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Acts 3:7 – NASB vs. HCSB vs. ESV
Acts 3:7 NASB And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened.
Acts 3:7 HCSB Then, taking him by the right hand he raised him up, and at once his feet and ankles became strong.
Acts 3:7 ESV And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.
The NASB captures the visual image better than the HCSB and the ESV. The other two versions are too gentle – “and seizing him by the right hand” (3:7).
“The verb means originally to press or squeeze; and hence implies taking hold with a firm grasp” (Vincent, v.1, p.459).
According to Robertson, the reason Peter seized the hand of the beggar was that the beggar did not budge upon the command to walk: “But the beggar does not budge. He knows that he cannot walk.” (v.3, p.42). And while I do not know if this is a coincidence, or purposed by the Holy Spirit, there is within the language a reminder of another scene. At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, He said to Peter, “From now on you will be catching people!” (Luke 5:10). Catching men and seizing the man’s hand are connected. Here are the beginning of Peter’s ministry he is catching men, but notice also that word for “seize” here is,
“The same word is used of catching fishes in which case it would picture enough force to overcome the resistance the fishes put up to being taken.” (Gareth Reese, New Testament History, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Acts, p.155.)
After seizing the lame man’s hand – in a sense catching him – and raising him up, at once his feet and ankles became strong.
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