彼得医治瘸腿的乞丐

一天,在下午三点祷告的时间,彼得和约翰去圣殿。 有一个生来瘸腿的人天天被人抬到圣殿美门的外面,向进殿的人乞讨。 他看见彼得和约翰要进殿,就求他们施舍。 二人定睛看他,彼得说:“看着我们!” 那人就紧盯着他们,期盼能有所收获。

彼得说:“金子、银子我都没有,但是我把我有的给你。我奉拿撒勒人耶稣基督的名,命令你起来行走!”

彼得拉着他的右手扶他起来,那人的脚和踝骨立刻变得强健有力。 他跳了起来,站稳后开始行走,跟着彼得和约翰进入圣殿,走着跳着赞美上帝。 大家看见他一边走一边赞美上帝, 10 认出他就是那个在美门外面的乞丐,都为发生在他身上的事而感到惊奇、诧异。 11 那乞丐紧紧拉着彼得和约翰的手走到所罗门廊,众人都跑过来,啧啧称奇。

彼得传扬基督

12 彼得看见这情形,就对大家说:“以色列人啊,何必惊奇呢?为什么一直盯着我们呢?你们以为我们是凭自己的能力和虔诚叫这人行走吗? 13 亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的上帝,就是我们祖先的上帝,已经使祂的仆人耶稣得了荣耀。你们把耶稣交给彼拉多,尽管彼拉多想释放祂,你们却在彼拉多面前弃绝祂! 14 你们弃绝了那圣洁公义者,竟然要求彼拉多释放一个凶手。 15 你们杀了生命之主,上帝却使祂从死里复活了。我们都是这事的见证人。 16 你们认识的这个乞丐因为相信耶稣的名,得到了医治。你们都看见了,他能痊愈是因为他信耶稣。

17 “弟兄们,我知道你们的所作所为是出于无知,你们的官长也是一样。 18 但是上帝早已借众先知预言基督要受害,这事果然应验了。 19 所以你们要悔改,归向上帝,祂将除去你们一切的罪恶, 20 赐给你们焕然一新的日子,也将差遣祂预先为你们选立的基督耶稣降临。 21 基督必须留在天上,直到万物更新的时候,这是上帝自古以来借圣先知的口说的。 22 摩西曾经说,‘主——你们的上帝将要在你们中间兴起一位像我一样的先知。你们要留心听祂的话, 23 凡不听的,必将他从民中铲除。’

24 “从撒母耳到后来的所有先知都宣告过这些日子。 25 你们是先知的子孙,也承受了上帝和你们祖先所立的约。上帝曾对亚伯拉罕说,‘天下万族必因你的后裔而蒙福。’ 26 上帝兴起祂的仆人,首先差遣祂到你们中间赐福给你们,使你们脱离罪恶。”

The Lame Beggar Healed

Now Peter and John were (A)going up to the temple at (B)the hour of prayer, (C)the ninth hour.[a] And a man (D)lame from birth was being carried, (E)whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate (F)to ask alms of those entering the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, (G)“I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. (H)In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And (I)leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And (J)all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Peter Speaks in Solomon's Portico

11 (K)While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in (L)the portico called Solomon's. 12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 13 (M)The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, (N)the God of our fathers, (O)glorified his servant[b] Jesus, whom (P)you delivered over and (Q)denied in the presence of Pilate, (R)when he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied (S)the Holy and (T)Righteous One, and (U)asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed (V)the Author of life, (W)whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And (X)his name—by (Y)faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is (Z)through Jesus[c] has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.

17 “And now, brothers, I know that (AA)you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God (AB)foretold (AC)by the mouth of all the prophets, that (AD)his Christ would (AE)suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 (AF)Repent therefore, and (AG)turn back, that (AH)your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ (AI)appointed for you, Jesus, 21 (AJ)whom heaven must receive until the time for (AK)restoring all the things about which (AL)God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you (AM)a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen (AN)to him in whatever he tells you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet (AO)shall be destroyed from the people.’ 24 And (AP)all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. 25 (AQ)You are the sons of the prophets and of (AR)the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, (AS)‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ 26 (AT)God, (AU)having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, (AV)to bless you (AW)by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

Footnotes

  1. Acts 3:1 That is, 3 p.m.
  2. Acts 3:13 Or child; also verse 26
  3. Acts 3:16 Greek him

Although this young and thriving church has no political influence, property, fame, or wealth, it is powerful. Its power is centered in living the gospel. The people value one another more than any possessions. They come together as a large, passionate, healthy family where it is natural to pray and share all of life together. The kingdom of God is blossoming on earth as these lovers of God embrace the teachings of Jesus. In the days ahead, the church will lose much of this initial beauty and appeal; it will become consumed with a desire for material possessions, cultural influence, and power.

One day at three o’clock in the afternoon, a customary time for daily prayer, Peter and John walked to the temple. Some people were carrying in a man who had been paralyzed since birth. Every day they brought him to a place near the beautiful gate (one of the temple entrances) so he could beg for money from people entering to worship. He saw Peter and John coming and asked them for a contribution. Peter gazed intensely at him—so did John.

Peter: Look at us.

The man looked up at them, assuming they were about to give him some money.

