- Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the ninth hour for prayer. And a certain man, lame from his mother’s womb, was carried — whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful to ask alms of them that entered into the temple — who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked an alms. And Peter and John, fastening their eyes upon him, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have, I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he, leaping up, stood and walked, and entered with them into the temple — walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God, and they knew that it was he who sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.
- And as the lame man who was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering. And when Peter saw this, he answered and said unto the people, You men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why do you look so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers has glorified his Son Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied him in the presence of Pilate when he was determined to let him go. But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you, and killed the Prince of Life whom God has raised from the dead, whereof we are witnesses. And this man, through faith in his name, has been made strong, whom you see and know; yea, the faith which is in him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
- And now brethren, I know that through ignorance you have done this, as also your rulers; but those things which God before had shown by the mouth of all his prophets that Christ should suffer, he has so fulfilled. Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And he shall send Jesus Christ, who before was preached unto you, whom you have crucified, whom the Heavens must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that every soul who will not hear that prophet shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. You are the children of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in your seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first, God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
- And as they spoke unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, being grieved that they taught the people and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them and put them in custody unto the next day, for it was now evening. Nevertheless, many of them who heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.
- And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, and Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power or by what name have you done this? Then Peter, filled with the holy ghost, said unto them, You rulers of the people and elders of Israel, if we this day are examined of the good deed done to the impotent man — by what means he is made whole — be it known unto you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him does this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which has become the head of the corner; neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.
- Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they recognized them, that they had been with Jesus. And beholding the man who was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go aside, out of the council, they conferred among themselves, saying, What shall we do to these men? For that indeed a notable miracle has been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But that it spread no further among the people, let us sternly threaten them that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all, nor teach, in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen unto you more than unto God, you judge; for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people; for many glorified God for that which was done, for the man was above forty years old on whom this miracle of healing was shown.
- And being let go, they went to their own company and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord and said, Lord, you are God, who has made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is; who, by the mouth of your servant David, has said, Why did the heathen rage and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ; for truly against your holy child Jesus, whom you have anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever your hand and your counsel determined before to be done. And now Lord, behold their threatenings, and grant unto your servants that with all boldness they may speak your word by stretching forth your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of your holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the holy ghost, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Chapter 2