Acts 3:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”

NIV: Then Peter said, 'Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.'

NASB: But Peter said, 'I do not have silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!'

CSB: But Peter said, "I don't have silver or gold, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk! "

NLT: But Peter said, 'I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!'

KJV: Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

NKJV: Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”

When faced with a lame beggar, Peter offers something better than money: healing. He provides that healing through the name of Jesus. "Name" is from the Greek root word onoma. It's not just an identifier. "Name" encompasses the essence of the person: in this case, Jesus' character, sovereignty, authority, power, deity and identity as God. Peter doesn't use "Jesus Christ of Nazareth" as a magical spell. He has faith in the Person of Jesus. He has the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8; 2:1–4). He has authority from Jesus to heal if it is for Jesus' purposes (John 16:23). So he has the confidence that Jesus will heal and honor his words (John 14:13–14).

Some may have faith that Jesus can grant what they ask, but that doesn't mean they can superficially ask "using" Jesus' name and get what they want. James warns, "You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions" (James 4:3). Others may have good exterior motives, but no faith, like the Sons of Sceva who tried to exorcise a demon "by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims" and got beaten up for their trouble (Acts 19:11–16). Part of praying in Jesus' name means submitting to His purposes. John makes this clear when he says, "if we ask anything according to his will he hears us" (1 John 5:14). Since we don't always know Jesus' will, it's enough to ask for what we think we need and trust that He will take care of what we really need.

Why didn't Peter have any money? This isn't the first time he's been found without coins. When faced with tax collectors, neither he nor Jesus had any cash. Instead, Jesus told Peter to go fishing and that the fish would have the coins they needed (Matthew 17:24–27). When Jesus and His disciples travelled, Judas held their money (John 12:6). In the very early days of the church in Jerusalem, the believers held their property in common; those who had need were provided for by those who had extra (Acts 2:42–47). Carrying currency, at this point, is simply not a priority for Peter.

Acts 3:1–10 illustrates one of the ''wonders and signs'' the apostles performed after receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:43). The setting is completely mundane. As Jews, Peter and John go to the temple to pray and find a lame beggar they wish to help. As specially-empowered followers of Jesus, healing the man comes second nature. The act validates Peter's status as witness to Jesus (Acts 1:8), and he is ready with an explanation that ties the event to Jesus' call to repentance (Acts 3:11–26). This miracle, however, catches the attention of the Sanhedrin and starts the long road of church persecution (Acts 4).

Acts 3 is comprised of two sections: the healing of a lame man and the explanation of that healing. First, a man who has been lame his whole life approaches Peter and John to beg from them at the temple. When Peter heals him in Jesus' name, a crowd gathers around. Peter gives witness to Jesus (Acts 1:8) and tells the crowd that Jesus' authority and power healed this man. Looking back as modern readers, we see how, as the man's body symbolically ''repented,'' or turned away, from its broken form into freedom of movement, so the people can repent from their broken thoughts, actions, and beliefs, and find freedom from sin.

Acts 3 contains the second major speech of Jesus' followers. In Acts 1, Jesus ascended into heaven. In Acts 2, His followers received the Holy Spirit and gave such witness to Him that three thousand people believed in Him. Here, Peter explains that Jesus' power and authority have healed a lame man, and Jesus can heal sinful hearts, as well. This moment will bring the fledgling church to the attention of the Sanhedrin: the Jewish ruling court. There, Peter and John will set the example for all Jesus-followers. Jesus told them to be His witness (Acts 1:8); nothing a human authority can say will stop them.

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.