A Lame Man Healed

3 Now Peter and John went up together ato the temple at the hour of prayer, bthe ninth hour. 2 And ca certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, dto 1ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: eIn the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, fleaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 gAnd all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 Then they knew that it was he who hsat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Preaching in Solomon’s Portico

11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch iwhich is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. 12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 jThe God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, kglorified His Servant Jesus, whom you ldelivered up and mdenied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 But you denied nthe Holy One oand the Just, and pasked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the 2Prince of life, qwhom God raised from the dead, rof which we are witnesses. 16 sAnd His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

17 “Yet now, brethren, I know that tyou did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But uthose things which God foretold vby the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 wRepent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send 3Jesus Christ, who was 4preached to you before, 21 xwhom heaven must receive until the times of yrestoration of all things, zwhich God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since 5the world began. 22 For Moses truly said to the fathers, a‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ 24 Yes, and ball the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also 6foretold these days. 25 cYou are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, d‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26 To you efirst, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, fin turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”

Peter and John Arrested

4 Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the aSadducees came upon them, 2 being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

Addressing the Sanhedrin

5 And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, 6 as well as bAnnas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, c“By what power or by what name have you done this?”

8 dThen Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, ethat by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, fwhom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 This is the g‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 hNor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

The Name of Jesus Forbidden

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, iand perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who had been healed jstanding with them, they could say nothing against it. 15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, k“What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a 1notable miracle has been done through them is levident 2to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”

18 mSo they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, n“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 oFor we cannot but speak the things which pwe have seen and heard.” 21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, qbecause of the people, since they all rglorified God for swhat had been done. 22 For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

Prayer for Boldness

23 And being let go, tthey went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, uYou are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 who 3by the mouth of Your servant David have said:

v‘Why did the nations rage,

And the people plot vain things?

26 The kings of the earth took their stand,

And the rulers were gathered together

Against the Lord and against His Christ.’

27 “For wtruly against xYour holy Servant Jesus, ywhom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 zto do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. 29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants athat with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, band that signs and wonders may be done cthrough the name of dYour holy Servant Jesus.”

31 And when they had prayed, ethe place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, fand they spoke the word of God with boldness.

Sharing in All Things

32 Now the multitude of those who believed gwere of one heart and one soul; hneither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with igreat power the apostles gave jwitness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And kgreat grace was upon them all. 34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; lfor all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, 35 mand laid them at the apostles’ feet; nand they distributed to each as anyone had need.

36 And 4Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of 5Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus, 37 ohaving land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Lying to the Holy Spirit

5 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. 2 And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 aBut Peter said, “Ananias, why has bSatan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? 4 While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

5 Then Ananias, hearing these words, cfell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. 6 And the young men arose and dwrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.

7 Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?”

She said, “Yes, for so much.”

9 Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together eto test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 fThen immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. 11 gSo great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.

Continuing Power in the Church

12 And hthrough the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. iAnd they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. 13 Yet jnone of the rest dared join them, kbut the people esteemed them highly. 14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, lthat