ActsChapter 3

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¹One afternoon Peter and John were going up to the temple. It was three o'clock, the time for prayer. ²A man who had been lame since birth was being carried to the temple gate. It was called the Beautiful Gate. Every day he was put there to beg from the people going into the temple courts. ³He saw Peter and John about to go in. So he asked them for money. ⁴Peter looked straight at him, and so did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" ⁵So the man looked at them. He expected to get something from them. ⁶But Peter said, "I don't have silver or gold. But I'll give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!" ⁷Peter took him by the right hand and helped him up. Right away the man's feet and ankles became strong. ⁸He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts. He was walking and jumping and praising God. ⁹All the people saw him walking and praising God. ¹⁰They knew he was the man who used to sit and beg at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. They were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. ¹¹The man held on to Peter and John. All the people were amazed. They ran to them at the covered walkway called Solomon's Colonnade. ¹²When Peter saw this, he spoke to the people. "People of Israel, why are you surprised at this? Why are you staring at us? Do you think we made this man walk by our own power or goodness? ¹³The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has done this. He is the God of our fathers. He has given glory to his servant Jesus. You handed Jesus over. You turned against him in front of Pilate, even though Pilate had decided to let him go. ¹⁴You turned against the Holy and Righteous One. You asked for a murderer to be set free instead. ¹⁵You killed the Author of life. But God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. ¹⁶This man you see and know was made strong by faith in the name of Jesus. It's Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that healed this man. He is now well in front of all of you. ¹⁷Now, brothers, I know you didn't understand what you were doing. Neither did your leaders. ¹⁸But this is how God made happen what he told through all the prophets long ago. He said his Messiah would suffer. ¹⁹So repent, and turn back to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. ²⁰Then times of refreshing may come from the Lord's presence. And he may send Jesus, the Messiah, who was chosen for you. ²¹Jesus must stay in heaven until the time comes for God to restore all things. God told about this long ago through his holy prophets. ²²For Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me. He will come from among your own people. You must listen to everything he tells you. ²³Anyone who does not listen to him will be cut off from his people and destroyed.' ²⁴In fact, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel on, told about these days. ²⁵You are heirs of the prophets. You are heirs of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, 'Through your offspring all the families on earth will be blessed.' ²⁶God raised up his Servant. He sent him to you first to bless you. He did this by turning each of you away from your evil ways."