Read & explore together
Peter Speaks at the Temple
After a healed man stays beside Peter and John, a wondering crowd gathers. Peter uses the moment to explain that the healing came through Jesus, and he calls the people to respond to what God has done.
Understanding the passage
Understanding the passage
This sermon follows the public healing of a man who had been lame. In Solomon’s porch, Peter speaks to the gathered people, explains the healing by Jesus’ name, recalls their part in rejecting Jesus, and points them to repentance, the prophets, and God’s covenant blessing.
Acts 3:11–26Main takeaway
Peter says the healing points to Jesus, whom God raised, and he calls the people to repent, listen to him, and turn from wickedness.
Explore the teaching
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Peter redirects the crowdThe healed man clings to Peter and John, and the people run together in amazement. Peter immediately corrects their focus.
Explanation
The healed man clings to Peter and John, and the people run together in amazement. Peter immediately corrects their focus. He asks why they stare at the apostles as if human power or personal godliness made the man walk. The sermon begins by turning attention away from the messengers and toward God’s work.
02Jesus, denied by people and raised by GodPeter names the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and says he has glorified his Servant Jesus.
Explanation
Peter names the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and says he has glorified his Servant Jesus. He tells the crowd they denied the Holy and Righteous One and chose a murderer instead. Yet the one they killed, Peter calls the Prince of life, and says God raised him from the dead.
03The healing and the call to repentPeter explains that the man they can see and know was made strong by faith in Jesus’ name.
Explanation
Peter explains that the man they can see and know was made strong by faith in Jesus’ name. He then says the people acted in ignorance, as did their rulers, while God fulfilled what he had announced through the prophets about the Christ suffering. So Peter calls them to repent and turn again.
04Listen to the prophet and receive blessingPeter speaks of times of refreshing, of Christ Jesus, and of restoration spoken by the holy prophets.
Explanation
Peter speaks of times of refreshing, of Christ Jesus, and of restoration spoken by the holy prophets. He quotes Moses about a prophet the people must listen to, with a warning for those who refuse. Then he reminds them of God’s covenant with Abraham and says Jesus was sent first to bless them by turning them from wickedness.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01Why does Peter stop the crowd from focusing on himself and John?
02What contrast does Peter make between what the people did to Jesus and what God did?
03How does Peter describe God’s blessing at the end of the sermon?
Read the final verse carefully and look for the specific way Jesus blesses people.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Acts 3:11–26
11As the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.
12When Peter saw it, he responded to the people, “You men of Israel, why do you marvel at this man? Why do you fasten your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him walk?
13The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had determined to release him.
14But you denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
15and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, to which we are witnesses.
16By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which is through him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
17“Now, brothers, I know that you did this in ignorance, as did also your rulers.
18But the things which God announced by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.
19“Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord,
20and that he may send Christ Jesus, who was ordained for you before,
21whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God spoke long ago by the mouth of his holy prophets.
22For Moses indeed said to the fathers, ‘The Lord God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him in all things whatever he says to you.
23It will be that every soul that will not listen to that prophet will be utterly destroyed from among the people.’
24Yes, and all the prophets from Samuel and those who followed after, as many as have spoken, also told of these days.
25You are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘All the families of the earth will be blessed through your offspring.’
26God, having raised up his servant Jesus, sent him to you first to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your wickedness.”