The Name That Raises the Lame and Confronts Jerusalem

Acts 3

3:1Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.

3:2A certain man who was lame from his mother’s womb was being carried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask gifts for the needy of those who entered into the temple.

3:3Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive gifts for the needy.

3:4Peter, fastening his eyes on him, with John, said, “Look at us.”

3:5He listened to them, expecting to receive something from them.

3:6But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!”

3:7He took him by the right hand and raised him up. Immediately his feet and his ankle bones received strength.

3:8Leaping up, he stood and began to walk. He entered with them into the temple, walking, leaping, and praising God.

3:9All the people saw him walking and praising God.

3:10They recognized him, that it was he who used to sit begging for gifts for the needy at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. They were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

3:11As the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.

3:12When Peter saw it, he responded to the people, “You men of Israel, why do you marvel at this man? Why do you fasten your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him walk?

3:13The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had determined to release him.

3:14But you denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,

3:15and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, to which we are witnesses.

3:16By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which is through him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

3:17“Now, brothers, I know that you did this in ignorance, as did also your rulers.

3:18But the things which God announced by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.

3:19“Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord,

3:20and that he may send Christ Jesus, who was ordained for you before,

3:21whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God spoke long ago by the mouth of his holy prophets.

3:22For Moses indeed said to the fathers, ‘The Lord God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him in all things whatever he says to you.

3:23It will be that every soul that will not listen to that prophet will be utterly destroyed from among the people.’

3:24Yes, and all the prophets from Samuel and those who followed after, as many as have spoken, also told of these days.

3:25You are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘All the families of the earth will be blessed through your offspring.’

3:26God, having raised up his servant Jesus, sent him to you first to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your wickedness.”

Acts 4

4:1As they spoke to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came to them,

4:2being upset because they taught the people and proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

4:3They laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was now evening.

4:4But many of those who heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

4:5In the morning, their rulers, elders, and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem.

4:6Annas the high priest was there, with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and as many as were relatives of the high priest.

4:7When they had stood Peter and John in the middle of them, they inquired, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?”

4:8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “You rulers of the people and elders of Israel,

4:9if we are examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed,

4:10may it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, this man stands here before you whole in him.

4:11He is ‘the stone which was regarded as worthless by you, the builders, which has become the head of the corner.’

4:12There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given among men, by which we must be saved!”

4:13Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled. They recognized that they had been with Jesus.

4:14Seeing the man who was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

4:15But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,

4:16saying, “What shall we do to these men? Because indeed a notable miracle has been done through them, as can be plainly seen by all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we can’t deny it.

4:17But so that this spreads no further among the people, let’s threaten them, that from now on they don’t speak to anyone in this name.”

4:18They called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

4:19But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, judge for yourselves,

4:20for we can’t help telling the things which we saw and heard.”

4:21When they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people; for everyone glorified God for that which was done.

4:22For the man on whom this miracle of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

4:23Being let go, they came to their own company and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.

4:24When they heard it, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, you are God, who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them;

4:25who by the mouth of your servant David, said, ‘Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing?

4:26The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers plot together, against the Lord, and against his Christ.’

4:27“For truly, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed,

4:28to do whatever your hand and your counsel foreordained to happen.

4:29Now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness,

4:30while you stretch out your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy Servant Jesus.”

4:31When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were gathered together. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

4:32The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul. Not one of them claimed that anything of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.

4:33With great power, the apostles gave their testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Great grace was on them all.

4:34For neither was there among them any who lacked, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,

4:35and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and distribution was made to each, according as anyone had need.

4:36Joses, who by the apostles was also called Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, Son of Encouragement), a Levite, a man of Cyprus by race,

4:37having a field, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Acts 5

5:1But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

5:2and kept back part of the price, his wife also being aware of it, then brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

5:3But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the price of the land?

5:4While you kept it, didn’t it remain your own? After it was sold, wasn’t it in your power? How is it that you have conceived this thing in your heart? You haven’t lied to men, but to God.”

5:5Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and died. Great fear came on all who heard these things.

5:6The young men arose and wrapped him up, and they carried him out and buried him.

5:7About three hours later, his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in.

5:8Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” She said, “Yes, for so much.”

5:9But Peter asked her, “How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”

5:10She fell down immediately at his feet and died. The young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband.

5:11Great fear came on the whole assembly, and on all who heard these things.

5:12By the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. They were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.

5:13None of the rest dared to join them; however, the people honored them.

5:14More believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.

5:15They even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mattresses, so that as Peter came by, at least his shadow might overshadow some of them.

5:16The multitude also came together from the cities around Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits; and they were all healed.

5:17But the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy

5:18and laid hands on the apostles, then put them in public custody.

5:19But an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors by night, and brought them out and said,

5:20“Go stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.”

5:21When they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and taught. But the high priest and those who were with him came and called the council together, with all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

5:22But the officers who came didn’t find them in the prison. They returned and reported,

5:23“We found the prison shut and locked, and the guards standing before the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside!”

5:24Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these words, they were very perplexed about them and what might become of this.

5:25One came and told them, “Behold, the men whom you put in prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the people.”

5:26Then the captain went with the officers, and brought them without violence, for they were afraid that the people might stone them.

5:27When they had brought them, they set them before the council. The high priest questioned them,

5:28saying, “Didn’t we strictly command you not to teach in this name? Behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood on us.”

5:29But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

5:30The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed, hanging him on a tree.

5:31God exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.

5:32We are his witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

5:33But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and were determined to kill them.

5:34But one stood up in the council, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, honored by all the people, and commanded to put the apostles out for a little while.

5:35He said to them, “You men of Israel, be careful concerning these men, what you are about to do.

5:36For before these days Theudas rose up, making himself out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves. He was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed and came to nothing.

5:37After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the enrollment, and drew away some people after him. He also perished, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad.

5:38Now I tell you, withdraw from these men and leave them alone. For if this counsel or this work is of men, it will be overthrown.

5:39But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow it, and you would be found even to be fighting against God!”

5:40They agreed with him. Summoning the apostles, they beat them and commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

5:41They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for Jesus’ name.

5:42Every day, in the temple and at home, they never stopped teaching and preaching Jesus, the Christ.