1 And Peter and John were going up at the same time to the temple, at the hour of the prayer, the ninth `hour',
2 and a certain man, being lame from the womb of his mother, was being carried, whom they were laying every day at the gate of the temple, called Beautiful, to ask a kindness from those entering into the temple,
3 who, having seen Peter and John about to go into the temple, was begging to receive a kindness.
4 And Peter, having looked stedfastly toward him with John, said, `Look toward us;'
5 and he was giving heed to them, looking to receive something from them;
6 and Peter said, `Silver and gold I have none, but what I have, that I give to thee; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and be walking.'
7 And having seized him by the right hand, he raised `him' up, and presently his feet and ankles were strengthened,
8 and springing up, he stood, and was walking, and did enter with them into the temple, walking and springing, and praising God;
9 and all the people saw him walking and praising God,
10 they were knowing him also that this it was who for a kindness was sitting at the Beautiful gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what hath happened to him.
11 And at the lame man who was healed holding Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch called Solomon's -- greatly amazed,
12 and Peter having seen, answered unto the people, `Men, Israelites! why wonder ye at this? or on us why look ye so earnestly, as if by our own power or piety we have made him to walk?
13 `The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, did glorify His child Jesus, whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, he having given judgment to release `him',
14 and ye the Holy and Righteous One did deny, and desired a man -- a murderer -- to be granted to you,
15 and the Prince of the life ye did kill, whom God did raise out of the dead, of which we are witnesses;
16 and on the faith of his name, this one whom ye see and have known, his name made strong, even the faith that `is' through him did give to him this perfect soundness before you all.
17 `And now, brethren, I have known that through ignorance ye did `it', as also your rulers;
18 and God, what things before He had declared through the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ should suffer, He did thus fulfil;
19 reform ye, therefore, and turn back, for your sins being blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
20 and He may send Jesus Christ who before hath been preached to you,
21 whom it behoveth heaven, indeed, to receive till times of a restitution of all things, of which God spake through the mouth of all His holy prophets from the age.
22 `For Moses, indeed, unto the fathers said -- A prophet to you shall the Lord your God raise up out of your brethren, like to me; him shall ye hear in all things, as many as he may speak unto you;
23 and it shall be, every soul that may not hear that prophet shall be utterly destroyed out of the people;
24 and also all the prophets from Samuel and those following in order, as many as spake, did also foretell of these days.
25 `Ye are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant that God made unto our fathers, saying unto Abraham: And in thy seed shall be blessed all the families of the earth;
26 to you first, God, having raised up His child Jesus, did send him, blessing you, in the turning away of each one from your evil ways.'
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.