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
Acts 3
1599 Geneva Bible
3 1 Peter goeth into the Temple with John, 2 healeth the cripple. 9 To the people gathered together to see the miracle, 12 he expoundeth the mystery of our salvation through Christ, 14 accusing their ingratitude, 19 and requiring the repentance.
1 Now [a]Peter and John went up together into the Temple, at the ninth hour of prayer.
2 And a certain man which was a cripple from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the Temple called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the Temple,
3 Who seeing Peter and John, that they would enter into the Temple, desiring to receive an alms.
4 And Peter earnestly beholding him with John, said, Look on us.
5 And he [b]gave heed unto them, trusting to receive some thing of them.
6 Then said Peter, Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have, that 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 leaped up, stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking and leaping, and praising God.
9 And all the people saw him walk, and praising God.
10 And they knew him, that it was he which sat for the alms at the Beautiful gate of the Temple: and they were amazed, and sore astonied at that which was come unto him.
11 ¶ And as the cripple which was healed, [c]held Peter and John, all the people ran amazed unto them in the porch which is called Solomon’s.
12 [d]So when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so steadfastly on us, as though by our own power or godliness, we had made this man go?
13 The God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, the (A)God of our fathers hath glorified his Son Jesus, whom ye betrayed, and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had judged him to be delivered.
14 But ye denied the Holy one and the just, and desired a murderer to be given you,
15 And killed the Lord [e]of life, whom God hath raised from the dead, whereof we are witnesses.
16 And his Name hath made this man sound, whom ye see and know, through faith in his Name: [f]and the faith which is by him, hath given to him this perfect health of his whole body in the presence of you all.
17 [g]And now brethren, I know that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your governors.
18 But those things, which God before had showed [h]by the mouth of all his Prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath thus fulfilled.
19 Amend your lives therefore, and turn, that your sins may be put away, when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you.
21 [i]Whom the heaven must contain until the time that all things be restored, which God had spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began.
22 (B)For Moses said unto the Fathers, The Lord your God shall raise up unto you [j]a Prophet, even of your brethren, like unto me: ye shall hear him in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
23 For it shall be that every person which shall not hear that Prophet, shall be destroyed out of the people.
24 Also all the Prophets [k]from Samuel, and thenceforth as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.
25 [l]Ye are the [m]children of the Prophets, and of the covenant, which God hath made unto our fathers, saying to Abraham, (C)Even in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
26 First unto you hath God [n]raised up his Son Jesus, and him he hath sent to bless you, in turning everyone of you from your iniquities.
Footnotes
- Acts 3:1 Christ in healing a man that was born lame, and well known to all men, both in place and time very famous, by the hands of his Apostles, doth partly confirm them which believed, and partly also calleth others to believe.
- Acts 3:5 Both with heart and eyes.
- Acts 3:11 Either because he loved them, who had healed him: or because he feared that if he once let them go out of his sight, he should be lame again.
- Acts 3:12 Miracles are appointed to convince the unbelievers, and therefore they do wickedly abuse them, who standeth amazed either at the miracles themselves, or at the instruments and means which it pleaseth God to use, take an occasion to establish idolatry and superstition by that, which God hath provided for the knowledge of his true worship, that is, Christianity.
- Acts 3:15 Who hath life in himself, and giveth life to others.
- Acts 3:16 Because he believed on him being raised from the dead, whose Name he heard of by us.
- Acts 3:17 It is best of all to receive Christ so soon as he is offered unto us: but such as have neglected so great a benefit through man’s weakness, have yet repentance for a means. As for the ignominy of the cross, we have to set against that, the decree and purpose of God, foretold by the Prophets, of Christ, how that first of all he should be crucified here upon earth, and then he should appear from heaven the judge and restorer of all things, that all believers might be saved, and all unbelievers utterly perish.
- Acts 3:18 Though there were many Prophets, yet he speaketh but of one mouth, to show unto us the consent and agreement of the Prophets.
- Acts 3:21 Or, be taken up into heaven.
- Acts 3:22 This promise was of an excellent and singular Prophet.
- Acts 3:24 At what time the kingdom of Israel was established.
- Acts 3:25 The Jews that believe are the first begotten in the kingdom of God.
- Acts 3:25 For whom the Prophets were specially appointed.
- Acts 3:26 Given to the world, or raised from the dead, and advanced to his kingdom.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
