Acts 3

A Lame Beggar Healed at the Temple

1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth [hour].

2 And a certain man was being carried who was lame {from birth}. {He} was placed every day at the gate of the temple called "Beautiful," [so that he] could ask for charitable gifts from those who were going into the temple [courts].

3 [When he] saw Peter and John about to go into the temple [courts], he began asking to receive alms.

4 And Peter looked intently at him, together with John, [and] said, "Look at us!"

5 So he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.

6 But Peter said, "Silver and gold {I do not possess}, but what I have, this I give to you--in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!"

7 And taking hold of him by the right hand, he raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.

8 And leaping up, he stood and began walking around and entered into the temple [courts] with them, walking and leaping and praising God.

9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God,

10 And they recognized him, that this one was the one who used to sit [asking] for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with awe and astonishment at what had happened to him.

Peter’s Sermon in Solomon’s Portico

11 And [while] he was holding fast to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's, utterly astonished.

12 And [when he] saw [it], Peter replied to the people, "Men [and] Israelites, why are you astonished at this? Or why are you staring at us, as [if] by our own power or godliness we have made him walk?

13 The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and denied in the presence of Pilate, [after] he had decided to release [him].

14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One and demanded [that] a man--a murderer--be granted to you.

15 And you killed the originator of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses!

16 And on the basis of faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know, and the faith [that is] through him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.

17 And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also.

18 But [the things] which God foretold through the mouth of all the prophets, [that] his Christ would suffer, he has fulfilled in this way.

19 Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be blotted out,

20 so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and he may send the Christ appointed for you--Jesus,

21 whom heaven must receive until the times of the restoration of all [things], about which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from earliest times.

22 Moses said, 'The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You will listen to him in everything that he says to you.

23 And it will be [that] every soul who does not listen to that prophet will be destroyed utterly from the people.'

24 And indeed, all the prophets from Samuel and all those who followed [him] have spoken [about] and proclaimed these days.

25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God ordained with your fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed.'

26 God, [after he] had raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning each [of you] back from your wickedness!"

Acts 3 Commentary

Chapter 3

A lame man healed by Peter and John. (1-11) Peter's address to the Jews. (12-26)

Verses 1-11 The apostles and the first believers attended the temple worship at the hours of prayer. Peter and John seem to have been led by a Divine direction, to work a miracle on a man above forty years old, who had been a cripple from his birth. Peter, in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, bade him rise up and walk. Thus, if we would attempt to good purpose the healing of men's souls, we must go forth in the name and power of Jesus Christ, calling on helpless sinners to arise and walk in the way of holiness, by faith in Him. How sweet the thought to our souls, that in respect to all the crippled faculties of our fallen nature, the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth can make us whole! With what holy joy and rapture shall we tread the holy courts, when God the Spirit causes us to enter therein by his strength!

Verses 12-18 Observe the difference in the manner of working the miracles. Our Lord always spoke as having Almighty power, never hesitated to receive the greatest honour that was given to him on account of his Divine miracles. But the apostles referred all to their Lord, and refused to receive any honour, except as his undeserving instruments. This shows that Jesus was one with the Father, and co-equal with Him; while the apostles knew that they were weak, sinful men, and dependent for every thing on Jesus, whose power effected the cure. Useful men must be very humble. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to thy name, give glory. Every crown must be cast at the feet of Christ. The apostle showed the Jews the greatness of their crime, but would not anger or drive them to despair. Assuredly, those who reject, refuse, or deny Christ, do it through ignorance; but this can in no case be an excuse.

Verses 19-21 The absolute necessity of repentance is to be solemnly charged upon the consciences of all who desire that their sins may be blotted out, and that they may share in the refreshment which nothing but a sense of Christ's pardoning love can afford. Blessed are those who have felt this. It was not needful for the Holy Spirit to make known the times and seasons of these dispensations. These subjects are still left obscure. But when sinners are convinced of their sins, they will cry to the Lord for pardon; and to the penitent, converted, and believing, times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord. In a state of trial and probation, the glorified Redeemer will be out of sight, because we must live by faith in him.

Verses 22-26 Here is a powerful address to warn the Jews of the dreadful consequences of their unbelief, in the very words of Moses, their favourite prophet, out of pretended zeal for whom they were ready to reject Christianity, and to try to destroy it. Christ came into the world to bring a blessing with him. And he sent his Spirit to be the great blessing. Christ came to bless us, by turning us from our iniquities, and saving us from our sins. We, by nature cleave to sin; the design of Divine grace is to turn us from it, that we may not only forsake, but hate it. Let none think that they can be happy by continuing in sin, when God declares that the blessing is in being turned from all iniquity. Let none think that they understand or believe the gospel, who only seek deliverance from the punishment of sin, but do not expect happiness in being delivered from sin itself. And let none expect to be turned from their sin, except by believing in, and receiving Christ the Son of God, as their wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "from his mother's womb"
• [b]. Literally "who," but a new sentence was begun here in the translation in keeping with English style
• [c]. *Here "[courts]" is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself
• [d]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("saw") which is understood as temporal
• [e]. *Here "[courts]" is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself
• [f]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("looked intently") has been translated as a finite verb
• [g]. Literally "is not to me"
• [h]. Some manuscripts have "get up and walk"
• [i]. *The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here ("began walking around")
• [j]. *Here "[courts]" is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself
• [k]. Some manuscripts have "that [he] himself"
• [l]. *Here "[while]" is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle ("was holding fast to")
• [m]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("saw") which is understood as temporal
• [n]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [o]. Some manuscripts have "the God of Isaac"
• [p]. Some manuscripts have "the God of Jacob"
• [q]. Or "[although]"; this genitive absolute construction can be understood as either temporal "[after]" or concessive "[although]"
• [r]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [s]. Or "Messiah"
• [t]. Or "Messiah"
• [u]. Some manuscripts have "The Lord your God"
• [v]. A quotation from Deut 18:15
• [w]. A quotation from Deut 18:19 and Lev 23:29
• [x]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [y]. A quotation from Gen 22:18
• [z]. *Here "[after]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("had raised up") which is understood as temporal