These two verses are similar to 5.15 in that they serve as a summary and are also a transition to the following account concerning the sons of Sceva.

Through Paul is literally “through the hands of Paul.” Although in most contexts the expression “through the hands of Paul” would be considered a Semitism to identify the agent of an action, many commentators understand the phrase here as one which must be taken literally. That is, the unusual miracles were performed by actual contact between Paul and the persons on whom he performed these miracles. The introduction of Paul as a secondary agent, as indicated in the phrase through Paul, may be expressed in different ways in different languages—for example, “God was causing Paul to perform unusual miracles,” “God was performing unusual miracles; he was causing Paul to do them,” or “God was performing unusual miracles; Paul was doing these for God.”

Handkerchiefs and aprons translate words which are of Latin origin, and probably should be taken as things that were worn by Paul in his work. The handkerchief would have been the “sweat rag” which was worn on the head, and the apron would have been the workman’s apron. He had used translates the literal expression “from his skin” (New English Bible “which had been in contact with his skin”).

Their diseases were driven away may be rendered as “these handkerchiefs and aprons caused their diseases to disappear.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .