+ THE APOSTLES HEAL AND PREACH +

Once, when Peter and John were going to the Temple for prayers at the time of the evening sacrifice, a man who had been lame from birth was being brought by his friends so he could beg near the Temple entrance. When this man saw Peter and John, he begged from them. Peter, gazing at him with John, said, "Look at us." He turned to them, hoping to get something, but Peter said, "I have neither gold nor silver, but I will give you what I have: in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!" Peter then took him by the hand and helped him stand up. Right away his feet and ankles became strong; he could even jump! Jumping and walking and praising God, he went with Peter and John into the Temple. Everyone could see him walking, and knew he was the lame man who used to beg near the Temple entrance. They were astonished at what had happened to him.

Everyone came running to them in great excitement; the man was still clinging to Peter and John. Peter said to the people, "Why are you staring at us as if we had made this man walk by our own power or holiness? You people of Israel, it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, the God of our fathers, who has glorified Jesus. This is the same Jesus you handed over and then disowned before Pilate, after Pilate had decided to release Him. You demanded the release of the murderer Barabbas, while you killed the Author of Life. But God raised Him from the dead, and we are witnesses to this. It is the Name of Jesus which, through our faith in it, has made this man - who you all know was lame from birth - perfectly healthy."

Peter went on, "But I know, brothers, that neither you nor your leaders had any idea what you were really doing. This was the way God carried out what He had foretold through His prophets: that His Christ would suffer. Now you must be sorry for your sins and turn your hearts to God, so that your sins may be wiped out."

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