Discovery BoxActs 4:25-29 
Context4:25 who said by the Holy Spirit through 1 your servant David our forefather, 2
and the peoples plot foolish 5 things?
4:26 The kings of the earth stood together, 6
and the rulers assembled together,
against the Lord and against his 7 Christ.’ 8
4:27 “For indeed both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together in this city against 9 your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, 10 4:28 to do as much as your power 11 and your plan 12 had decided beforehand 13 would happen. 4:29 And now, Lord, pay attention to 14 their threats, and grant 15 to your servants 16 to speak your message 17 with great courage, 18
1 tn Grk “by the mouth of” (an idiom).
2 tn Or “ancestor”; Grk “father.”
3 tn Or “Gentiles.”
4 sn The Greek word translated rage includes not only anger but opposition, both verbal and nonverbal. See L&N 88.185.
5 tn Or “futile”; traditionally, “vain.”
6 tn Traditionally, “The kings of the earth took their stand.”
7 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.
8 sn A quotation from Ps 2:1-2.
9 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.
10 sn A wordplay on “Christ,” v. 26, which means “one who has been anointed.”
11 tn Grk “hand,” here a metaphor for God’s strength or power or authority.
12 tn Or “purpose,” “will.”
13 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.
14 tn Or “Lord, take notice of.”
15 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.
16 tn Grk “slaves.” See the note on the word “servants” in 2:18.
17 tn Grk “word.”
18 tn Or “with all boldness.”
