Discovery BoxActs 4:28-30 
Context4:28 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.
