[Peter and John went to the temple and saw a lame man begging for money.] Peter said to him, "I have no money at all, but I will give you what I have: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth I order you to walk!"

   Then he took him by his right hand and helped him up. At once the man's feet and ankles became strong; he jumped up, stood on his feet, and started walking around. Then he went into the temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God. [The crowds were amazed, so Peter spoke to them about Jesus:] "Now of course I know, my brothers, that you had no idea of what you were doing any more than your leaders had. But God had foretold through all His prophets that His Christ must suffer and this was how His words came true. Now you must repent and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, that your souls may know the times of refreshment which come from the presence of the Lord. Then He will send you your long-heralded Christ, that is Jesus. Heaven must receive Him until that universal restoration of which God spoke in ancient times through all His holy prophets.

   "For Moses said, 'The Lord your God will send you a Prophet, just as He sent me, Who will be of your own people. You must listen to everything that He tells you. Anyone who does not listen to what the Prophet says will be separated from God's people and destroyed.' And the prophets, including Samuel and those who came after him, all of them who had a message, also announced these present days. The promises of God through His prophets are for you, and you share in the covenant which God made with your ancestors. As He said to Abraham, 'Through your descendants I will bless all the people on earth.' And so God chose and sent His Servant to you first, to bless you by making all of you turn away from your wicked ways . . . Salvation is to be found through Him alone; for there is no one else in all the world, Whose name God has given to men, by Whom we can be saved."

   The members of the Council were amazed to see how bold Peter and John were, and to learn that they were ordinary men of no education. They realized then that they had been companions of Jesus.

Taken from Acts 3, 4, Today's English Version and The Phillips Translation.
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