Acts
3
- One day Peter and John were going up to
the temple at the time of prayer--at three in the afternoon.
- Now a man crippled from birth was being
carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to
beg from those going into the temple courts.
- When he saw Peter and John about to enter,
he asked them for money.
- Peter looked straight at him, as did John.
Then Peter said, "Look at us !"
- So the man gave them his attention, expecting
to get something from them.
- Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I
do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,
walk."
- Taking him by the right hand, he helped
him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong.
- He jumped to his feet and began to walk.
Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising
God.
- When all the people saw him walking and
praising God,
- they recognized him as the same man who
used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled
with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
- While the beggar held on to Peter and John,
all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called
Solomon's Colonnade.
- When Peter saw this, he said to them: "Men
of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our
own power or godliness we had made this man walk ?
- The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the
God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to
be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let
him go.
- You disowned the Holy and Righteous One
and asked that a murderer be released to you.
- You killed the author of life, but God raised
him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.
- By faith in the name of Jesus, this man
whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that
comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can
all see.
- "Now, brothers, I know that you acted
in ignorance, as did your leaders.
- But this is how God fulfilled what he had
foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer.
- Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your
sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
- and that he may send the Christ, who has
been appointed for you--even Jesus.
- He must remain in heaven until the time
comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy
prophets.
- For Moses said, 'The Lord your God will
raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen
to everything he tells you.
- Anyone who does not listen to him will be
completely cut off from among his people.'
- "Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel
on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days.
- And you are heirs of the prophets and of
the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, 'Through your
offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.'
- When God raised up his servant, he sent
him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways."
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