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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act_4:13-22
13Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. 14And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply. 15But when they had ordered them to leave the Council, they began to confer with one another, 16saying, "What shall we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17But so that it will not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name." 18And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the Judges 20 for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard." 21When they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened; 22for the man was more than forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.
Act_4:13 "the confidence" See the Special Topic: boldness (parrhçsia) at Act_4:29.
▣ "uneducated" The term is agrammatos, which is the term "writing" with the alpha privative. This may mean that they were
1. ignorant or uneducated (cf. Moulton, Milligan, Vocabulary, p. 6)
2. untrained in the rabbinical schools (cf. A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the Greek New Testament, vol. 3, p. 52 and Louw and Nida, Lexicon, vol. 1, p. 328)
▣ "untrained" This is the term idiôtçs, which is usually translated "layman" or "untrained in a certain area." Originally it referred to a normal person as opposed to a leader or spokesperson. It came to be used of an outsider vs. a member of a group (cf. 1Co_14:16; 1Co_14:23-24; 2Co_11:6).
Notice how the different English translations handle this phrase.
NASB, NKJV "uneducated and untrained men"
NRSV "uneducated and ordinary men"
TEV "ordinary men of no education"
NJB "uneducated layman"
▣ "they were amazed" This is an imperfect active indicative (as are the next two verbs). They imply either the beginning of an action or repeated action in past time (indicative mood). Luke uses this word often (18 times in Luke and Acts); it usually, but not always, has a positive connotation (cf. Luk_11:38; Luk_20:26; Act_4:13; Act_13:41).
▣ "began to recognize them as having been with Jesus" This was in truth a compliment. Jesus was also untrained in the rabbinical schools, yet He knew the Old Testament well. He did attend synagogue school as all Jewish children (as did Peter and John) were required to do.
These leaders recognized the boldness and power of Peter and John. They had seen the same in Jesus.
Act_4:14 Everyone knew this lame man because he regularly sat at the Temple door daily. But he was not sitting anymore! The crowd in the Temple could not deny this (cf. Act_4:16; Act_4:22).
Act_4:15 They asked the three of them to leave while they discussed their options and planned their strategy of denial and deception (cf. Act_4:17-18).
Act_4:17-18 This was their plan! Stop talking about Jesus and stop helping people in His name! What about all the people who were praising God for the healing (cf. Act_3:8-9; Act_4:16)?
Act_4:19 "whether" This is a first class conditional sentence, which is used not of reality, but for the sake of argument. Peter and John did not think their commands were valid (cf. Act_5:28).
▣ "right" See hyperlink at Act_3:14.
▣ "you be the judge" This is an aorist active imperative. These leaders condemned themselves by their words, motives, and actions.
Act_4:20 Peter and John assert that they cannot deny what they have experienced and they will not stop sharing it!
Act_4:21 "when they had threatened them further" I wonder what they threatened to do. Jesus was raised from the dead. The man was raised from his bed; what were these leaders going to do to Peter and John?
▣ "(finding no basis on which to punish them)" This may indicate one of Luke's purposes in writing. Christianity was not a threat to Rome or the peace of Jerusalem. Even the Sanhedrin could find no grounds to condemn its leaders.
▣ "on account of the people" The eyewitnesses of the events in Jerusalem held the early church in high esteem (cf. Act_2:47). The Jewish leaders were threatened by this popularity (cf. Act_5:13; Act_5:26).