The leaders were astonished not just by the apostles' courage, but by who they were: "unlearned, common men." This highlights that their profound boldness and the evident power behind their words weren't from any worldly training or status, but were an undeniable mark of having been with Jesus.
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Peter and John stand before the Jewish council, not cowering, but boldly proclaiming the healing of a lame man and attributing it to Jesus. The council members, recognizing their lack of formal religious education and low social standing, are astonished by their confident demeanor and powerful message. This leads them to realize that the apostles' remarkable boldness and message could only stem from a deep connection with Jesus himself.
Peter and John stood before the most powerful council in Jerusalem, healed a man in Jesus' name, and were now being questioned. What gave them such unshakeable courage?
The text highlights the 'boldness' (parrhesia) of Peter and John. This wasn't just loud talking; it was open, confident speech, the opposite of hesitation or secrecy. It stemmed directly from their conviction that they had been with Jesus. Their boldness wasn't learned in rabbinic schools or honed through rhetoric; it was a direct result of their encounter with Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. This divine enablement allowed them to speak truth plainly, even in the face of intense opposition.
The religious leaders were stunned. They recognized the apostles' lack of formal training, yet their words and actions carried an undeniable authority. What was so surprising about these 'common men'?
The leaders perceived Peter and John as 'unlearned' (agrammatoi - unlettered, not trained in Jewish scripture and law) and 'common men' (idiotai - private citizens, lacking professional or public standing). This lack of formal education and status made their confident proclamation of Jesus and the miracle they performed all the more astonishing. Their boldness couldn't be explained by worldly wisdom or eloquence. The leaders realized this authority and conviction came from an external source—their time spent with Jesus.
The council couldn't deny the miracle or the apostles' conviction. In their astonishment, they reached a profound conclusion about the source of Peter and John's power.
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The leaders' realization—'they had been with Jesus'—is the pivotal insight. They didn't necessarily mean they personally knew Jesus, but they recognized the imprint of Jesus on these men. This recognition pointed to the undeniable connection between the apostles' boldness, their witness, and the power demonstrated. It was a testament that the message and authority Peter and John proclaimed were directly linked to the divine person of Jesus Christ. This encounter with the Sanhedrin, though hostile, became another powerful witness to Jesus' identity and work.
Understand the original words
parrēsian · Greek Noun
A state of fearlessness, confidence, and openness in speech, often resulting from the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, allowing believers to testify to the Gospel despite opposition.
agrammatoi eisin kai idiōtai · Greek Adjective phrase
Refers to individuals who lacked formal, advanced religious or rabbinical schooling, highlighting that the power of the Apostles' witness came from God rather than human education.
tetherapeumenon · Greek Verb (participle)
A miraculous restoration of physical health or spiritual wholeness, often serving in the New Testament as a sign validating the authority and message of the apostles in Jesus' name.
The astonishment of the religious leaders highlights the stark contrast between the disciples' humble origins and their newfound, Spirit-empowered boldness, which they could only attribute to their direct association with Jesus.
c. AD 28
Jesus calls first disciples
Jesus calls fishermen like Peter and John, who were uneducated in the religious schools of the day, to follow him.
c. AD 30
Jesus' ministry and teachings
Jesus teaches and performs miracles, often in the Temple, with Peter, John, and other disciples accompanying him and learning from him.
c. AD 30
Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus
Jesus is crucified, but the disciples believe he rose from the dead, empowering them with the Holy Spirit.
c. AD 30
Healing of the lame man at the Temple
Peter and John, acting in Jesus' name, heal a man lame from birth at the Beautiful Gate of the Jerusalem Temple, drawing a large crowd.
c. AD 30— this verse
Arrest and questioning of Peter and John
Peter and John are arrested by the Temple authorities and brought before the Sanhedrin for questioning about the healing and their teachings.
c. AD 30
Release and continued witness
Released after their initial interrogation, Peter and John defy the Sanhedrin's orders and continue to preach and teach in Jesus' name.
This passage echoes the theme by highlighting how God intentionally chooses the 'foolish' and 'weak' things of the world to shame the wise and strong, paralleling the astonishment of the Sanhedrin at the uneducated disciples' boldness.
Matthew 4:18-22This passage shows Jesus calling ordinary fishermen to follow Him, directly connecting to the identity of Peter and John as 'unlearned, common men' whose lives were transformed by being with Jesus.
John 18:15-18This passage describes Peter's denial of Jesus after being recognized, suggesting that the Sanhedrin might have recognized Peter and John from this event, adding a layer of personal history to their recognition of the disciples.
Daniel 2:21This verse speaks of God giving wisdom and power to whom He wills, and setting up kingdoms, which resonates with the Sanhedrin's astonishment at the disciples' authority and wisdom, implicitly acknowledging a divine source.
Acts 2:4This verse describes the disciples being filled with the Holy Spirit and speaking in other tongues, directly explaining the source of the 'boldness' and 'eloquence' that amazed the Sanhedrin, which they then attributed to having been with Jesus.
barnesActs 4:13: "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."
Boldness - This word properly denotes "openness" or "confidence in speaking." It stands opposed to "hesitancy," and to "equivocation" in declaring our sentiments. Here it means that, in spite of danger and opposition, they avowed their doctrines without any attempt to conceal or disguise them. Pete…
vincentActs 4:13: "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."
BoldnessSee on freely, Acts 2:29.Perceived (καταλαβόμενοι)The word, meaning originally to seize upon or lay hold of, occurs frequently in the New Testament in different phases of this original sense. Thus, to apprehend or grasp, Ephesians 3:18; Philippians 3:12, Philippians 3:13; Romans 9:30 : of…
The leaders were astonished not just by the apostles' courage, but by who they were: "unlearned, common men." This highlights that their profound boldness and the evident power behind their words weren't from any worldly training or status, but were an undeniable mark of having been with Jesus.
Peter and John stand before the Jewish council, not cowering, but boldly proclaiming the healing of a lame man and attributing it to Jesus. The council members, recognizing their lack of formal religious education and low social standing, are astonished by their confident demeanor and powerful message. This leads them to realize that the apostles' remarkable boldness and message could only stem from a deep connection with Jesus himself.
Peter and John stand before the Jewish council, not cowering, but boldly proclaiming the healing of a lame man and attributing it to Jesus. The council members, recognizing their lack of formal religious education and low social standing, are astonished by their confident demeanor and powerful message. This leads them to realize that the apostles' remarkable boldness and message could only stem from a deep connection with Jesus himself.
"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they ha…" — The leaders were astonished not just by the apostles' courage, but by who they were: "unlearned, common men." This highlights that their profound boldness and the evident power behind their words w…
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Last reviewed October 2026
