Section 3:11–26

Peter preached in the temple courts

In this section, all of the people there in the temple courts quickly gathered together to a place near Peter, John and the lame man who had been healed. So Peter explained about Jesus. He probably did this to contradict the false stories about Jesus that people may have heard. He also explained that Jesus had healed the man. Peter also told them that they should repent and ask God to forgive them for their sins. He encouraged them to do that using some of God’s promises.

Here are other possible headings for this section:

Peter spoke to the people at the temple
-or-
Peter’s Message in the Temple (Good News Translation)
-or-
Peter said that Jesus healed the man, and they should repent and believe in Jesus

Paragraph 3:11–16

3:11a

the man: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the man is literally the pronoun “he.” But here it clearly refers to the man who was healed. In many languages a pronoun is all that is needed.

Now that the man was healed, he would no longer beg. Some languages more naturally use a noun phrase here to describe the man. For example:

the man who formerly begged
-or-
The formerly lame-one

clung to Peter and John: The man clung to Peter and John probably because he was happy and so grateful to them that he did not want to let them leave him just yet. In some languages a literal translation would not have that implied meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Include the implied meaning in your translation. For example:

held on to Peter and John ⌊because he was so grateful to them⌋

• Translate using a verb that gives that implied meaning here. For example:

remained near Peter and John

3:11b

were astonished and ran to them: In the Greek the main verb is “came running.” The phrase were astonished describes them while they were running (and probably afterwards). For example:

came running to them astonished

were astonished: The Greek word means “very astonished/amazed.”

ran to them: The Greek is literally “ran together to one place.” The people ran from all over the temple courtyards to where Peter, John, and the man were. Here are some other ways to translate these words:

running towards them (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
came running to them (New International Version)

3:11c

in the walkway called Solomon’s Colonnade: Peter, John, and the man were standing in the walkway called Solomon’s Colonnade. The people ran to them there.

the walkway called Solomon’s Colonnade: The clause is passive. Some languages must use a clause that is not passive. For example:

the place ⌊that people⌋ called Solomon’s Colonnade
-or-
Solomon’s Colonnade (New Living Translation (2004))

Solomon’s Colonnade: A Colonnade is a long building made of many columns or posts instead of walls. Here there were columns on one side and a wall on the other side. They supported a roof. Scholars think that it was located along the east side of the temple’s outer court. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

Solomon’s Building of Columns/Posts
-or-
the Sheltering Place of Solomon

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