Acts 3

1 One day Peter and John went to the Temple at three o'clock, the time set each day for the afternoon prayer service.

2 There, at the Temple gate called Beautiful Gate, was a man who had been crippled all his life. Every day he was carried to this gate to beg for money from the people going into the Temple.

3 The man saw Peter and John going into the Temple and asked them for money.

4 Peter and John looked straight at him and said, "Look at us!"

5 The man looked at them, thinking they were going to give him some money.

6 But Peter said, "I don't have any silver or gold, but I do have something else I can give you. By the power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, stand up and walk!"

7 Then Peter took the man's right hand and lifted him up. Immediately the man's feet and ankles became strong.

8 He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk. He went into the Temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God.

10 All the people recognized him as the crippled man who always sat by the Beautiful Gate begging for money. Now they saw this same man walking and praising God, and they were amazed. They wondered how this could happen.

11 While the man was holding on to Peter and John, all the people were amazed and ran to them at Solomon's Porch.

12 When Peter saw this, he said to them, "People of Israel, why are you surprised? You are looking at us as if it were our own power or goodness that made this man walk.

13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, gave glory to Jesus, his servant. But you handed him over to be killed. Pilate decided to let him go free, but you told Pilate you did not want Jesus.

14 You did not want the One who is holy and good but asked Pilate to give you a murderern instead.

15 And so you killed the One who gives life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses to this.

16 It was faith in Jesus that made this crippled man well. You can see this man, and you know him. He was made completely well because of trust in Jesus, and you all saw it happen!

17 "Brothers and sisters, I know you did those things to Jesus because neither you nor your leaders understood what you were doing.

18 God said through the prophets that his Christ would suffer and die. And now God has made these things come true in this way.

19 So you must change your hearts and lives! Come back to God, and he will forgive your sins. Then the Lord will send the time of rest.

20 And he will send Jesus, the One he chose to be the Christ.

21 But Jesus must stay in heaven until the time comes when all things will be made right again. God told about this time long ago when he spoke through his holy prophets.

22 Moses said, 'The Lord your God will give you a prophet like me, who is one of your own people. You must listen to everything he tells you.

23 Anyone who does not listen to that prophet will die, cut off from God's people.'

24 Samuel, and all the other prophets who spoke for God after Samuel, told about this time now.

25 You are descendants of the prophets. You have received the agreement God made with your ancestors. He said to your father Abraham, 'Through your descendants all the nations on the earth will be blessed.'

26 God has raised up his servant Jesus and sent him to you first to bless you by turning each of you away from doing evil."

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Acts 3 Commentary

Chapter 3

A lame man healed by Peter and John. (1-11) Peter's address to the Jews. (12-26)

Verses 1-11 The apostles and the first believers attended the temple worship at the hours of prayer. Peter and John seem to have been led by a Divine direction, to work a miracle on a man above forty years old, who had been a cripple from his birth. Peter, in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, bade him rise up and walk. Thus, if we would attempt to good purpose the healing of men's souls, we must go forth in the name and power of Jesus Christ, calling on helpless sinners to arise and walk in the way of holiness, by faith in Him. How sweet the thought to our souls, that in respect to all the crippled faculties of our fallen nature, the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth can make us whole! With what holy joy and rapture shall we tread the holy courts, when God the Spirit causes us to enter therein by his strength!

Verses 12-18 Observe the difference in the manner of working the miracles. Our Lord always spoke as having Almighty power, never hesitated to receive the greatest honour that was given to him on account of his Divine miracles. But the apostles referred all to their Lord, and refused to receive any honour, except as his undeserving instruments. This shows that Jesus was one with the Father, and co-equal with Him; while the apostles knew that they were weak, sinful men, and dependent for every thing on Jesus, whose power effected the cure. Useful men must be very humble. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to thy name, give glory. Every crown must be cast at the feet of Christ. The apostle showed the Jews the greatness of their crime, but would not anger or drive them to despair. Assuredly, those who reject, refuse, or deny Christ, do it through ignorance; but this can in no case be an excuse.

Verses 19-21 The absolute necessity of repentance is to be solemnly charged upon the consciences of all who desire that their sins may be blotted out, and that they may share in the refreshment which nothing but a sense of Christ's pardoning love can afford. Blessed are those who have felt this. It was not needful for the Holy Spirit to make known the times and seasons of these dispensations. These subjects are still left obscure. But when sinners are convinced of their sins, they will cry to the Lord for pardon; and to the penitent, converted, and believing, times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord. In a state of trial and probation, the glorified Redeemer will be out of sight, because we must live by faith in him.

Verses 22-26 Here is a powerful address to warn the Jews of the dreadful consequences of their unbelief, in the very words of Moses, their favourite prophet, out of pretended zeal for whom they were ready to reject Christianity, and to try to destroy it. Christ came into the world to bring a blessing with him. And he sent his Spirit to be the great blessing. Christ came to bless us, by turning us from our iniquities, and saving us from our sins. We, by nature cleave to sin; the design of Divine grace is to turn us from it, that we may not only forsake, but hate it. Let none think that they can be happy by continuing in sin, when God declares that the blessing is in being turned from all iniquity. Let none think that they understand or believe the gospel, who only seek deliverance from the punishment of sin, but do not expect happiness in being delivered from sin itself. And let none expect to be turned from their sin, except by believing in, and receiving Christ the Son of God, as their wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)