Acts 3

(1) Disabled Man Walks in Jesus’s Name

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple around 3pm for prayer hour when they saw a disabled man being carried along. The man had been unable to walk since birth, so people would carry him to the temple gate every day to beg from the people going in and out of the temple. The gate where he begged was known as the Beautiful Gate. [The word “beautiful” has a connotation of being seasonable or timely in the sense of blooming fruitfulness.] As Peter and John were about to enter the temple, the man asked them for money, but Peter and John looked at him and said,

“Look at us!”

The man looked at them expecting to receive something, but Peter continued,

“I don’t have silver and gold, but I’ll give you what I do have. Under the jurisdiction of Jesus, the Chosen One from Nazareth—WALK!”

Peter grabbed the man’s right hand and hoisted him up. Instantly, the man’s feet and ankles were strengthened, and he jumped up, stood on his feet, and started walking. He went into the temple with them, walking and jumping and raving about God. When everyone saw him walking and speaking highly of God, they realized that he was the man who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate begging! When everyone realized this, they were amazed and lost their minds.

(11) Peter Credits Jesus

As the man was hanging onto Peter and John, everyone started rushing over to them at the covered walkway (known as Solomon’s Portico). When Peter saw how completely amazed everyone was, he said,

“People of Israel! Why are you so amazed about this? And why are you staring at us like it was our own ability or godliness that made him walk? The God of our forefathers (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) has exalted His Son and Servant, Jesus—the one you rejected and handed over even when Pilate wanted to release Him. You said “no” to someone who’s different and operates with integrity while asking for a murderer to be released. You killed the founder of life who God then resurrected from the dead—and we’re eyewitnesses of that fact! It was only because of active reliance on Jesus’s very being—yes, Jesus’s essence is what strengthened this man who you see and know. There’s an active reliance that comes through Jesus, and that’s what gave the man this wholeness here in front of you all.”

(17) Peter Encourages Witnesses to Turn to Jesus

“Friends, I know you were just operating in ignorance (and so were your leaders), but God announced through the prophets beforehand that His Chosen One would suffer—and now He’s carried that out! So now just change your minds and turn yourselves around so your offenses can be wiped away and refreshing times can come from the Ruler’s presence. God will send Jesus, the Chosen One who was appointed for you, but first, Jesus will need to stay in Heaven until it’s time for everything to be restored. (I’m talking about the period of restoration God told us about through His prophets a long time ago.) Like Moses said, 

‘God, the Ruler, will raise up a prophet for you from your people who will be similar to me. Listen to everything He tells you. Whoever doesn’t listen to that prophet will be utterly destroyed from the people.’
—Referencing Deut 18:15&18

“In the same way, all the other prophets talked about these times, starting with Samuel and going onward to his successors. You guys are descendants of the prophets and descendants of the arrangement God made with your forefathers. Remember what God told Abraham:

‘Your genes contain something that will benefit all the families in the world.’
—Genesis 22:18

It was primarily for you that God raised up His Servant/Son/Heir and sent Him to bless you by turning each of you away from your corrupted ways.”