“By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.”
Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.' — the final petition is for miracles: healing (iasis, healing, cure), signs (sēmeia, signs, miracles), and wonders (terata, wonders, portents) to validate the apostles' proclamation through Jesus' name. The phrase 'stretch out your hand' (ekteino cheir, extend hand, a phrase from OT miracles and deliverance) echoes God's mighty acts of salvation in the Exodus and Psalms.
Church Fathers on Acts 4:30
there were gathered together in this city, against Your holy Child Jesus, (Παἵδα) Whom You have anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, for to do whatsoever Your hand and Your counsel determined before to be done. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings. Acts 4:27-29 Observe their largeness of mind (φιλοσοφίαν). These are not words of imprecation. In saying, their threatenings, they do not mean this or that thing…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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