1. One day Peter and John went to the Temple area. It was three o’clock in the afternoon, which was the time for the daily Temple prayer service.
2. As they were entering the Temple area, a man was there who had been crippled all his life. He was being carried by some friends who brought him to the Temple every day. They put him by one of the gates outside the Temple. It was called Beautiful Gate. There he begged for money from the people going to the Temple.
3. That day he saw Peter and John going into the Temple area. He asked them for money.
4. Peter and John looked at the crippled man and said, “Look at us!”
5. He looked at them; he thought they would give him some money.
6. But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold, but I do have something else I can give you. By the power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth—stand up and walk!”
7. Then Peter took the man’s right hand and lifted him up. Immediately his feet and legs became strong.
8. He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk. He went into the Temple area with them. He was walking and jumping and praising God.
9-10. All the people recognized him. They knew he was the crippled man who always sat by the Beautiful Gate to beg for money. Now they saw this same man walking and praising God. They were amazed. They did not understand how this could happen.
11. The man was holding on to Peter and John. All the people were amazed. They ran to Peter and John at Solomon’s Porch.
12. When Peter saw this, he said to the people, “My Jewish brothers, why are you surprised at this? You are looking at us as if it was our power that made this man walk. Do you think this was done because we are good?
13. No, God did it! He is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is the God of all our fathers. He gave glory to Jesus, his special servant. But you handed him over to be killed. Pilate decided to let him go free. But you told Pilate you did not want him.
14. Jesus was holy and good, but you said you did not want him. You told Pilate to give you a murderer instead of Jesus.