Acts

Healing of a Paralytic

Once, when Peter and John were going up to the temple at three in the afternoon, the hour of prayer,

a man crippled from birth was being carried in. Every day, they would bring him and set him at the temple gate called ‘Beautiful’; there, he begged from those entering the temple.

When he saw Peter and John on their way into the temple, he asked for alms.

Then Peter, with John beside him, looked straight at him and said:

“Look at us.”

So he looked at them, expecting to get something from them.

But Peter said:

“I have neither silver nor gold, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, walk!”

Then, he took the beggar by his right hand and helped him up. Immediately, his feet and ankles became strong,

and jumping up, he stood on his feet and began to walk. He went with them into the temple, walking, leaping, and praising God.

All the people saw him walking and praising God;

they recognized him as the one who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. They were all astonished and amazed at what had happened to him.

While he clung to Peter and John, everyone struck with amazement came running to them in Solomon’s Porch, as it was called.

Peter’s Speech at the Portico

When Peter saw the crowd, he addressed them:

“Fellow Israelites, why are you amazed at this? Why do you stare at us, as if it was by some power or holiness of our own that we made this man walk?

The God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob—the God of our ancestors—has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over to death and denied before Pilate, even though Pilate had decided to release him.

You rejected the Holy and Just One and demanded that a murderer be released to you.

You killed the Author of life, but God raised him from the dead, and we are witnesses to this.

It is his Name and faith in his Name that has healed this man you see and recognize. The faith that comes through Jesus has given him wholeness in front of all of you.

However, I understand that you acted out of ignorance, just like your leaders did.

God has fulfilled, in this way, what he had foretold through all the prophets—that his Messiah would suffer.

Repent then, and turn to God so that your sins may be erased;

and the time of refreshment may come through God’s mercy, when he sends the Messiah appointed for you, Jesus.

For he must stay in heaven until the time of the universal restoration, which God mentioned long ago through his holy prophets.

For Moses said:

The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet, like me,

from among your own people;

you shall listen to him in all that he says to you.

Whoever does not listen to that prophet

will be cut off from among his people.

In fact, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel onward, have foretold the events of these days.

You are the children of the prophets and heirs of the Covenant that God made with your ancestors when he said to Abraham: All the families of the earth will be blessed through your descendants.

It is to you, first, that God sends his Servant; he raised him to life to bless you, by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”