Acts 3

Acts Chapter 3 details a significant event where Peter heals a lame man at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, followed by his sermon addressing the crowd that gathers as a result of this miracle. This chapter highlights the apostolic authority and power in the early church and underscores the continuation of Jesus' healing ministry through His disciples. It also offers insight into how the early Christians used signs and wonders as a platform for preaching the Gospel and calling for repentance.

Acts 3:1
"Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour."

Peter and John continue the Jewish practice of daily prayer, attending the temple at 3 PM. This routine sets the stage for the miraculous healing that follows.

Acts 3:2
"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;"

A man born lame is regularly placed at a prominent temple gate, known for its beauty, to beg. His disability and dependence on alms highlight his desperate condition.

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

As Peter and John approach the temple, the lame man asks them for money, a common practice for many who were disabled in that era.

Acts 3:4
"And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us."

Peter commands the man’s attention, preparing him for something significant, more than the usual alms he expects.

Acts 3:5
"And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them."

The man looks at Peter and John, anticipating some monetary help.

Acts 3:6
"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."

Peter confesses he has no money but offers what he does have—the healing power in the name of Jesus Christ. He commands the man to walk, showcasing the apostolic authority granted by Jesus.

Acts 3:7
"And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength."

Peter helps the man up, and instantly, the man's legs are healed, demonstrating a miraculous, instantaneous healing that signifies the divine power operating through the apostles.

Acts 3:8
"And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God."

The man not only walks but leaps, a vibrant expression of joy and a public testament to his healing. He praises God, attributing his healing to divine intervention.

Acts 3:9
"And all the people saw him walking and praising God:"

The public nature of this miracle ensures it is witnessed by many, verifying the authenticity of the healing and the power behind it.

Acts 3:10
"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."

The crowd recognizes the man and is astounded by the transformation, causing a stir among those who know him as the perennial beggar.

Acts 3:11
"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."

The healed man clings to Peter and John, drawing a crowd eager to understand the power behind this healing, gathering at Solomon’s Porch, a significant area in the temple complex.

Acts 3:12
"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?"

Seeing the opportunity, Peter addresses the crowd, disclaiming any personal power or holiness, redirecting their attention from the apostles to the source of the miracle—Jesus Christ.

Acts 3:13
"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."

Peter identifies the God of the patriarchs as the one who has exalted Jesus, distinguishing between the roles of God the Father and Jesus the Son. The act of glorifying Jesus by God implies a distinction in their roles and authority, with God as the one who bestows honor and Jesus as the recipient. By emphasizing that God glorified Jesus, this verse challenges the notion of inherent co-equality and co-eternality between the Father and the Son, suggesting a hierarchical relationship where the Father is the source of authority and glorification.

Acts 3:14
"But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;"

Peter contrasts the crowd's rejection of Jesus, “the Holy One and the Just,” with their choice of Barabbas, a known murderer, during Pilate’s offer to release a prisoner. This stark contrast highlights the moral and spiritual blindness that led to choosing a criminal over the Messiah.

Acts 3:15
"And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses."

Peter boldly declares that the crowd killed Jesus, whom he calls "the Prince of life," a title that emphasizes Jesus' authority over life and death. He asserts the miracle of Jesus’ resurrection, witnessed by the apostles, as a testament to His divine identity and the truth of His mission.

Acts 3:16
"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."

Peter explains that the miraculous healing of the lame man was done through faith in Jesus’ name, demonstrating Jesus' power and divinity. This healing serves as a tangible sign of Jesus’ presence and power, even after His ascension.

Acts 3:17
"And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers."

Peter tempers his rebuke with an acknowledgment that the actions against Jesus were done in ignorance, both by the common people and their leaders. This opens the door for repentance and forgiveness, suggesting they were unwitting participants in a divine drama they didn’t fully understand.

Acts 3:18
"But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled."

Peter frames the suffering and death of Jesus as the fulfillment of prophecies, showing that these events were not accidental but part of God’s predetermined plan. This assertion not only validates Jesus’ mission but also aligns it with the Hebrew Scriptures.

Acts 3:19
"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."

Peter calls for repentance and conversion, promising that such actions will lead to the blotting out of sins and times of refreshing—spiritual renewal and relief—emanating from the Lord. This presents conversion as both a cleansing from sin and a rejuvenation by God’s grace.

Acts 3:20
"And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:"

Peter tells the crowd that Jesus, who has been preached to them, will return, reinforcing the Christian message of hope and the promise of Christ’s second coming. This serves as an incentive for repentance, linking their current actions to future divine intervention.

Acts 3:21
"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."

Jesus is described as being in heaven until the time comes for the “restitution of all things,” a period of universal restoration prophesied in the Scriptures. This points to a future where God will rectify all wrongs, a foundational hope in Christian eschatology.

Acts 3:22
"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."

Peter cites Moses’ prophecy from Deuteronomy, which promised a prophet like Moses whom the people must listen to. He equates Jesus with this prophet, urging the audience to heed Jesus' teachings as authoritative and divinely mandated.

Acts 3:23
"And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people."

This verse serves as a stern warning: those who refuse to listen to Jesus, the prophet like Moses, face destruction. It emphasizes the seriousness of the decision before them, reinforcing the call to heed Jesus’ message.

Acts 3:24
"Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days."

Peter declares that not only Moses but all prophets from Samuel onward predicted the events they are now witnessing. This underlines that the current time is the culmination of these prophecies, anchoring Jesus’ life and mission in a broad scriptural context.

Acts 3:25
"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."

Peter reminds the Jews that they are heirs to the prophets and to the covenant made with Abraham, which promised that all families of the earth would be blessed through Abraham’s descendants. This ties their identity directly to Jesus’ mission.

Acts 3:26
"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."

Finally, Peter emphasizes that Jesus was sent first to the Jews to turn them from their sins, framing Jesus’ mission as a fulfillment of God’s promise to bless them and through them, the entire world. This appeal is made personal, stressing individual repentance and transformation as part of God’s broader redemptive plan.