Naomi Widowed

Now it came about in the days (A)when the judges [a]governed, that there was (B)a famine in the land. And a man (C)of Bethlehem in Judah went to reside in the land of Moab [b]with his wife and his two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife, Naomi; and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah. So they (D)entered the land of Moab and remained there. Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons. And they took for themselves Moabite women as wives; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other, Ruth. And they lived there about ten years. Then [c]both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.

Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the land of Moab, because she had heard in the land of Moab that the Lord had (E)visited His people by (F)giving them food. So she departed from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to [d]your mother’s house. (G)May the Lord deal kindly with you as you have dealt with the dead and with me. May the Lord grant that you may find a place of rest, each one in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they raised their voices and wept. 10 However, they said to her, “No, but we will return with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi said, “Return, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb, that (H)they may be your husbands? 12 Return, my daughters! Go, for I am too old to have a husband. If I said I have hope, if I were even to have a husband tonight and also give birth to sons, 13 would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters; for it is much more bitter for me than for you, because (I)the hand of the Lord has come out against me.”

Ruth’s Loyalty

14 And they raised their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

15 Then she said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her (J)gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said, “Do not plead with me to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you sleep, I will sleep. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May (K)the Lord do so to me, and worse, if anything but death separates [e]me from you.” 18 When (L)she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her about it.

19 So they both went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they had come to Bethlehem, (M)all the city was stirred because of them, and [f]the women said, “Is this Naomi?” 20 But she said to them, “Do not call me [g]Naomi; call me [h]Mara, for [i](N)the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went away full, but (O)the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me and [j]the Almighty has afflicted me?”

22 So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at (P)the beginning of barley harvest.

Ruth Gleans in Boaz’s Field

Now Naomi had [k]a relative of her husband, a [l]man of great wealth, of the family of (Q)Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field and (R)glean among the ears of grain following one in whose eyes I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” So she left and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and [m]she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, “(S)May the Lord be with you.” And they said to him, “May the Lord bless you.” Then Boaz said to his servant who was [n]in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” And the servant [o]in charge of the reapers replied, “She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the land of Moab. And she said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ So she came and has remained from the morning until now; she has been sitting in the house for a little while.”

Then Boaz said to Ruth, “[p]Listen carefully, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field; furthermore, do not go on from this one, but join my young women here. Keep your eyes on the field which they reap, and go after them. Indeed, I have ordered the servants not to touch you. When you are thirsty, go to the [q]water jars and drink from what the servants draw.” 10 Then she (T)fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your sight that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” 11 Boaz replied to her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband has been fully reported to me, and how you left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people that you did not previously know. 12 (U)May the Lord reward your [r]work, and may your wages be full from the Lord, the God of Israel, (V)under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” 13 Then she said, “I have found favor in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and indeed have spoken [s]kindly to your servant, though I am not like one of your female servants.”

14 And at mealtime Boaz said to her, “[t]Come here, that you may eat of the bread and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.” So she sat beside the reapers; and he served her roasted grain, and she ate and was satisfied (W)and had some left. 15 When she got up to glean, Boaz commanded his servants, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not [u]insult her. 16 Also you are to purposely slip out for her some grain from the bundles and leave it so that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.”

17 So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an [v]ephah of barley. 18 And she picked it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also took some out and (X)gave [w]Naomi what she had left after [x]she was satisfied. 19 Her mother-in-law then said to her, “Where did you glean today and where did you work? May he who (Y)took notice of you be blessed.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, “The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz.” 20 Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “(Z)May he be blessed of the Lord who has not withdrawn His kindness from the living and from the dead.” Again Naomi said to her, “The man is our relative; he is one of our (AA)redeemers.” 21 Then Ruth the Moabitess said, “[y]Furthermore, he said to me, ‘You are to stay close to my servants until they have finished all my harvest.’” 22 And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law Ruth, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, so that others do not assault you in another field.” 23 So she stayed close by the young women of Boaz in order to glean until (AB)the end of the barley harvest and the wheat harvest. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

