Acts 3
The Voice
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.
3 One day at three o’clock in the afternoon, a customary time for daily prayer, Peter and John walked to the temple. 2 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. 3 He saw Peter and John coming and asked them for a contribution. 4 Peter gazed intensely at him—so did John.
Peter: Look at us.
5 The man looked up at them, assuming they were about to give him some money.
Peter: 6 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.
7 Then Peter took the man’s right hand and lifted him to his feet. Instantly the man’s feet and ankles grew strong. 8 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.
Footnotes
Actes 3
Louis Segond
3 Pierre et Jean montaient ensemble au temple, à l'heure de la prière: c'était la neuvième heure.
2 Il y avait un homme boiteux de naissance, qu'on portait et qu'on plaçait tous les jours à la porte du temple appelée la Belle, pour qu'il demandât l'aumône à ceux qui entraient dans le temple.
3 Cet homme, voyant Pierre et Jean qui allaient y entrer, leur demanda l'aumône.
4 Pierre, de même que Jean, fixa les yeux sur lui, et dit: Regarde-nous.
5 Et il les regardait attentivement, s'attendant à recevoir d'eux quelque chose.
6 Alors Pierre lui dit: Je n'ai ni argent, ni or; mais ce que j'ai, je te le donne: au nom de Jésus Christ de Nazareth, lève-toi et marche.
7 Et le prenant par la main droite, il le fit lever. Au même instant, ses pieds et ses chevilles devinrent fermes;
8 d'un saut il fut debout, et il se mit à marcher. Il entra avec eux dans le temple, marchant, sautant, et louant Dieu.
9 Tout le monde le vit marchant et louant Dieu.
10 Ils reconnaissaient que c'était celui qui était assis à la Belle porte du temple pour demander l'aumône, et ils furent remplis d'étonnement et de surprise au sujet de ce qui lui était arrivé.
11 Comme il ne quittait pas Pierre et Jean, tout le peuple étonné accourut vers eux, au portique dit de Salomon.
12 Pierre, voyant cela, dit au peuple: Hommes Israélites, pourquoi vous étonnez-vous de cela? Pourquoi avez-vous les regards fixés sur nous, comme si c'était par notre propre puissance ou par notre piété que nous eussions fait marcher cet homme?
13 Le Dieu d'Abraham, d'Isaac et de Jacob, le Dieu de nos pères, a glorifié son serviteur Jésus, que vous avez livré et renié devant Pilate, qui était d'avis qu'on le relâchât.
14 Vous avez renié le Saint et le Juste, et vous avez demandé qu'on vous accordât la grâce d'un meurtrier.
15 Vous avez fait mourir le Prince de la vie, que Dieu a ressuscité des morts; nous en sommes témoins.
16 C'est par la foi en son nom que son nom a raffermi celui que vous voyez et connaissez; c'est la foi en lui qui a donné à cet homme cette entière guérison, en présence de vous tous.
17 Et maintenant, frères, je sais que vous avez agi par ignorance, ainsi que vos chefs.
18 Mais Dieu a accompli de la sorte ce qu'il avait annoncé d'avance par la bouche de tous ses prophètes, que son Christ devait souffrir.
19 Repentez-vous donc et convertissez-vous, pour que vos péchés soient effacés,
20 afin que des temps de rafraîchissement viennent de la part du Seigneur, et qu'il envoie celui qui vous a été destiné, Jésus Christ,
21 que le ciel doit recevoir jusqu'aux temps du rétablissement de toutes choses, dont Dieu a parlé anciennement par la bouche de ses saints prophètes.
22 Moïse a dit: Le Seigneur votre Dieu vous suscitera d'entre vos frères un prophète comme moi; vous l'écouterez dans tout ce qu'il vous dira,
23 et quiconque n'écoutera pas ce prophète sera exterminé du milieu du peuple.
24 Tous les prophètes qui ont successivement parlé, depuis Samuel, ont aussi annoncé ces jours-là.
25 Vous êtes les fils des prophètes et de l'alliance que Dieu a traitée avec nos pères, en disant à Abraham: Toutes les familles de la terre seront bénies en ta postérité.
26 C'est à vous premièrement que Dieu, ayant suscité son serviteur, l'a envoyé pour vous bénir, en détournant chacun de vous de ses iniquités.
Acts 3
King James Version
3 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
2 And 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, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God:
10 And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.
11 And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.
12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?
13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;
15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
17 And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.
18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.
25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
26 Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.