English Standard Version
Acts 3:12
12And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?
Acts 3:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?
- New International Version (NIV)When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, 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?
- New King James Version (NKJV)So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
- New Living Translation (NLT)Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness?
Context of Acts 3:12
10and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 11While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's. And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 13The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
Read all of Acts 3Acts 3:12 word by word
ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Πέτρος ἀπεκρίνατο πρὸς τὸν λαόν· ἄνδρες Ἰσραηλῖται, τί θαυμάζετε ἐπὶ τούτῳ, ἢ ἡμῖν τί ἀτενίζετε ὡς ἰδίᾳ δυνάμει ἢ εὐσεβείᾳ πεποιηκόσιν τοῦ περιπατεῖν αὐτόν;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andδέde · thenG1161
- whenὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- PeterΠέτροςPetros · PeterG4074
- he answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
- untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- the peopleὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the peopleλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992
- Ye menἀνήρanēr · manG435
- of IsraelἸσραηλίτηςIsraēlitēs · IsraeliteG2475
- whyτίςtis · which?G5101
- marvel yeθαυμάζωthaumazō · to marvelG2296
- atἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- orἤē · orG2228
- look ye so earnestlyἀτενίζωatenizō · to gazeG816
- on usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- though by ourδύναμιςdunamis · powerG1411
- ownἴδιοςidios · one's own/privateG2398
- holinessεὐσέβειαeusebeia · pietyG2150
- we had madeποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- manαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- to walkπεριπατέωperipateō · to walkG4043
Cross-references for Acts 3:12
- Acts 2:22"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—
- Acts 13:26"Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation.
- Romans 9:4They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.
- Romans 11:1I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
- Acts 10:25When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.
- Acts 14:11And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!"
- Genesis 40:8They said to him, "We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them." And Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me."
- Genesis 41:16Joseph answered Pharaoh, "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer."
- Daniel 2:28but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these:
- John 3:27John answered, "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.
- John 7:18The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.
- 2 Corinthians 3:5Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God,
Commentaries on Acts 3:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12As though by our own power - , Miraculous energy. Or holiness - ͅ, Meaning religious attachment to the worship of God. Do not think that we have wrought this miracle by any power of our own; or that any supereminent piety in us should have induced God thus to honor us, by enabling us to work it. Instead of ͅ, holiness, the Syriac of Erpen, Armenian, Vulgate, and some copies of the Itala, have ͅ, power or authority; but the first appears to be the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12When Peter saw it - Saw the people assembling in such multitudes and wondering at the miracle. He answered - The word “answer,” with us, implies that a question had been asked, or that some subject had been proposed for consideration. But the word is used in a different sense in the Bible. It is often used when no question was asked, but when an occasion was offered for remarks, or when an opportunity was presented to make a statement. It is the same as…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-18Verses 12-18 Observe the difference in the manner of working the miracles. Our Lord always spoke as having Almighty power, never hesitated to receive the greatest honour that was given to him on account of his Divine miracles. But the apostles referred all to their Lord, and refused to receive any honour, except as his undeserving instruments. This shows that Jesus was one with the Father, and co-equal with Him; while the apostles knew that they were…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-26The speeches in the book of Acts about telling others the good news focus on Jesus, who was put to death on a cross and raised to life. These speeches call people to repent and to place their faith in Jesus as the promised Messiah and the judge God has appointed (2:38; 3:19; 11:18; 17:30; 26:20). They also announce the same good news for the people of Israel and for Gentiles everywhere: there is "peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all" (10:36).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-1612-16. why marvel at this?--For miracles are marvels only in relation to the limited powers of man. as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk--Neither the might nor the merit of the cure are due to us, mere agents of Him whom we preach.Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 3:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Acts 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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