Acts 3 FBV

1. Peter and John were on their way up to the Temple at the time of the afternoon prayer, around 3 p.m.

2. A man who had been lame from birth was being carried there. Every day he was placed beside the Temple gate called “Beautiful” so he could beg from the people going into the Temple.

3. He saw Peter and John as they were about to enter the Temple and asked them for some money.

4. Peter looked right at him. John did, too. “Look at us!” Peter said.

5. The lame man gave them his full attention, expecting to get something from them.

6. “I don't have any silver or gold,” Peter told him, “but I'll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!”

7. Peter took him by the right hand and helped him up. Right away his feet and ankles became strong.

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

9. Everyone there saw him walking around and praising God.

10. They recognized him as the beggar who used to sit by the Temple's Beautiful Gate, and they were surprised and amazed at what had happened to him.

11. He held on tightly to Peter and John while everyone ran to them by Solomon's Porch in complete astonishment at what had happened.

12. When Peter saw this opportunity he told them, “People of Israel, why are you surprised at what's happened to this man? Why are you staring at us as if it was by our own power or faith that we made him walk?

13. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of our forefathers—has glorified his servant Jesus. He was the one you betrayed and rejected in the presence of Pilate, even after Pilate had decided to release him.

14. You rejected the one who is holy and good, and demanded a murderer be released to you.

15. You killed the author of life, the one God raised from the dead—and we are witnesses to this.

16. By trusting in Jesus' name this man was healed by him. You see this man here; you know him. Through trusting in Jesus this man has received complete healing right in front of all of you.

17. Now I know, brothers and sisters, that you did this in ignorance, like your rulers.

18. But God fulfilled what he had prophesied through all the prophets: that his Messiah would suffer.

19. Now repent, and change your ways, that your sins can be wiped away, so the Lord can send opportunities for you to heal and recover,

20. and send Jesus, the Messiah appointed for you.

21. For he must stay in heaven until the time when everything is restored, as God announced through his holy prophets long ago.

22. Moses said, ‘The Lord God will send you a prophet from among your own people who is like me. You must listen to everything he tells you.

23. Anybody who doesn't listen to him will be totally removed from the people.’

24. All the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel on, prophesied about these days.

25. You are the sons of the prophets, and of the agreement which God made with your fathers when he said to Abraham, ‘From your descendants all the families of the earth will be blessed.’

26. God prepared his Servant and sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your evil ways.”