points away from the instrument to the one who wields it.
- The danger of misplaced focus. The people fixated on Peter, not on Jesus. While Luke does not say they sinned, later tradition had to guard against making Peter’s shadow a relic (Calvin). Instruments must never become idols.
Five-point outline
- Context: after the judgment on Ananias and Sapphira, the church is pure and powerful (5:12, 14).
- Action: the people carry the sick into the streets and lay them on beds and couches.
- Expectation: they hope that as Peter passes by, his shadow might overshadow the sick.
- Contrast: the authorities respond with jealousy (5:17, 18), while the people respond with faith.
- Result: Luke does not say healing happened, but the text leads into a new wave of apostolic signs.
Illustration hooks
- A child’s trust. A child who believes a parent can fix anything may hold out a broken toy, expecting a touch to make it whole. The faith is simple and sincere, even if the method is naive.
- Medical hope. Patients sometimes put more faith in a doctor’s reputation than in the treatment itself. The doctor is the instrument; the healing depends on many factors. Here the instrument is Peter, but the power belongs to God.
- A famous speaker’s shadow. If a renowned healer were to walk through a park, people might line the path just to be near them. The gesture shows belief in something bigger than the person.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Did Peter’s shadow actually heal people, or was this just wishful thinking?
- Should we expect such physical signs of power today, or were they limited to the apostles?
- How do we balance a healthy reverence for spiritual leaders without turning them into objects of faith?
Leading a Discussion
This passage invites us to examine the relationship between faith, human instruments, and divine power. The believers in Jerusalem carried their sick into the streets hoping Peter’s shadow would fall on them. Their actions reveal deep trust in God’s power working through the apostle. But Luke’s silence about actual healing challenges us to reflect on what God honors and what he may simply allow to stand.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think the people brought the sick into the streets? What does this tell you about their understanding of Peter’s role?
- Read Acts 19:11, 12, where Paul’s handkerchiefs heal the sick. How is this similar? How is it different?
- Why does Luke not say whether anyone was healed by the shadow? Does this affect how you read the passage?
- Consider the reaction of the religious leaders in verses 17, 18. Why did the people’s faith provoke jealousy rather than praise?
- How might we distinguish between genuine faith in God and superstition about a person or object?
- What does this verse teach us about the connection between community faith and individual healing?
- If you had been living in Jerusalem at that time, would you have brought a sick friend to the street? Why or why not?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 9:21 | for she said within herself, “If I just touch his garment, I will be made well.” |
| Matthew 14:36 | and they begged him that they might just touch the fringe of his garment. As many as touched it were made whole. |
| John 14:12 | Most certainly I tell you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also; and he will do greater works than these, because I am going to my Father. |
| Acts 19:11 | God worked special miracles by the hands of Paul, |
| Acts 19:12 | so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke observes that the verses describing the sick being brought out are textually disordered and rearranges them into what he considers the natural sequence. He downplays the shadow's miraculous
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes the careful distinction between the soft beds of the rich and the hard couches of the poor, showing that people from every social class were brought to Peter. He also points out that the text reports only the people's hope that his shadow might heal them, not that any were actually healed this way.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that the apostles' miracles strengthened the gospel's credibility, but he warns against taking Peter's shadow as a precedent. He says the Papists' claimed miracles at saints' graves are not just unlike the apostles' works—they are directly contrary, because they pull attention away from Christ and toward the saints.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator stresses that the believers brought the sick into Peter's shadow not because they thought Peter or his shadow had power, but as a demonstration of faith in Christ. They recognized Peter as the Lord's instrument and trusted God to heal through him, just as He had used the bronze serpent in the past.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight the people's extraordinary faith: they brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them. This shows their deep trust that God's healing power could work through even the apostle's shadow.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the people brought their sick into the streets hoping Peter's shadow might heal them, but he considers it uncertain whether any were actually cured this way. He then warns against using this incident to support Peter's primacy, image worship, or the Pope's authority as Peter's shadow.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB observes that the healing through Peter's shadow involved people from every social level, from rich on soft couches to poor on hard cots. He connects this event to Elisha's miracles and sees it as the fulfillment of Jesus' promise about Peter's authority, now at its height in the early church.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry points out that the judgment on Ananias and Sapphira was a brief interruption; the gospel power soon returned to its proper work of mercy and grace. The many public miracles demonstrated the apostles' divine authority and kept the church united in worship.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent points out a common mistranslation in the phrase about Peter's shadow. The text should read "as Peter passed by, his shadow might" rather than "the shadow of Peter passing by." This small grammatical correction preserves the sequence of action and the simple circumstances of the healing.