Peter and John Heal a Lame Man
"Silver or gold I do not have"
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Story
What happened?
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The whole story, in shortWhat happens, start to finish. Open it if you want the ending first.
At the temple gate, a man who had never walked asked Peter and John for money, and Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!" The man jumped up, walking and leaping and praising God. Arrested and questioned, Peter told the council there is no other name by which we must be saved, and the apostles said, "We cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard."
Where it is in the Bible: Acts 3:1 to 4:35
Who’s who and what came beforePeople, places, and the story so far. Open it anytime.
Scene Card
Cast
- Peter and John: Two of Jesus's apostles, now leaders of the young church.
- A man lame from birth: A man who has never walked. He is over forty years old (4:22).
- The temple leaders: Priests, the captain of the temple guard, and Sadducees.
- The council: The Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish court, including the high priests Annas and Caiaphas.
- The believers: The growing community of Jesus's followers.
Setting
- The temple in Jerusalem, at a gate called Beautiful. Then before the council.
When
- Soon after the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, about 2,000 years ago.
Before the Story
The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost. Peter preached, and about three thousand people were baptized (2:41).
The believers met together every day. They prayed, ate together, and shared what they had (2:44-46).
Here's what you know: Some of these same leaders had condemned Jesus only weeks before.
Map of the Story
| Scene | Verses | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. "Look at us!" | 3:1-10 | Peter heals a man who has never walked |
| 2. Not by our own power | 3:11-26 | Peter tells the crowd about Jesus |
| 3. Arrested | 4:1-12 | Peter speaks to the council |
| 4. "We cannot stop speaking" | 4:13-22 | The council warns them, and they refuse to be silent |
| 5. The place shook | 4:23-35 | The believers pray and share everything |
Plain Retelling
Scene 1 of 5"Look at Us!"
One afternoon, Peter and John went to the temple to pray.
A man who had been lame from birth was carried to the temple gate every day to beg.
He asked Peter and John for money.
Peter looked straight at him. "Look at us!" (3:4).
The man looked up, hoping for a coin.
"Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!" (3:6).
Peter took his hand and helped him up. Right away his feet and ankles became strong.
He jumped up and walked. He went into the temple "walking and leaping and praising God" (3:8).
Scene 2 of 5Not by Our Own Power
Everyone recognized him. They were amazed and ran to see.
Peter said, "Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?" (3:12).
It was Jesus. They had rejected him, "but God raised Him from the dead" (3:15).
"By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know has been made strong" (3:16).
"Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away" (3:19).
Scene 3 of 5Arrested
The temple leaders were upset that Peter and John were teaching about Jesus rising from the dead. They arrested them and kept them overnight.
But many people believed. The number of believers grew to about five thousand men.
The next day, the council asked, "By what power or what name did you do this?" (4:7).
Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said it was by the name of Jesus, whom they crucified and God raised.
"Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (4:12).
Scene 4 of 5"We Cannot Stop Speaking"
The council saw how bold Peter and John were. They were "unschooled, ordinary men" (4:13). The leaders could tell "that these men had been with Jesus" (4:13).
The healed man was standing right there. No one could deny it.
So they ordered Peter and John never to speak in Jesus's name again.
Peter and John answered, "For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard" (4:20).
The council threatened them and let them go.
Scene 5 of 5The Place Shook
Peter and John went back to the believers and told them everything.
Together they prayed. They didn't ask God to take away the threats. They asked for boldness.
"After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly" (4:31).
The believers were of one heart and mind. They shared everything they had.
"There were no needy ones among them" (4:34). People who had land or houses sold them and gave the money to help others.
Meaning
What does it mean?
Read It
What Does This Mean?
| The text says | It means |
|---|---|
| "Silver or gold I do not have" (3:6) | Peter gave something better than money. |
| "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth" (3:6) | The healing came from Jesus, not Peter. |
| "Walking and leaping and praising God" (3:8) | The man's joy overflowed. |
| "No other name under heaven" (4:12) | Jesus is the one who saves. |
| "These men had been with Jesus" (4:13) | Ordinary people were changed by Jesus. |
| "We cannot stop speaking" (4:20) | They had to tell what they had seen. |
| "There were no needy ones among them" (4:34) | The believers took care of each other. |
Back Then
The ninth hour was about 3 p.m. It was a regular time of prayer at the temple.
People with disabilities often had to beg. There were few other ways to live.
Solomon's Colonnade was a long covered porch on the east side of the temple courts. Jesus had taught there too (John 10:23).
Literal Reader Alert
Is "in the name of Jesus" a magic phrase? No. It means Jesus himself did the healing. Peter said so: "Not by our own power."
Should people with disabilities just pray to be healed? God sometimes heals, and sometimes doesn't in this life. People with disabilities are fully loved by God. In God's new creation, all will be made whole.
Do Christians have to sell everything? The first believers chose to share freely. Christians today share in many ways. The point is that no one in the church should be left in need.
How People Feel
| Who | Feeling | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The lame man | Hopeful | He expected a coin (3:5) |
| The lame man | Overjoyed | He was walking and leaping (3:8) |
| The leaders | Disturbed | The apostles were teaching about the resurrection (4:2) |
| The believers | Bold | They were filled with the Holy Spirit (4:31) |
For you
What does it mean for me?
Your Turn
What do you have to give? Tap one.
Not money
Peter had no silver or gold. He gave Jesus.
Words
"We cannot stop speaking about what we have seen."
Help
The believers made sure no one was in need.
Boldness
Ask God for courage, like the believers did.
You Might Have Heard
"You need to be educated or important to talk about God."
What's true: Learning about God is good.
What the story is mainly about: Peter and John were "unschooled, ordinary men." What made them bold was that they had been with Jesus. God uses ordinary people.
Where Jesus is: Risen and working through his followers. The healing happened in his name, and his Spirit filled the believers.
Good News
Peter couldn't heal anyone himself. Jesus could.
"Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (4:12).
The risen Jesus still works through ordinary people, giving gifts better than silver or gold.
In Jesus's name, Peter told a lame man to walk. Jesus is the name that saves, and he makes ordinary people bold.
Big Idea
Peter had no silver or gold, but in Jesus's name a lame man walked. Arrested and threatened, the apostles said, "We cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard."
If this story brings up big feelings, talk with someone you trust, like a parent, pastor, or counselor.
For leaders and parentsLuther, church readings, and notes for teaching.
From Luther
Luther taught that God's power works through weak and ordinary people. The church's treasure isn't silver or gold. It is the gospel of Christ.
In Church
Many churches follow the Revised Common Lectionary. In Year B, it reads Acts 4:32-35 on the Second Sunday of Easter, Acts 3:12-19 on the Third, and Acts 4:5-12 on the Fourth.
We quote Luther for what he got right about grace. He also wrote terrible things about Jewish people. Read our note on that.
Memorize
How do I keep it?
One line from this story to learn by heart. Practice a little now. It will come back later so it sticks.
Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.
How did that feel?
You finished Peter and John Heal a Lame Man.
Using this at church
Read in church on
- Second Sunday of Easter Year BFirst reading, Acts 4:32–35
- Third Sunday of Easter Year BFirst reading, Acts 3:12–19
- Fourth Sunday of Easter Year BFirst reading, Acts 4:5–12
For a newsletter or sermon notes
Peter and John Heal a Lame Man, explained in plain words. A man who has never walked asks for money. Peter gives him something better. About 8 minutes. https://freescripture.org/stories/peter-and-john-heal-a-lame-man/
Lines for the next eight Sundays, on Digital Lutheran Church