Acts 3

King James Version

Full text for Acts Chapter 3

1¶ Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, [being] the ninth [hour].

2And 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;

3Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.

4And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

5And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

6Then 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.

7And he took him by the right hand, and lifted [him] up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

8And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

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

10And 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.

11And 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¶ 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?

13The 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.

14But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;

15And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

16And 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.

17And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did [it], as [did] also your rulers.

18But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.

19Repent 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;

20And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:

21Whom 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.

22For 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.

23And it shall come to pass, [that] every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.

24Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.

25Ye 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.

26Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Peter and John, going to the temple, encounter a man lame from birth begging at the Beautiful Gate. Peter, having no silver or gold, commands the man to rise and walk in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and he is instantly healed, leaping and praising God. Peter then addresses the astonished crowd, attributing the miracle to the glorified Jesus, whom they had denied and crucified, and calls them to repentance and conversion.

Medium Summary

As Peter and John ascended to the temple for prayer, they encountered a man, lame from birth, daily placed at the Beautiful Gate to seek alms. When the man requested charity, Peter, fixing his gaze upon him, declared he had no silver or gold but commanded him to rise and walk in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Immediately, the man's feet and ankle bones received strength, and he leaped, stood, walked, and entered the temple with Peter and John, praising God. A crowd gathered, filled with wonder at the recognized beggar's transformation. Peter seized this opportunity in Solomon's Porch to preach, clarifying that the healing was not by their own power but through the name of Jesus, whom God had glorified. He confronted the people with their denial and crucifixion of the "Prince of life" but also acknowledged their ignorance. Peter then urged them to repent and be converted, so their sins might be blotted out, emphasizing that God had fulfilled prophetic words concerning Christ's suffering and future return.

Long Summary

The chapter opens with Peter and John proceeding to the temple at the ninth hour for prayer, where they encountered a man, lame from birth, who was daily carried and laid at the Beautiful Gate to solicit alms. Upon seeing the apostles, the man requested money. Peter, with John, intently looked at him and, stating he possessed no silver or gold, commanded the man, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." Peter then took the man's right hand and lifted him, and instantly, his feet and ankle bones gained strength. The formerly lame man leaped to his feet, began walking, and entered the temple with Peter and John, continually praising God. All the people recognized him as the beggar from the Beautiful Gate and were filled with profound wonder and amazement at his miraculous healing. As the healed man clung to Peter and John, a large crowd ran together to them in Solomon's Porch. Peter, observing their astonishment, addressed the assembly, questioning why they marvelled as if the healing was by their own power or holiness. He declared that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had glorified His Son Jesus, whom they had delivered up, denied before Pilate, and ultimately killed, despite Him being the "Prince of life" whom God raised from the dead. Peter asserted that it was Jesus' name, through faith in His name, that had granted the man perfect soundness. Acknowledging their actions were done through ignorance, Peter explained that God had fulfilled the prophecies concerning Christ's suffering. He then earnestly called for their repentance and conversion, promising that their sins would be blotted out, leading to "times of refreshing" and the eventual sending of Jesus Christ, whom heaven must retain until the "times of restitution of all things." Peter further reinforced his message by citing Moses' prophecy of a prophet like himself whom they must hear, warning of destruction for those who reject Him, and affirmed that all prophets from Samuel onward had foretold these days. He concluded by reminding them of their heritage as children of the prophets and the covenant, stating that God first sent His Son Jesus to bless them by turning them from their iniquities.

Core Concepts

  • Miraculous HealingPeter, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, instantly heals a man lame from birth at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, demonstrating divine power.
  • The Name of JesusThe healing is explicitly attributed to the power and authority inherent in the name of Jesus, through faith in that name, not through the apostles' own power or holiness.
  • Peter's PreachingFollowing the miracle, Peter seizes the opportunity to preach to the astonished crowd in Solomon's Porch, explaining the event and proclaiming Jesus as the Christ.
  • Jewish Rejection of JesusPeter directly confronts the people with their responsibility in delivering up, denying, and crucifying Jesus, whom he identifies as the "Holy One and the Just" and "Prince of life."
  • Repentance and ConversionPeter calls the people to repent and be converted, promising the blotting out of sins and "times of refreshing" from the presence of the Lord.
  • Prophetic FulfillmentPeter emphasizes that Jesus' suffering and the events unfolding are the fulfillment of what God had spoken by the mouth of all His prophets, including Moses.
  • The Restitution of All ThingsThe chapter alludes to Jesus' future return, stating that heaven must receive Him "until the times of restitution of all things," a future restoration spoken of by the prophets.