Healing of the Lame Man at the Temple Gate
Study note
Peter and John encounter a man who has been unable to walk since birth, begging at the temple gate called Beautiful. Rather than giving money, Peter commands him to rise in the name of Jesus Christ. The man is instantly healed, leaping and walking, and his joyful praise draws a crowd of astonished onlookers who recognize him as the well-known beggar.
1 One afternoon, Peter and John headed to the temple for the regular prayer time at three o'clock. Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
2 There was a man sitting near the entrance who had never been able to walk -- not once in his entire life. Every day, people carried him to the temple gate called Beautiful so he could ask for money from the people going in. 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 When he spotted Peter and John walking toward the temple, he asked them for some money. Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
4 Peter looked right at him, and so did John. Peter said, "Look at us!" And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
5 The man looked up at them eagerly, hoping they would give him something. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
6 But Peter said, "I do not have any money to give you. But I will give you what I do have: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!" 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 Peter grabbed his right hand and pulled him up. Then and there, the man's feet and ankles grew strong. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
8 He leaped to his feet and started walking! He went into the temple with Peter and John, walking and jumping and shouting praises to God. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
9 Everyone in the temple saw him walking around and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God:
10 They realized he was the same man who always sat begging at the Beautiful gate. They could hardly believe what they were seeing -- they were completely amazed. 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.
Peter's Sermon in Solomon's Porch
Study note
Peter addresses the amazed crowd gathered in Solomon's porch, redirecting their wonder away from the apostles and toward God. He declares that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has glorified his servant Jesus, whom the people had handed over to be killed. Peter emphasizes the irony that they chose a murderer over the Prince of life, but affirms that God raised Jesus from the dead. The healing occurred through faith in Jesus' name.
11 The healed man would not let go of Peter and John. Everyone came running over to them at Solomon's Porch, astonished. 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 When Peter saw the crowd forming, he spoke up: "People of Israel, why are you so shocked by this? And why are you staring at us like we made this man walk through some power of our own?" 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, Isaac, and Jacob has honored his servant Jesus. He is the God our fathers worshiped. You handed Jesus over. You rejected him in front of Pilate. Pilate had wanted to let him go." 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 "You said no to the one who was holy and right with God, and instead you asked for a killer to go free." But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;
15 "You put to death the one who gives life! But God brought him back from the dead. We saw it with our own eyes." And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
16 "It is faith in the name of Jesus that healed this man and made him strong. You can all see him standing here perfectly well -- and it happened because of the faith that comes through Jesus." 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 "Now listen, my friends, I realize that you and your leaders did not fully understand what you were doing." And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.
18 "But this is how God kept his promise. Long ago, all his prophets said the Messiah would suffer. And that is what happened." But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
The Call to Repentance and Restoration
Study note
Peter calls the people to repent and turn to God so that their sins may be wiped away and times of refreshing may come from the Lord. He speaks of the coming restoration of all things and identifies Jesus as the prophet like Moses whom God promised to raise up. Peter reminds them that they are heirs of the covenant God made with Abraham, and that God sent Jesus first to Israel to bless them by turning them from their sins.
19 "So change your hearts and turn back to God! Then he will wipe your sins completely clean, and you will experience wonderful times of refreshing from his presence." 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 "He will send Jesus, the Messiah he chose for you long ago." And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
21 "For now, Jesus must stay in heaven until the time comes for God to make everything new again. God talked about this through his holy prophets since the very beginning of time." 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 "Moses himself told our ancestors, 'The Lord your God will raise up a prophet for you from your own people, just like he raised up me. You must pay attention to everything this prophet says.'" 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 "'Anyone who will not listen to that prophet will be cut off from God's people.'" And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
24 "In fact, every prophet from Samuel on -- as many as have spoken -- pointed to these very days." Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.
25 "You are the ones who receive the blessings the prophets talked about. You are part of the covenant God made with your ancestors when he told Abraham, 'Through your descendants, every family on earth will be blessed.'" 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 "God raised up his servant Jesus and sent him to you first, to bless each of you by helping you leave your sins behind." 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.