Peter

Following is a Armenian Orthodox icon of Peter (found in the Ghazanchetsots Cathedral in Shusha, Azerbaijan).

Orthodox Icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )

Following is a hand colored stencil print on momigami of Peter by Sadao Watanabe (1970):

Image taken with permission from the SadaoHanga Catalogue where you can find many more images and information about Sadao Watanabe. For other images of Sadao Watanabe art works in TIPs, see here.

In Finnish Sign Language it is translated with the sign signifying “key” (referring to Matthew 16:19). (Source: Tarja Sandholm)


“Peter” or “Cephas” in Finnish Sign Language (source )

In Swiss-German Sign Language it is translated with the sign for “rock,” referring to the meaning of the Greek word for “Peter.”


“Peter” in Swiss-German Sign Language, source: DSGS-Lexikon biblischer Begriffe , © CGG Schweiz

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

See also Peter – rock.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Peter .

John (the disciple)

The term that is transliterated as “John (the disciple)” in English is translated in American Sign Language with the sign for the letter J and the sign signifying “beloved,” referring to John 13:23 et al. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“John” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

In Swiss-German Sign Language it is translated with a sign that depicts John’s head resting on Jesus’ chest, referring to John 13:23.


“John” in Swiss-German Sign Language, source: DSGS-Lexikon biblischer Begriffe , © CGG Schweiz

In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with with the sign for “young.” This refers to the traditional belief that he was the youngest of the apostles and the fact that he was younger than his brother James (see relative age of James and John. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“John” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

See also John the Evangelist (icon).

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: The Apostle John .

complete verse (Acts 3:11)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 3:11:

  • Uma: “So, that lame person that was had just been healed kept following Petrus and Yohanes. When they arrived at the porch [lit., place-to-get-fresh-air] called Salomo’s Porch, many people came gathering to throng them, because they were surprised.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The man was still holding on to Petros and Yahiya there at what they called Sulaiman’s Porch. So-then the people ran to them there wondering greatly.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And while he was still causing himself to be led by the hand by Peter and John, all the people there gathered together and surrounded them because they were so surprised. And they were near the church in the sheltering place called the Sheltering Place of Solomon.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When that was so, Pedro and Juan went to the Temple area called Solomon’s Roofed-Shelter. The formerly lame-one hung-onto them while the many-people all-ran to go where they were, because they were amazed.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When the crowd saw that that man kept holding on to Pedro and Juan still, they hurried to approach them there in that roofed part of the like-a-yard of the Templo called Portico of Solomon. They really were very amazed.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 3:11

The introductory clause as the man held on to Peter and John forms an excellent transition from the preceding paragraph, since it introduces all the principal participants and shows the continuing relation between the lame man, Peter, and John.

Though the Greek text introduces the concept of amazement by an adjective at the end of verse 11, it may be more satisfactory to change the order, as has been done in the Good News Translation, to indicate clearly the temporal sequence and the implied cause and effect.

The phrase ran to them may in some languages be better rendered as “ran to where they were.”

Solomon’s Porch was a type of roofed colonnade or portico. It is usually conjectured that it was the colonnade that ran the length of the east side of the outer court, but identification cannot be made with certainty. It is mentioned again in 5.12 and also in John 10.23.

The expression Solomon’s Porch may require a certain degree of elaboration if it is to be fully comprehended, for example, “a porch which was known as Solomon’s” or “a porch called by the people Solomon’s Porch.”

In some relatively primitive areas there is no construction which immediately parallels this type of colonnade. One can sometimes use a more general term such as “a long shelter” or “a roofed-over shelter.” In many areas such a shelter is constructed for special festivities and therefore the name of this type of even temporary construction can probably be employed as the closest natural equivalent. If the differences are too great then some type of marginal note is necessary.

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 3:11

Section 3:11–26

Peter preached in the temple courts

In this section, all of the people there in the temple courts quickly gathered together to a place near Peter, John and the lame man who had been healed. So Peter explained about Jesus. He probably did this to contradict the false stories about Jesus that people may have heard. He also explained that Jesus had healed the man. Peter also told them that they should repent and ask God to forgive them for their sins. He encouraged them to do that using some of God’s promises.

Here are other possible headings for this section:

Peter spoke to the people at the temple
-or-
Peter’s Message in the Temple (Good News Translation)
-or-
Peter said that Jesus healed the man, and they should repent and believe in Jesus

Paragraph 3:11–16

3:11a

the man: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the man is literally the pronoun “he.” But here it clearly refers to the man who was healed. In many languages a pronoun is all that is needed.

Now that the man was healed, he would no longer beg. Some languages more naturally use a noun phrase here to describe the man. For example:

the man who formerly begged
-or-
The formerly lame-one

clung to Peter and John: The man clung to Peter and John probably because he was happy and so grateful to them that he did not want to let them leave him just yet. In some languages a literal translation would not have that implied meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Include the implied meaning in your translation. For example:

held on to Peter and John ⌊because he was so grateful to them⌋

• Translate using a verb that gives that implied meaning here. For example:

remained near Peter and John

3:11b

were astonished and ran to them: In the Greek the main verb is “came running.” The phrase were astonished describes them while they were running (and probably afterwards). For example:

came running to them astonished

were astonished: The Greek word means “very astonished/amazed.”

ran to them: The Greek is literally “ran together to one place.” The people ran from all over the temple courtyards to where Peter, John, and the man were. Here are some other ways to translate these words:

running towards them (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
came running to them (New International Version)

3:11c

in the walkway called Solomon’s Colonnade: Peter, John, and the man were standing in the walkway called Solomon’s Colonnade. The people ran to them there.

the walkway called Solomon’s Colonnade: The clause is passive. Some languages must use a clause that is not passive. For example:

the place ⌊that people⌋ called Solomon’s Colonnade
-or-
Solomon’s Colonnade (New Living Translation (2004))

Solomon’s Colonnade: A Colonnade is a long building made of many columns or posts instead of walls. Here there were columns on one side and a wall on the other side. They supported a roof. Scholars think that it was located along the east side of the temple’s outer court. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

Solomon’s Building of Columns/Posts
-or-
the Sheltering Place of Solomon

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