Footnotes

  1. Ruth 1:1 Or judged
  2. Ruth 1:1 Lit he, and
  3. Ruth 1:5 Lit both of them
  4. Ruth 1:8 Lit her
  5. Ruth 1:17 Lit between me and you
  6. Ruth 1:19 Lit they
  7. Ruth 1:20 I.e., pleasant
  8. Ruth 1:20 I.e., bitter
  9. Ruth 1:20 Heb Shaddai
  10. Ruth 1:21 Heb Shaddai
  11. Ruth 2:1 Another reading is an acquaintance
  12. Ruth 2:1 Or mighty, valiant man
  13. Ruth 2:3 Lit her chance chanced upon
  14. Ruth 2:5 Lit appointed over
  15. Ruth 2:6 Lit who was appointed over
  16. Ruth 2:8 Lit Have you not heard
  17. Ruth 2:9 Lit vessels
  18. Ruth 2:12 Or behavior
  19. Ruth 2:13 Lit to the heart of your
  20. Ruth 2:14 Lit Come near here
  21. Ruth 2:15 Or harm
  22. Ruth 2:17 About 1 cubic foot or 0.03 cubic meters
  23. Ruth 2:18 Lit her
  24. Ruth 2:18 Lit her satiety
  25. Ruth 2:21 Lit Also that

Elimelech’s Family Goes to Moab

Now it came to pass, in the days when (A)the judges [a]ruled, that there was (B)a famine in the land. And a certain man of (C)Bethlehem, Judah, went to [b]dwell in the country of (D)Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion—(E)Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. And they went (F)to the country of Moab and remained there. Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. Now they took wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they [c]dwelt there about ten years. Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her husband.

Naomi Returns with Ruth

Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had (G)visited[d] His people by (H)giving them bread. Therefore she went out from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, (I)“Go, return each to her mother’s house. (J)The Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt (K)with the dead and with me. The Lord grant that you may find (L)rest, each in the house of her husband.”

So she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10 And they said to her, “Surely we will return with you to your people.”

11 But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb, (M)that they may be your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters, go—for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, if I should have a husband tonight and should also bear sons, 13 would you wait for them till they were grown? Would you restrain yourselves from having husbands? No, my daughters; for it grieves me very much for your sakes that (N)the hand of the Lord has gone out against me!”

14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth (O)clung to her.

15 And she said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to (P)her people and to her gods; (Q)return after your sister-in-law.”

16 But Ruth said:

(R)“Entreat[e] me not to leave you,
Or to turn back from following after you;
For wherever you go, I will go;
And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;
(S)Your people shall be my people,
And your God, my God.
17 Where you die, I will die,
And there will I be buried.
(T)The Lord do so to me, and more also,
If anything but death parts you and me.”

18 (U)When she saw that she [f]was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her.

19 Now the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. And it happened, when they had come to Bethlehem, that (V)all the city was excited because of them; and the women said, (W)Is this Naomi?”

20 But she said to them, “Do not call me [g]Naomi; call me [h]Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went out full, (X)and the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and [i]the Almighty has afflicted me?”

22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. Now they came to Bethlehem (Y)at the beginning of barley harvest.

Ruth Meets Boaz

There was a (Z)relative of Naomi’s husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of (AA)Elimelech. His name was (AB)Boaz. So Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the (AC)field, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favor.”

And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.”

Then she left, and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

Now behold, Boaz came from (AD)Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, (AE)“The Lord be with you!”

And they answered him, “The Lord bless you!”

Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?”

So the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered and said, “It is the young Moabite woman (AF)who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. And she said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ So she came and has continued from morning until now, though she rested a little in the house.”

Then Boaz said to Ruth, “You will listen, my daughter, will you not? Do not go to glean in another field, nor go from here, but stay close by my young women. Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Have I not commanded the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.”

10 So she (AG)fell on her face, bowed down to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found (AH)favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?”

11 And Boaz answered and said to her, “It has been fully reported to me, (AI)all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. 12 (AJ)The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, (AK)under whose wings you have come for refuge.”

