3:12a
And when Peter saw this: The word this refers to the people who had run to the three of them. Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
Peter saw them coming (Revised English Bible)
-or-
When Peter saw the people (Good News Translation)
-or-
Peter saw that a crowd had gathered (Contemporary English Version)
he addressed the people: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as addressed is literally “answered/responded.” Peter responded to their astonishment and their implied questions about what happened. Peter spoke loudly enough so all of them could hear him. Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
in response he said to them
But the people had not spoken to Peter but perhaps to each other. So in many languages using the word “said” is more natural.
3:12b
Men of Israel: This phrase refers to all people who descended from Jacob, who was later called Israel. It is another way to refer to the Jews. Peter was also an Israelite. Here are some other ways to translate this Greek phrase:
Descendants of Israel
See how you translated this phrase in 2:22.
why are you surprised by this?: This is a rhetorical question. It implies that the people should not be surprised that God is able to heal the crippled man. It may also be a slight rebuke for being surprised.
There are two ways to translate this implied meaning or rebuke:
• As a rhetorical question. For example:
why are you amazed/surprised about what has happened to this man?
• As a statement. For example:
you should not be surprised at this
this: The word this refers to what had just happened to the lame man.
3:12c–d
Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?: In the Greek, 3:12c starts with the word that means “or.” The words of 3:12c–d are the second part of the rhetorical question begun in 3:12b. It is used in the same way as the rhetorical question in 3:12b. It implies that the people should not believe that Peter’s own power or godliness caused the man to walk. It may also be a rebuke for believing that.
There are two ways to translate this implied meaning or rebuke:
• As a rhetorical question. For example:
Why do you stare at us as though it was by our own power or godliness that we had made this man walk?
• As a statement. For example:
You should not stare at us as though it was by our own power or godliness that we made this man walk.
-or-
You should not stare at us and think that it was by our own power or godliness that we made this man walk.
3:12d
as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk: The phrase as if indicates a possible reason for staring. Some people might think that Peter and John had healed the lame man by means of their own power or godliness. Here are some other ways to translate these words:
as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Do you think that it was by means of our own power or godliness that we made this man walk? (Good News Translation)
godliness: This word refers to the way people behave when they respect God. They please him by doing everything in the way he wants them to. Here are some other ways to translate this word:
godly life (God’s Word)
-or-
behave in a way that pleases God
-or-
doing as God wants
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