Acts 4:13-16

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. 4:14 And because they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say against this. ⁵  4:15 But when they had ordered them to go outside the council, ⁶  they began to confer with one another, 4:16 saying, “What should we do with these men? For it is plain ⁷  to all who live in Jerusalem that a notable miraculous sign ⁸  has come about through them, ⁹  and we cannot deny it.

[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.

[4:14]  ⁵ tn Or “nothing to say in opposition.”

[4:15]  ⁶ tn Or “the Sanhedrin” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[4:16]  ⁷ tn Or “evident.”

[4:16]  ⁸ tn Here σημεῖον (shmeion) has been translated as “miraculous sign” rather than simply “sign” or “miracle” since both components appear to be present in the context. It is clear that the healing of the lame man was a miracle, but for the Sanhedrin it was the value of the miraculous healing as a sign that concerned them because it gave attestation to the message of Peter and John. The sign “speaks” as Peter claimed in 3:11-16.

[4:16]  ⁹ tn Or “has been done by them.”