1 And Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, [which is] the ninth [hour];
2 and a certain man who was lame from his mother's womb was being carried, whom they placed every day at the gate of the temple called Beautiful, to ask alms of those who were going into the temple;
3 who, seeing Peter and John about to enter into the temple, asked to receive alms.
4 And Peter, looking stedfastly upon him with John, said, Look on us.
5 And he gave heed to them, expecting to receive something from them.
6 But Peter said, Silver and gold I have not; but what I have, this give I to thee: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazaraean rise up and walk.
7 And having taken hold of him [by] the right hand he raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones were made strong.
8 And leaping up he stood and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God;
10 and they recognised him, that it was *he* who sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
11 And as he held Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico which is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.
12 And Peter, seeing it, answered the people, Men of Israel, why are ye astonished at this? or why do ye gaze on us as if we had by our own power or piety made him to walk?
13 The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom *ye* delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when *he* had judged that he should be let go.
14 But *ye* denied the holy and righteous one, and asked that a man [that was] a murderer should be granted to you;
15 but the originator of life ye slew, whom God raised from among [the] dead, whereof *we* are witnesses.
16 And, by faith in his name, his name has made this [man] strong whom ye behold and know; and the faith which is by him has given him this complete soundness in the presence of you all.
17 And now, brethren, I know that ye did it in ignorance, as also your rulers;
18 but God has thus fulfilled what he had announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer.
19 Repent therefore and be converted, for the blotting out of your sins, so that times of refreshing may come from [the] presence of the Lord,
20 and he may send Jesus Christ, who was foreordained for you,
21 whom heaven indeed must receive till [the] times of [the] restoring of all things, of which God has spoken by the mouth of his holy prophets since time began.
22 Moses indeed said, A prophet shall [the] Lord your God raise up to you out of your brethren like me: him shall ye hear in everything whatsoever he shall say to you.
23 And it shall be that whatsoever soul shall not hear that prophet shall be destroyed from among the people.
24 And indeed all the prophets from Samuel and those in succession after [him], as many as have spoken, have announced also these days.
25 *Ye* are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God appointed to our fathers, saying to Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
26 To you first God, having raised up his servant, has sent him, blessing you in turning each one [of you] from your wickedness.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Acts 3
Commentary on Acts 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
In this chapter we have a miracle and a sermon: the miracle wrought to make way for the sermon, to confirm the doctrine that was to be preached, and to make way for it into the minds of the people; and then the sermon to explain the miracle, and to sow the ground which by it was broken up.
Act 3:1-11
We were told in general (ch. 2:43) that many signs and wonders were done by the apostles, which are not written in this book; but here we have one given us for an instance. As they wrought miracles, not upon every body as every body had occasion for them, but as the Holy Spirit gave direction, so as to answer the end of their commission; so all the miracles they did work are not written in this book, but such only are recorded as the Holy Ghost thought fit, to answer the end of this sacred history.
Peter and John had each of them a brother among the twelve, with whom they were coupled when they were sent out; yet now they seem to be knit together more closely than either of them to his brother, for the bond of friendship is sometimes stronger than that of relation: there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Peter and John seem to have had a peculiar intimacy after Christ's resurrection more than before, Jn. 20:2. The reason of which (if I may have liberty to conjecture) might be this, that John, a disciple made up of love, was more compassionate to Peter upon his fall and repentance, and more tender of him in his bitter weeping for his sin, than any other of the apostles were, and more solicitous to restore him in the spirit of meekness, which made him very dear to Peter ever after; and it was good evidence of Peter's acceptance with God, upon his repentance, that Christ's favourite was made his bosom friend. David prayed, after his fall, Let those that fear thee turn unto me, Ps. 119:79.
Act 3:12-26
We have here the sermon which Peter preached after he had cured the lame man. When Peter saw it.