13 Then she said, (AL)“Let me find favor in your sight, my lord; for you have comforted me, and have spoken [j]kindly to your maidservant, (AM)though I am not like one of your maidservants.”

14 Now Boaz said to her at mealtime, “Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed parched grain to her; and she ate and (AN)was satisfied, and kept some back. 15 And when she rose up to [k]glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not [l]reproach her. 16 Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.”

17 So she gleaned in the field until evening, and beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of (AO)barley. 18 Then she took it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. So she brought out and gave to her (AP)what she had kept back after she had been satisfied.

19 And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where have you gleaned today? And where did you work? Blessed be the one who (AQ)took notice of you.”

So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, “The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz.”

20 Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, (AR)“Blessed be he of the Lord, who (AS)has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!” And Naomi said to her, “This man is a relation of ours, (AT)one of [m]our close relatives.”

21 Ruth the Moabitess said, “He also said to me, ‘You shall stay close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.’ ”

22 And Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, and that people do not [n]meet you in any other field.” 23 So she stayed close by the young women of Boaz, to glean until the end of barley harvest and wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her mother-in-law.

Footnotes

  1. Ruth 1:1 Lit. judged
  2. Ruth 1:1 As a resident alien
  3. Ruth 1:4 lived
  4. Ruth 1:6 attended to
  5. Ruth 1:16 Urge me not
  6. Ruth 1:18 Lit. made herself strong to go
  7. Ruth 1:20 Lit. Pleasant
  8. Ruth 1:20 Lit. Bitter
  9. Ruth 1:21 Heb. Shaddai
  10. Ruth 2:13 Lit. to the heart of
  11. Ruth 2:15 Gather after the reapers
  12. Ruth 2:15 rebuke
  13. Ruth 2:20 our redeemers, Heb. goalenu
  14. Ruth 2:22 encounter

Naomi Loses Her Husband and Sons

In the days when the judges ruled,[a](A) there was a famine in the land.(B) So a man from Bethlehem in Judah,(C) together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while(D) in the country of Moab.(E) The man’s name was Elimelek,(F) his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion.(G) They were Ephrathites(H) from Bethlehem,(I) Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.

Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. They married Moabite women,(J) one named Orpah and the other Ruth.(K) After they had lived there about ten years, both Mahlon and Kilion(L) also died,(M) and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.

Naomi and Ruth Return to Bethlehem

When Naomi heard in Moab(N) that the Lord had come to the aid of his people(O) by providing food(P) for them, she and her daughters-in-law(Q) prepared to return home from there. With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.

Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home.(R) May the Lord show you kindness,(S) as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands(T) and to me. May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest(U) in the home of another husband.”

Then she kissed(V) them goodbye and they wept aloud(W) 10 and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.”

11 But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands?(X) 12 Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons— 13 would you wait until they grew up?(Y) Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter(Z) for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!(AA)

14 At this they wept(AB) aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law(AC) goodbye,(AD) but Ruth clung to her.(AE)

15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law(AF) is going back to her people and her gods.(AG) Go back with her.”

16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you(AH) or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go,(AI) and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people(AJ) and your God my God.(AK) 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely,(AL) if even death separates you and me.”(AM) 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.(AN)

19 So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem.(AO) When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred(AP) because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”

20 “Don’t call me Naomi,[b]” she told them. “Call me Mara,[c] because the Almighty[d](AQ) has made my life very bitter.(AR) 21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty.(AS) Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted[e] me;(AT) the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”

22 So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite,(AU) her daughter-in-law,(AV) arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest(AW) was beginning.(AX)

Ruth Meets Boaz in the Grain Field

Now Naomi had a relative(AY) on her husband’s side, a man of standing(AZ) from the clan of Elimelek,(BA) whose name was Boaz.(BB)

And Ruth the Moabite(BC) said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain(BD) behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.(BE)

Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” So she went out, entered a field and began to glean behind the harvesters.(BF) As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek.(BG)

Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “The Lord be with you!(BH)

“The Lord bless you!(BI)” they answered.

