4:5 On the next day, 1 their rulers, elders, and experts in the law 2 came together 3 in Jerusalem. 4 4:6 Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and others who were members of the high priest’s family. 5 4:7 After 6 making Peter and John 7 stand in their midst, they began to inquire, “By what power or by what name 8 did you do this?” 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, 9 replied, 10 “Rulers of the people and elders, 11 4:9 if 12 we are being examined 13 today for a good deed 14 done to a sick man – by what means this man was healed 15 – 4:10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ 16 the Nazarene whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, this man stands before you healthy. 4:11 This Jesus 17 is the stone that was rejected by you, 18 the builders, that has become the cornerstone. 19 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people 20 by which we must 21 be saved.”
‘Why do the nations 27 rage, 28
and the peoples plot foolish 29 things?
4:26 The kings of the earth stood together, 30
and the rulers assembled together,
against the Lord and against his 31 Christ.’ 32
4:27 “For indeed both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together in this city against 33 your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, 34 4:28 to do as much as your power 35 and your plan 36 had decided beforehand 37 would happen. 4:29 And now, Lord, pay attention to 38 their threats, and grant 39 to your servants 40 to speak your message 41 with great courage, 42 4:30 while you extend your hand to heal, and to bring about miraculous signs 43 and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 4:31 When 44 they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken, 45 and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak 46 the word of God 47 courageously. 48
4:32 The group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, 49 and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but everything was held in common. 50 4:33 With 51 great power the apostles were giving testimony 52 to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on them all.
1 tn Grk “It happened that on the next day.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
2 tn Or “and scribes.” The traditional rendering of γραμματεύς (grammateu") as “scribe” does not communicate much to the modern English reader, for whom the term might mean “professional copyist,” if it means anything at all. The people referred to here were recognized experts in the law of Moses and in traditional laws and regulations. Thus “expert in the law” comes closer to the meaning for the modern reader.
sn Experts in the law would have been mostly like the Pharisees in approach. Thus various sects of Judaism were coming together against Jesus.
3 tn Or “law assembled,” “law met together.”
4 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
5 sn The high priest’s family. This family controlled the high priesthood as far back as
6 tn Grk “And after.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new sentence is begun in the translation at the beginning of v. 7.
7 tn Grk “making them”; the referents (Peter and John) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
8 sn By what name. The issue of the “name” comes up again here. This question, meaning “by whose authority,” surfaces an old dispute (see Luke 20:1-8). Who speaks for God about the ancient faith?
9 sn Filled with the Holy Spirit. The narrator’s remark about the Holy Spirit indicates that Peter speaks as directed by God and for God. This fulfills Luke 12:11-12 (1 Pet 3:15).
10 tn Grk “Spirit, said to them.”
11 tc The Western and Byzantine texts, as well as one or two Alexandrian witnesses, read τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ (tou Israhl, “of Israel”) after πρεσβύτεροι (presbuteroi, “elders”; so D E Ψ 33 1739 Ï it), while most of the better witnesses, chiefly Alexandrian (Ì74 א A B 0165 1175 vg sa bo), lack this modifier. The longer reading was most likely added by scribes to give literary balance to the addressees in that “Rulers” already had an adjunct while “elders” was left absolute.
12 tn This clause is a first class condition. It assumes for the sake of argument that this is what they were being questioned about.
13 tn Or “questioned.” The Greek term ἀνακρίνω (anakrinw) points to an examination similar to a legal one.
14 tn Or “for an act of kindness.”
15 tn Or “delivered” (σέσωται [seswtai], from σώζω [swzw]). See 4:12.
16 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
17 tn Grk “This one”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
18 tn The word “you” is inserted into the quotation because Peter is making a direct application of Ps 118:22 to his hearers. Because it is not in the OT, it has been left as normal type (rather than bold italic). The remarks are like Acts 2:22-24 and 3:12-15.
19 sn A quotation from Ps 118:22 which combines the theme of rejection with the theme of God’s vindication/exaltation.
20 tn Here ἀνθρώποις (anqrwpoi") has been translated as a generic noun (“people”).
21 sn Must be saved. The term used here (δεῖ, dei, “it is necessary”) reflects the necessity set up by God’s directive plan.
22 sn With one mind. Compare Acts 1:14.
23 tn Or “Lord of all.”
sn The use of the title Master of all (δεσπότης, despoths) emphasizes that there is a sovereign God who is directing what is taking place.
24 tn Grk “and the earth, and the sea,” but καί (kai) has not been translated before “the earth” and “the sea” since contemporary English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
25 tn Grk “by the mouth of” (an idiom).
26 tn Or “ancestor”; Grk “father.”
27 tn Or “Gentiles.”
28 sn The Greek word translated rage includes not only anger but opposition, both verbal and nonverbal. See L&N 88.185.
29 tn Or “futile”; traditionally, “vain.”
30 tn Traditionally, “The kings of the earth took their stand.”
31 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
sn See the note on Christ in 2:31.
32 sn A quotation from Ps 2:1-2.
33 sn The application of Ps 2:1-2 is that Jews and Gentiles are opposing Jesus. The surprise of the application is that Jews are now found among the enemies of God’s plan.
34 sn A wordplay on “Christ,” v. 26, which means “one who has been anointed.”
35 tn Grk “hand,” here a metaphor for God’s strength or power or authority.
36 tn Or “purpose,” “will.”
37 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.
38 tn Or “Lord, take notice of.”
39 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.
40 tn Grk “slaves.” See the note on the word “servants” in 2:18.
41 tn Grk “word.”
42 tn Or “with all boldness.”
43 tn The miraculous nature of these signs is implied in the context.
44 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.
45 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.
46 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.
47 tn Or “speak God’s message.”
48 tn Or “with boldness.”
49 tn Grk “soul.”
50 tn Grk “but all things were to them in common.”
sn Everything was held in common. The remark is not a reflection of political philosophy, but of the extent of their spontaneous commitment to one another. Such a response does not have the function of a command, but is reflective of an attitude that Luke commends as evidence of their identification with one another.
51 tn Grk “And with.” 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.
52 tn Or “were witnessing.”