Peter: I want to give you something, but I don’t have any silver or gold. Here’s what I can offer you: stand up and walk in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, the Anointed One.

Then Peter took the man’s right hand and lifted him to his feet. Instantly the man’s feet and ankles grew strong. He jumped and walked, accompanying Peter and John into the temple where he walked, jumped for joy, and shouted praises to God. 9-11 A crowd ran to the commotion, and they gathered around this man in an open area called Solomon’s Porch. There he was, standing on his own two feet, holding on to Peter and John. They knew exactly who he was—the beggar they passed at the beautiful gate every day. Everyone was absolutely amazed at this wonderful miracle; they were speechless, stunned.

Just as Jesus promised, the Spirit comes on believers in power, enabling them to do miracles like this. Now they can participate in the truth of the good news.

Peter (to the crowd): 12 Why are you so amazed, my fellow Israelites? Why are you staring at my friend and me as though we did this miracle through our own power or made this fellow walk by our own holiness? 13 We didn’t do this—God did! The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob—the God of our ancestors has glorified Jesus, God’s servant—the same Jesus whom you betrayed and rejected in front of Pilate, even though Pilate was going to release Him. 14 He is the Holy and Righteous One, but you rejected Him and asked for a murderer to be released to you instead. 15 You not only rejected Him, but you killed Him—the very Author of life! But God raised Jesus from the dead, whom my friend John and I have seen with our own eyes. 16 So that’s how this miracle happened: we have faith in the name of Jesus, and He is the power that made this man strong—this man who is known to all of you. It is faith in Jesus that has given this man his complete health here today, in front of all of you.

17 Listen, friends, I know you didn’t fully realize what you were doing when you rejected and betrayed Jesus. I know that you, and your rulers as well, were acting in ignorance. 18 God was at work in all this, fulfilling what He had predicted through all the prophets—that the Anointed One would suffer. 19 So now you need to rethink everything and turn to God so your sins will be forgiven and a new day can dawn, days of refreshing times flowing from the Lord. 20 Then God may send Jesus the Anointed, whom God has chosen for you. 21 He is in heaven now and must remain there until the day of universal restoration comes—the restoration which in ancient times God announced through the holy prophets. 22 Moses, for example, said, “The Eternal One your God will raise up from among your people a prophet who will be like me. You must listen to Him. 23 And whoever does not listen to His words will be completely uprooted from among the people.”[a]

24 Every prophet, from Samuel through all of his successors, agreed. 25 You are the descendants of these prophets, and you are the people of God’s covenant to your ancestors. God’s word to Abraham includes you: “Because of your descendants, all the families of the earth will be blessed.”[b] 26 So when God raised up His Servant, God sent Him first to you, to begin blessing you by calling you to change your path from evil ways to God’s ways.

And Peter and John were going up at the same time to the temple, at the hour of the prayer, the ninth [hour],

and a certain man, being lame from the womb of his mother, was being carried, whom they were laying every day at the gate of the temple, called Beautiful, to ask a kindness from those entering into the temple,

who, having seen Peter and John about to go into the temple, was begging to receive a kindness.

And Peter, having looked stedfastly toward him with John, said, `Look toward us;'

and he was giving heed to them, looking to receive something from them;

and Peter said, `Silver and gold I have none, but what I have, that I give to thee; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and be walking.'

And having seized him by the right hand, he raised [him] up, and presently his feet and ankles were strengthened,

and springing up, he stood, and was walking, and did enter with them into the temple, walking and springing, and praising God;

and all the people saw him walking and praising God,

10 they were knowing him also that this it was who for a kindness was sitting at the Beautiful gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what hath happened to him.

11 And at the lame man who was healed holding Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch called Solomon's -- greatly amazed,

12 and Peter having seen, answered unto the people, `Men, Israelites! why wonder ye at this? or on us why look ye so earnestly, as if by our own power or piety we have made him to walk?

13 `The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, did glorify His child Jesus, whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, he having given judgment to release [him],

14 and ye the Holy and Righteous One did deny, and desired a man -- a murderer -- to be granted to you,

15 and the Prince of the life ye did kill, whom God did raise out of the dead, of which we are witnesses;

16 and on the faith of his name, this one whom ye see and have known, his name made strong, even the faith that [is] through him did give to him this perfect soundness before you all.

17 `And now, brethren, I have known that through ignorance ye did [it], as also your rulers;

18 and God, what things before He had declared through the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ should suffer, He did thus fulfil;

19 reform ye, therefore, and turn back, for your sins being blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

20 and He may send Jesus Christ who before hath been preached to you,

21 whom it behoveth heaven, indeed, to receive till times of a restitution of all things, of which God spake through the mouth of all His holy prophets from the age.

22 `For Moses, indeed, unto the fathers said -- A prophet to you shall the Lord your God raise up out of your brethren, like to me; him shall ye hear in all things, as many as he may speak unto you;

23 and it shall be, every soul that may not hear that prophet shall be utterly destroyed out of the people;

24 and also all the prophets from Samuel and those following in order, as many as spake, did also foretell of these days.

25 `Ye are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant that God made unto our fathers, saying unto Abraham: And in thy seed shall be blessed all the families of the earth;

26 to you first, God, having raised up His child Jesus, did send him, blessing you, in the turning away of each one from your evil ways.'