The use of the transitional particle then is useful to highlight the next development in the narrative.

Since Peter is the subject of the preceding verse, it may not be necessary to specify the subject of verse 7. However, there can be ambiguity in the series of pronouns he … him … his … him, and these references must be clearly sorted out in the receptor-language text.

The act of taking the man by the hand must be understood as a friendly gesture and not some type of “grabbing.” In some languages the more appropriate equivalent is “touched his right hand” or even “felt his right hand.”

The phrase helped him up involves two semantic problems. First, it is likely to be a causative in the sense of “caused him to get up,” but this is accomplished not merely by verbal command but by physical assistance. The second problem involves the nature of “getting up.” Was this from a lying position to a standing position, or from a sitting position to a standing position? It is likely that it is the latter, namely, he stood up from a sitting position.

At once describes the immediacy with which the healing takes place. Luke has made evident the immediate healing of the man by combining the use of an adverb with a verb tense, which means something done at that particular time, for example, “immediately” or “just then.”

In some languages one would not speak of feet and ankles, since a term for “feet” may include “ankles.” Therefore, a more natural expression might be “feet and legs,” though even this expression may have complications in view of the fact that in some languages the common word for “legs” also includes the feet.

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 .