While the beggar held on to Peter and
John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the
place called Solomon's Colonnade. When Peter saw this, he said to
them: "Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you
stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man
walk?
The God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his
servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned
him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned
the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to
you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the
dead. We are witnesses of this. By faith in the name of Jesus, this
man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the
faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to
him, as you can all see.
Now, brothers, I
know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is
how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets,
saying that his Christ would
suffer.
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be
wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that
he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.
He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore
everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. For
Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like
me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he
tells you. Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut
off from among his people.'
Indeed, all the
prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these
days. And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made
with your fathers. He said to Abraham, 'Through your offspring all
peoples on earth will be blessed.'When God raised up his
servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of
you from your wicked ways."