Acts 4:28-30

4:28 to do as much as your power ¹  and your plan ²  had decided beforehand ³  would happen. 4:29 And now, Lord, pay attention to ⁴  their threats, and grant ⁵  to your servants ⁶  to speak your message ⁷  with great courage, ⁸  4:30 while you extend your hand to heal, and to bring about miraculous signs ⁹  and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

¹ tn Grk “hand,” here a metaphor for God’s strength or power or authority.

² tn Or “purpose,” “will.”

³ tn Or “had predestined.” Since the term “predestine” is something of a technical theological term, not in wide usage in contemporary English, the translation “decide beforehand” was used instead (see L&N 30.84). God’s direction remains as the major theme.

⁴ tn Or “Lord, take notice of.”

⁵ sn Grant to your servants to speak your message with great courage. The request is not for a stop to persecution or revenge on the opponents, but for boldness (great courage) to carry out the mission of proclaiming the message of what God is doing through Jesus.

⁶ tn Grk “slaves.” See the note on the word “servants” in 2:18.

⁷ tn Grk “word.”

⁸ tn Or “with all boldness.”

⁹ tn The miraculous nature of these signs is implied in the context.