Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o'clock prayer service.
As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple.
When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money.
Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, "Look at us!"
The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting a gift.
But Peter said, "I don't have any money for you. But I'll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"
Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man's feet and anklebones were healed and strengthened.
He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.
All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God.
When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded!
They all rushed out to Solomon's Colonnade, where he was holding tightly to Peter and John. Everyone stood there in awe of the wonderful thing that had happened.
Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. "People of Israel," he said, "what is so astounding about this? And why look at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power and godliness?
For it is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God of all our ancestors who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate's decision to release him.
You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer.
You killed the author of life, but God raised him to life. And we are witnesses of this fact!
"The name of Jesus has healed this man--and you know how lame he was before. Faith in Jesus' name has caused this healing before your very eyes.
"Friends, I realize that what you did to Jesus was done in ignorance; and the same can be said of your leaders.
But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had declared about the Messiah beforehand--that he must suffer all these things.
Now turn from your sins and turn to God, so you can be cleansed of your sins.
Then wonderful times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will send Jesus your Messiah to you again.
For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his prophets.
Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up a Prophet like me from among your own people. Listen carefully to everything he tells you.'
Then Moses said, 'Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be cut off from God's people and utterly destroyed.'
"Starting with Samuel, every prophet spoke about what is happening today.
You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in the covenant God promised to your ancestors. For God said to Abraham, 'Through your descendants all the families on earth will be blessed.'
When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways."