In Greek the use of the conditional sentence introduced by if is very effective. However, in some languages this would be nonsense since there is absolutely no doubt as to the fact that Peter has just been asked how the lame man was made to walk. Therefore, this type of expression must be changed into a declarative, for example, “we are evidently being questioned today about….” Though in Greek the form is conditional, there is obviously no real condition implied—it is only a rhetorical device.

In the Greek text the use of the passive makes possible the elimination of a direct reference to the agent. In other languages, however, an active form may require the agent, for example, “you are evidently questioning us today about….”

Questioned translates a Greek word (see 12.19; 17.11; 24.8; 28.18) which suggests a judicial hearing.

In the phrase the good deed done to the lame man there is no reference to the agent. This may need to be supplied because of the passive form and the semantically redundant expression deed done. One may use “the good which we did for the lame man” or even “how we helped the lame man.”

The passive expression in how he was made well may be shifted to an expression indicating change of state, for example, “how he became well.”

Some type of transitional element at the beginning of verse 10 (see then in Good News Translation) is very important. In some languages one may employ an expression such as “evidently” at the beginning of verse 9 and a corresponding “therefore” at the beginning of verse 10.

It should be noted that no reference has been made in the introduction to this section (vv. 5-7) of the presence of the man who has been healed. However, his presence is indicated in verse 10 and he is further mentioned in verse 14.

The instrumental relationship expressed by the power of the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth may need to be expressed as a causative subject in some languages, for example, “the power of the name of Jesus Christ has caused this man to stand here before you completely well.” In certain instances a distinction must be made between the healing and the standing such as “the power of the name of Jesus Christ has healed this man and therefore he stands before you.”

As has been noted in other contexts, the use of name as a substitute for the personality, or as a symbol of the personality, is not understood in some languages, and therefore the more satisfactory equivalent may be simply “the power of Jesus Christ.”

The last clause whom you crucified and God raised from death must in many languages be expressed as a separate sentence with an emphatic identification of the subject, for example, “This is the one you crucified but whom God raised from death.” In these two expressions the contrastive features may require some such conjunction as “but.”

When there is no specific term for crucify, it may be important to employ some type of descriptive equivalent which will indicate both the execution and the means by which it was done, for example, “killed him by nailing him to a cross” or “put him on a cross and in this way killed him.”

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 .