Boaz asked the overseer of his harvesters, “Who does that young woman belong to?”

The overseer replied, “She is the Moabite(BJ) who came back from Moab with Naomi. She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves(BK) behind the harvesters.’ She came into the field and has remained here from morning till now, except for a short rest(BL) in the shelter.”

So Boaz said to Ruth, “My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me. Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.”

10 At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground.(BM) She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me(BN)—a foreigner?(BO)

11 Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law(BP) since the death of your husband(BQ)—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know(BR) before.(BS) 12 May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord,(BT) the God of Israel,(BU) under whose wings(BV) you have come to take refuge.(BW)

13 “May I continue to find favor in your eyes,(BX) my lord,” she said. “You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servants.”

14 At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come over here. Have some bread(BY) and dip it in the wine vinegar.”

When she sat down with the harvesters,(BZ) he offered her some roasted grain.(CA) She ate all she wanted and had some left over.(CB) 15 As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, “Let her gather among the sheaves(CC) and don’t reprimand her. 16 Even pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don’t rebuke(CD) her.”

17 So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed(CE) the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah.[f](CF) 18 She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over(CG) after she had eaten enough.

19 Her mother-in-law asked her, “Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!(CH)

Then Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working. “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz,” she said.

20 “The Lord bless him!(CI)” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law.(CJ) “He has not stopped showing his kindness(CK) to the living and the dead.” She added, “That man is our close relative;(CL) he is one of our guardian-redeemers.[g](CM)

21 Then Ruth the Moabite(CN) said, “He even said to me, ‘Stay with my workers until they finish harvesting all my grain.’”

22 Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with the women who work for him, because in someone else’s field you might be harmed.”

23 So Ruth stayed close to the women of Boaz to glean until the barley(CO) and wheat harvests(CP) were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

Footnotes

  1. Ruth 1:1 Traditionally judged
  2. Ruth 1:20 Naomi means pleasant.
  3. Ruth 1:20 Mara means bitter.
  4. Ruth 1:20 Hebrew Shaddai; also in verse 21
  5. Ruth 1:21 Or has testified against
  6. Ruth 2:17 That is, probably about 30 pounds or about 13 kilograms
  7. Ruth 2:20 The Hebrew word for guardian-redeemer is a legal term for one who has the obligation to redeem a relative in serious difficulty (see Lev. 25:25-55).

Healing the Beggar Who Was Unable to Walk

Now (A)Peter and John were going up to the temple at the [a]ninth hour, (B)the hour of prayer. And (C)a man who had been unable to walk from [b]birth was being carried, whom they (D)used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, (E)in order for him to beg for charitable gifts from those entering the temple grounds. When he saw (F)Peter and John about to go into the temple grounds, he began asking to receive a charitable gift. But Peter, along with John, (G)looked at him intently and said, “Look at us!” And he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I do not have silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: (H)In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!” And grasping him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. And (I)leaping up, he stood and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And (J)all the people saw him walking and praising God; 10 and they recognized him as being the very one who used to (K)sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg for charitable gifts, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Peter’s Second Sermon

11 While he was clinging to (L)Peter and John, all the people ran together to them at the [c](M)portico named Solomon’s, completely astonished. 12 But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why are you staring at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him walk? 13 (N)The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, (O)the God of our fathers, has glorified His [d](P)servant Jesus, the one whom (Q)you handed over and disowned in the presence of (R)Pilate, when he had (S)decided to release Him. 14 But you disowned (T)the Holy and Righteous One, and (U)asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 but put to death the [e](V)Prince of life, whom (W)God raised from the dead, [f]a fact to which we are (X)witnesses. 16 And on the basis of faith (Y)in His name, it is [g]the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.

