And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. Act 4:29-30

Many have interpreted this as the disciples asking God to give them power to be able to heal and to do signs and wonders in the name of Jesus.

But that is not what it says.

They already had that power which they had received on the day of Pentecost.  See Acts Chapter 2.

This is evident by the fact that they were just released from prison and from being interrogated by the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, and Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, for causing a commotion among the people by healing a lame man who was begging for alms.

Here is what happened:

And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God: Act 3:2-9

So if they already had the power to heal and to perform signs and wonders in the name of Jesus, then what were they praying for?

Courage and boldness.  To preach without fear.  Especially in the face of all of these threats that were coming against them.

They were asking “and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,”.

But the word “may” is not in the Greek.  Literally it should read something like this: “and be giving unto thy servants, that with every boldness/confidence to be speaking thy word,”

The KJV translates the next Greek word “ἐν” as “by” when the literal meaning of the word is “in”.

The literal translation of “by stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus” would be more along the lines of: “in your hand stretching forth You into healing; and signs and miracles to be occurring through the name of your holy boy Jesus.”

Again, the word “γίνομαι”translated as “may” in the KJV, is not present in the Greek.  It is literally translated as “to cause to be”.

Kind of changes the meaning, doesn’t it?

If you are born again and have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, then you already have the same power the disciples had to stretch forth God’s hand into healing and signs and miracles to be occurring through the name of Jesus.

Now you just need boldness to walk up to a total stranger in need of healing and offer to pray for them and to lay hands on them and effectuate their healing.  How else will you fulfill Jesus command of John 14:12 in which He states:

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”

Franciscus M. Dartee

Grow in Faith | Walk in Power

 

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