Acts 5:15They even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on cots and mattresses, so that as Peter came by, at the least his shadow might overshadow some of them.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~33 AD. Solomon's Portico in the Temple complex. Desperate families line the streets with their sick relatives on makeshift beds, hoping Peter's shadow might bring healing as he walks past.
The emotion here: amazed at recording such unprecedented miracles
The original word
episkiazō (ἐπισκιάσῃ) — to cast a shadow over, same word used of God's presence overshadowing Mary
Why it matters
In Jewish thought, a holy person's shadow could carry divine power - this wasn't superstition but theological expectation
Read with care
What most readers miss in Acts 5:15
They laid people on 'mattresses' - actually just thin mats, showing these were poor families with nothing left to lose
Common misconceptionPeople think this was primitive superstition, but Luke was a physician who understood the difference between medicine and miracle - he's documenting genuine supernatural healing
The thread continues
Verses that echo Acts 5:15
Bible Genome reading
Acts 5:15 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Acts 5:15 comes from the book of Acts, written during the early_church period. These words are attributed to Luke. The dominant emotion in this verse is seeking, with a comfort power of 65% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include healing, faith. Notable phrases: Peter's shadow; sick into streets.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same seeking
“Pray without ceasing.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:17
“But let justice roll on like rivers, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
— Amos 5:24
“Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that …”
— Genesis 18:25
“Call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great things, and difficult, which you don't know.”
— Jeremiah 33:3
“Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evi…”
— Luke 11:4
Your reflection
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