Acts 3
Contemporary English Version
Peter and John Heal a Lame Man
3 The time of prayer[a] was about three o'clock in the afternoon, and Peter and John were going into the temple. 2 A man who had been born lame was being carried to the temple door. Each day he was placed beside this door, known as the Beautiful Gate. He sat there and begged from the people who were going in.
3 The man saw Peter and John entering the temple, and he asked them for money. 4 But they looked straight at him and said, “Look up at us!”
5 The man stared at them and thought he was going to get something. 6 But Peter said, “I don't have any silver or gold! But I will give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, get up and start walking.” 7 Peter then took him by the right hand and helped him up.
At once the man's feet and ankles became strong, 8 and he jumped up and started walking. He went with Peter and John into the temple, walking and jumping and praising God. 9 Everyone saw him walking around and praising God. 10 They knew he was the beggar who had been lying beside the Beautiful Gate, and they were completely surprised. They could not imagine what had happened to the man.
Peter Speaks in the Temple
11 While the man kept holding on to Peter and John, the whole crowd ran to them in amazement at the place known as Solomon's Porch.[b] 12 Peter saw that a crowd had gathered, and he said:
Friends, why are you surprised at what has happened? Why are you staring at us? Do you think we have some power of our own? Do you think we were able to make this man walk because we are so religious? 13 (A) The God that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and our other ancestors worshiped has brought honor to his Servant[c] Jesus. He is the one you betrayed. You turned against him when he was being tried by Pilate, even though Pilate wanted to set him free.
14 (B) You rejected Jesus, who was holy and good. You asked for a murderer to be set free, 15 and you killed the one who leads people to life. But God raised him from death, and all of us can tell you what he has done. 16 You see this man, and you know him. He put his faith in the name of Jesus and was made strong. Faith in Jesus made this man completely well while everyone was watching.
17 My friends, I am sure you and your leaders didn't know what you were doing. 18 But God had his prophets tell that his Messiah would suffer, and now he has kept this promise. 19 So turn to God! Give up your sins, and you will be forgiven. 20 Then the time will come when the Lord will give you fresh strength. He will send you Jesus, his chosen Messiah. 21 But Jesus must stay in heaven until God makes all things new, just as his holy prophets promised long ago.
22 (C) Moses said, “The Lord your God will choose one of your own people to be a prophet, just as he chose me. Listen to everything he tells you. 23 (D) No one who disobeys this prophet will be one of God's people any longer.”
24 Samuel and all the other prophets who came later also spoke about what is now happening. 25 (E) You are really the ones God told his prophets to speak to. And you were given the promise God made to your ancestors. He said to Abraham, “All nations on earth will be blessed because of someone from your family.” 26 God sent his chosen Son[d] to you first, because God wanted to bless you and make each one of you turn away from your sins.
Footnotes
- 3.1 The time of prayer: Many of the Jewish people prayed in their homes at regular times each day (see Daniel 6.11), and on special occasions they prayed in the temple.
- 3.11 Solomon's Porch: A public place with tall columns along the east side of the temple.
- 3.13 Servant: Or “Son.”
- 3.26 Son: Or “Servant.”
Acts 3
New King James Version
A Lame Man Healed
3 Now Peter and John went up together (A)to the temple at the hour of prayer, (B)the ninth hour. 2 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; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 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.” 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, (F)leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 (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.”
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
