Acts 3 8

Acts 3:8 kjv

And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

Acts 3:8 nkjv

So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them?walking, leaping, and praising God.

Acts 3:8 niv

He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.

Acts 3:8 esv

And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.

Acts 3:8 nlt

He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.

Acts 3 verses

Acts 3 8 Meaning

This verse vividly describes the immediate and transformative outcome of the healing miracle performed by Peter and John on the lame man at the Temple gate. The man, instantly cured, reacted with exuberant physical actions—leaping, standing, and walking—displaying his newfound strength. He then entered the sacred Temple precincts with the apostles, continuing to demonstrate his healing through joyful movement and, most importantly, expressing profound praise to God for his miraculous restoration.

Acts 3 8 Context

Acts chapter 3 describes Peter and John's encounter with a man who had been lame from birth, begging at the Beautiful Gate of the Jerusalem Temple. This man was over 40 years old and had been a familiar sight to those entering the temple daily. Instead of money, Peter declares that what he has is in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth and commands the man to rise and walk. Verse 8 describes the immediate, undeniable, and public manifestation of this healing. The miraculous recovery of the man sets the stage for Peter's subsequent powerful sermon to the gathered crowd, where he attributes the healing to the resurrected Christ, calling for repentance and faith. The temple was not merely a building but the spiritual heart of Judaism, and performing such a profound miracle there served as a compelling public testimony to the authority and power of Jesus, which resonated deeply with the Jewish audience.

Acts 3 8 Word analysis

• And: Connects the man's immediate actions to the command given in the previous verse (Acts 3:6), emphasizing the direct, immediate response to Peter's words.

• he: Refers to the previously identified lame man (Acts 3:2), highlighting the dramatic contrast between his former helplessness and current ability.

• leaping up (ἁλλόμενος, hallomenos): This present participle denotes an ongoing, spontaneous, and vigorous action, signifying profound joy and complete restoration. It is an immediate, joyful outburst that goes beyond simple standing or walking, mirroring the prophecy in Isa 35:6.

• stood (ἔστη, estē): An aorist verb, indicating a definite and complete act of rising and achieving stability, showing his legs were instantly functional.

• and walked (περιεπάτει, periepatei): Imperfect tense, suggesting a sustained and continuous action of walking, demonstrating not just momentary strength but full, lasting mobility.

• and entered (εἰσῆλθεν, eisēlthen): An aorist verb, indicating a deliberate, decisive act. The man's intention to join Peter and John into the Temple is significant.

• with them: Emphasizes companionship and common purpose, as he now aligns himself with the apostles and their message, entering the space previously barred by his physical state.

• into the temple (εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν, eis to hieron): This refers to the sacred temple area, not just the building itself. This location is crucial, as it was where the man habitually begged, and now he enters it whole and in praise, making his testimony maximally public and impactful to a Jewish audience.

• walking (περιπατῶν, peripatōn): Present participle, showing his continued ability to walk, an ongoing physical demonstration of the healing.

• and leaping (ἁλλόμενος, hallomenos): Present participle, reinforcing the exuberance and joy of his renewed strength, indicating repeated, spontaneous acts of physical expression. The repetition with the initial "leaping up" underscores the sheer delight and unbound energy he possessed.

• and praising God (καὶ αἰνῶν τὸν Θεόν, kai ainōn ton Theon): Present participle, describing his continual action of worship. His praise attributes the miracle directly to its divine source, demonstrating gratitude and faith. It elevates the physical miracle to a spiritual act of adoration.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "leaping up, stood, and walked": This sequence describes the instantaneous and complete physical transformation. It is a progression from ecstatic reaction to stable uprightness and finally to purposeful movement, emphasizing the immediate and perfect nature of the healing.
  • "entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God": This phrase portrays the social and spiritual impact of the miracle. The man's entry into the sacred space signifies his full integration and acceptance, transforming his presence from a beggar outside to a worshipper within. His continued actions of walking and leaping signify sustained joy, while "praising God" identifies the ultimate recipient of his gratitude and the source of his new life.

Acts 3 8 Bonus section

The verb tenses employed by Luke in this verse (aorist for definitive actions like "stood," and imperfect/present participles for continuous or repeated actions like "walked" and "leaping") underscore the precision and power of the miracle. The instantaneous nature of the healing—no gradual recovery, no rehabilitation—underscored its divine origin and differentiated it from human capability. The contrast between his former position (outside the temple, begging) and his new one (inside the temple, praising God) is profound, illustrating a spiritual transformation as well as a physical one, reflecting how Christ takes those on the margins and brings them into the fullness of God's presence and worship. This event, being public and dramatic, ensured that Peter's subsequent sermon, which connected the healing to the resurrected Jesus, would capture widespread attention and provoke serious consideration among the Temple-goers.

Acts 3 8 Commentary

Acts 3:8 serves as the compelling visual testimony to the power of God operating through Peter and John in the name of Jesus Christ. The description of the lame man's actions—leaping, standing, walking, and praising—is critical. It highlights the completeness, instantaneity, and public nature of the miracle. His leaping, repeated for emphasis, symbolizes an uncontainable joy and freedom previously unknown to him. Entering the Temple, the very place he was restricted from fully participating in by his lameness, now transformed, he is a living monument to God's restorative power. His public praise directs the focus not on the apostles, but on God, ensuring the divine source of the miracle is unequivocally acknowledged. This profound demonstration of power through faith was an undeniable sign that validated the apostolic message about the resurrection of Jesus, laying a strong foundation for the evangelism that followed. For instance, believers might understand that when God heals, it is complete; or that true joy often expresses itself outwardly, giving glory to God. It shows that new life in Christ leads to public testimony and worship.