Acts 4:13

4:13 When they saw the boldness ¹  of Peter and John, and discovered ²  that they were uneducated ³  and ordinary ⁴  men, they were amazed and recognized these men had been with Jesus.

Acts 4:31

4:31 When ⁵  they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken, ⁶  and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak ⁷  the word of God ⁸  courageously. ⁹ 

Acts 22:29

22:29 Then those who were about to interrogate him stayed away ¹⁰  from him, and the commanding officer ¹¹  was frightened when he realized that Paul ¹²  was ¹³  a Roman citizen ¹⁴  and that he had had him tied up. ¹⁵ 

Acts 24:25

24:25 While Paul ¹⁶  was discussing ¹⁷  righteousness, self-control, ¹⁸  and the coming judgment, Felix ¹⁹  became ²⁰  frightened and said, “Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity, ²¹  I will send for you.”

[4:13]  ¹ tn Or “courage.”

[4:13]  ² tn Or “and found out.”

[4:13]  ³ sn Uneducated does not mean “illiterate,” that is, unable to read or write. Among Jews in NT times there was almost universal literacy, especially as the result of widespread synagogue schools. The term refers to the fact that Peter and John had no formal rabbinic training and thus, in the view of their accusers, were not qualified to expound the law or teach publicly. The objection is like Acts 2:7.

[4:13]  ⁴ tn For the translation of ἰδιῶται (idiwtai) as “ordinary men” see L&N 27.26.

[4:31]  ⁵ tn Grk “And when.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[4:31]  ⁶ sn The place where they were assembled…was shaken. This signifies that God is in their midst. See Acts 16:26; Exod 19:18; Ps 114:7; Isa 6:4.

[4:31]  ⁷ tn The imperfect verb has been translated as an ingressive imperfect (“began to speak”). Logical sequencing suggests that their speaking began after they were filled with the Spirit. The prayer was answered immediately.

[4:31]  ⁸ tn Or “speak God’s message.”

[4:31]  ⁹ tn Or “with boldness.”

[22:29]  ⁹ tn BDAG 158 s.v. ἀφίστημι 2.b has “keep away…ἀπό τινος… Lk 4:13; Ac 5:38; 2 Cor 12:8…cp. Ac 22:29.” In context, the point would seem to be not that the interrogators departed or withdrew, but that they held back from continuing the flogging.

[22:29]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:29]  ¹¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:29]  ¹² tn This is a present tense (ἐστιν, estin) retained in indirect discourse. It must be translated as a past tense in contemporary English.

[22:29]  ¹³ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:29]  ¹⁴ sn Had him tied up. Perhaps a reference to the chains in Acts 21:33, or the preparations for the lashing in Acts 22:25. A trial would now be needed to resolve the matter. The Roman authorities’ hesitation to render a judgment in the case occurs repeatedly: Acts 22:30; 23:28-29; 24:22; 25:20, 26-27. The legal process begun here would take the rest of Acts and will be unresolved at the end. The process itself took four years of Paul’s life.

[24:25]  ¹³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:25]  ¹⁴ tn Or “speaking about.”

[24:25]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “and self-control.” This καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[24:25]  ¹⁶ sn See the note on Felix in 23:26.

[24:25]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “becoming.” The participle γενόμενος (genomenos) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[24:25]  ¹⁸ tn Or “when I find time.” BDAG 639 s.v. μεταλαμβάνω 2 has “καιρὸν μ. have an opportunity = find time…Ac 24:25.”