Acts 3:4

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Peter, along with John, looked straight at him and said, “Look at us.”

King James Version (1611)
And Peter fastening his eyes vpon him, with Iohn, said, Looke on vs.

King James Version
And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

English Standard Version
And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, "Look at us."

New American Standard Bible
But Peter, along with John, looked at him intently and said, "Look at us!"

New Century Version
Peter and John looked straight at him and said, "Look at us!"

Amplified Bible
But Peter, along with John, stared at him intently and said, "Look at us!"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, "Look at us!"

Legacy Standard Bible
But when Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him, he said, "Look at us!"

Berean Standard Bible
Peter looked directly at him, as did John. "Look at us!" said Peter.

Contemporary English Version
But they looked straight at him and said, "Look up at us!"

Complete Jewish Bible
But they stared straight at him; and Kefa said, "Look at us!"

Darby Translation
And Peter, looking stedfastly upon him with John, said, Look on us.

Easy-to-Read Version
Peter and John looked at the crippled man and said, "Look at us!"

Geneva Bible (1587)
And Peter earnestly beholding him with Iohn, said, Looke on vs.

George Lamsa Translation
And Simon Peter and John looked at him and said, Look at us.

Good News Translation
They looked straight at him, and Peter said, "Look at us!"

Lexham English Bible
And Peter looked intently at him, together with John, and said, "Look at us!"

Literal Translation
And with John, looking intently toward him, Peter said, Look to us!

American Standard Version
And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him, with John, said, Look on us.

Bible in Basic English
And Peter, looking at him, with John, said, Keep your eyes on us.

Hebrew Names Version
Kefa, fastening his eyes on him, with Yochanan, said, "Look at us."

International Standard Version
Peter, along with John, looked him straight in the eye and said, "Look at us!"

Etheridge Translation
And Shemun and Juhanon beheld him, and said to him, Regard us.

Murdock Translation
And Simon and John looked on him, and said to him: Look on us.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Peter fastenyng his eyes vpon hym with Iohn, sayde: Loke on vs.

English Revised Version
And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him, with John, said, Look on us.

World English Bible
Peter, fastening his eyes on him, with John, said, "Look at us."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And Peter, looking stedfastly upon him, with John, said, Look on us.

Weymouth's New Testament
Peter fixing his eyes on him, as John did also, said, "Look at us."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Petre with Joon bihelde on hym, and seide, Biholde thou in to vs.

Update Bible Version
And Peter, fastening his eyes on him, with John, said, Look at us.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Peter fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

New English Translation
Peter looked directly at him (as did John) and said, "Look at us!"

New King James Version
And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us."

New Living Translation
Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, "Look at us!"

New Life Bible
Peter and John looked at him. Then Peter said, "Look at us!"

New Revised Standard
Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, "Look at us."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But Peter looking steadfastly at him - with John - said: Look on us!

Douay-Rheims Bible
But Peter with John, fastening his eyes upon him, said: Look upon us.

Revised Standard Version
And Peter directed his gaze at him, with John, and said, "Look at us."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And Peter fastened his eyes on him with Iohn and sayde: looke on vs.

Young's Literal Translation
And Peter, having looked stedfastly toward him with John, said, `Look toward us;'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Peter behelde him with Ihon, and sayde: Loke on vs.

Mace New Testament (1729)
Peter and John having their eyes upon him, Peter said, look on us.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Pete and John stared a hole through this guy, and then Pete said, "Look at us!"