17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted (Z)in ignorance, just as your (AA)rulers also did. 18 But the things which (AB)God previously announced by the mouths of all the prophets, (AC)that His [h]Christ would suffer, He has fulfilled in this way. 19 Therefore (AD)repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that (AE)times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; 20 and that He may send Jesus, the [i]Christ appointed for you, 21 (AF)whom heaven must receive until the [j]period of (AG)restoration of all things, about which (AH)God spoke by the mouths of His holy prophets from ancient times. 22 Moses said, ‘(AI)The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your countrymen; to Him you shall listen regarding everything He says to you. 23 (AJ)And it shall be that every (AK)soul that does not listen to that prophet (AL)shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ 24 And likewise, (AM)all the prophets who have spoken from Samuel and his successors onward, have also announced these days. 25 It is you who are (AN)the sons of the prophets and of the (AO)covenant which God ordained with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘(AP)And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26 God (AQ)raised up His [k]Servant for you (AR)first, and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.”

Footnotes

  1. Acts 3:1 I.e., 3 p.m.
  2. Acts 3:2 Lit his mother’s womb
  3. Acts 3:11 Or colonnade
  4. Acts 3:13 Or Son
  5. Acts 3:15 Or Originator
  6. Acts 3:15 Or of whom we
  7. Acts 3:16 Lit His name
  8. Acts 3:18 I.e., Messiah
  9. Acts 3:20 I.e., Messiah
  10. Acts 3:21 Lit periods, times
  11. Acts 3:26 Or Son

A Lame Man Healed

Now Peter and John went up together (A)to the temple at the hour of prayer, (B)the ninth hour. And (C)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, (D)to [a]ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: (E)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. So he, (F)leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. (G)And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 Then they knew that it was he who (H)sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Preaching in Solomon’s Portico

11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch (I)which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. 12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 (J)The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, (K)glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you (L)delivered up and (M)denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 But you denied (N)the Holy One (O)and the Just, and (P)asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the [b]Prince of life, (Q)whom God raised from the dead, (R)of which we are witnesses. 16 (S)And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

17 “Yet now, brethren, I know that (T)you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But (U)those things which God foretold (V)by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 (W)Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send [c]Jesus Christ, who was [d]preached to you before, 21 (X)whom heaven must receive until the times of (Y)restoration of all things, (Z)which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since [e]the world began. 22 For Moses truly said to the fathers, (AA)‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ 24 Yes, and (AB)all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also [f]foretold these days. 25 (AC)You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, (AD)‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26 To you (AE)first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, (AF)in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”

Footnotes

  1. Acts 3:2 Beg
  2. Acts 3:15 Or Originator
  3. Acts 3:20 NU, M Christ Jesus
  4. Acts 3:20 NU, M ordained for you before
  5. Acts 3:21 Or time
  6. Acts 3:24 NU, M proclaimed

Peter Heals a Lame Beggar

One day Peter and John(A) were going up to the temple(B) at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.(C) Now a man who was lame from birth(D) was being carried to the temple gate(E) called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg(F) from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,(G) walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping,(H) and praising God. When all the people(I) saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful,(J) and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Peter Speaks to the Onlookers

11 While the man held on to Peter and John,(K) all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade.(L) 12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,(M) the God of our fathers,(N) has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over(O) to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate,(P) though he had decided to let him go.(Q) 14 You disowned the Holy(R) and Righteous One(S) and asked that a murderer be released to you.(T) 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead.(U) We are witnesses(V) of this. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus,(W) this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

17 “Now, fellow Israelites,(X) I know that you acted in ignorance,(Y) as did your leaders.(Z) 18 But this is how God fulfilled(AA) what he had foretold(AB) through all the prophets,(AC) saying that his Messiah would suffer.(AD) 19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out,(AE) that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Messiah,(AF) who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. 21 Heaven must receive him(AG) until the time comes for God to restore everything,(AH) as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.(AI) 22 For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you.(AJ) 23 Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’[a](AK)

24 “Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets(AL) who have spoken have foretold these days. 25 And you are heirs(AM) of the prophets and of the covenant(AN) God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’[b](AO) 26 When God raised up(AP) his servant, he sent him first(AQ) to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

Footnotes

  1. Acts 3:23 Deut. 18:15,18,19
  2. Acts 3:25 Gen. 22:18; 26:4