Contextual Overview

¹One day at three o'clock in the afternoon, Peter and John were on their way into the Temple for prayer meeting. At the same time there was a man crippled from birth being carried up. Every day he was set down at the Temple gate, the one named Beautiful, to beg from those going into the Temple. When he saw Peter and John about to enter the Temple, he asked for a handout. Peter, with John at his side, looked him straight in the eye and said, "Look here." He looked up, expecting to get something from them. ⁶Peter said, "I don't have a nickel to my name, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!" He grabbed him by the right hand and pulled him up. In an instant his feet and ankles became firm. He jumped to his feet and walked. The man went into the Temple with them, walking back and forth, dancing and praising God. Everybody there saw him walking around and praising God. They recognized him as the one who sat begging at the Temple's Gate Beautiful and rubbed their eyes, astonished, scarcely believing what they were seeing. The man threw his arms around Peter and John, ecstatic. All the people ran up to where they were at Solomon's Porch to see it for themselves. When Peter saw he had a congregation, he addressed the people: "Oh, Israelites, why does this take you by such complete surprise, and why stare at us as if our power or piety made him walk? The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has glorified his Son Jesus. The very One that Pilate called innocent, you repudiated. You repudiated the Holy One, the Just One, and asked for a murderer in his place. You no sooner killed the Author of Life than God raised him from the dead—and we're the witnesses. Faith in Jesus' name put this man, whose condition you know so well, on his feet—yes, faith and nothing but faith put this man healed and whole right before your eyes. "And now, friends, I know you had no idea what you were doing when you killed Jesus, and neither did your leaders. But God, who through the preaching of all the prophets had said all along that his Messiah would be killed, knew exactly what you were doing and used it to fulfill his plans. "Now it's time to change your ways! Turn to face God so he can wipe away your sins, pour out showers of blessing to refresh you, and send you the Messiah he prepared for you, namely, Jesus. For the time being he must remain out of sight in heaven until everything is restored to order again just the way God, through the preaching of his holy prophets of old, said it would be. Moses, for instance, said, ‘Your God will raise up for you a prophet just like me from your family. Listen to every word he speaks to you. Every last living soul who refuses to listen to that prophet will be wiped out from the people.' "All the prophets from Samuel on down said the same thing, said most emphatically that these days would come. These prophets, along with the covenant God made with your ancestors, are your family tree. God's covenant-word to Abraham provides the text: ‘By your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed.' But you are first in line: God, having raised up his Son, sent him to bless you as you turn, one by one, from your evil ways." ⁹ One day at three o'clock in the afternoon, Peter and John were on their way into the Temple for prayer meeting. At the same time there was a man crippled from birth being carried up. Every day he was set down at the Temple gate, the one named Beautiful, to beg from those going into the Temple. When he saw Peter and John about to enter the Temple, he asked for a handout. Peter, with John at his side, looked him straight in the eye and said, "Look here." He looked up, expecting to get something from them. Peter said, "I don't have a nickel to my name, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!" He grabbed him by the right hand and pulled him up. In an instant his feet and ankles became firm. He jumped to his feet and walked. The man went into the Temple with them, walking back and forth, dancing and praising God. Everybody there saw him walking around and praising God. They recognized him as the one who sat begging at the Temple's Gate Beautiful and rubbed their eyes, astonished, scarcely believing what they were seeing. The man threw his arms around Peter and John, ecstatic. All the people ran up to where they were at Solomon's Porch to see it for themselves. When Peter saw he had a congregation, he addressed the people: "Oh, Israelites, why does this take you by such complete surprise, and why stare at us as if our power or piety made him walk? The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has glorified his Son Jesus. The very One that Pilate called innocent, you repudiated. You repudiated the Holy One, the Just One, and asked for a murderer in his place. You no sooner killed the Author of Life than God raised him from the dead—and we're the witnesses. Faith in Jesus' name put this man, whose condition you know so well, on his feet—yes, faith and nothing but faith put this man healed and whole right before your eyes. "And now, friends, I know you had no idea what you were doing when you killed Jesus, and neither did your leaders. But God, who through the preaching of all the prophets had said all along that his Messiah would be killed, knew exactly what you were doing and used it to fulfill his plans. "Now it's time to change your ways! Turn to face God so he can wipe away your sins, pour out showers of blessing to refresh you, and send you the Messiah he prepared for you, namely, Jesus. For the time being he must remain out of sight in heaven until everything is restored to order again just the way God, through the preaching of his holy prophets of old, said it would be. Moses, for instance, said, ‘Your God will raise up for you a prophet just like me from your family. Listen to every word he speaks to you. Every last living soul who refuses to listen to that prophet will be wiped out from the people.' "All the prophets from Samuel on down said the same thing, said most emphatically that these days would come. These prophets, along with the covenant God made with your ancestors, are your family tree. God's covenant-word to Abraham provides the text: ‘By your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed.' But you are first in line: God, having raised up his Son, sent him to bless you as you turn, one by one, from your evil ways." ¹⁰ One day at three o'clock in the afternoon, Peter and John were on their way into the Temple for prayer meeting. At the same time there was a man crippled from birth being carried up. Every day he was set down at the Temple gate, the one named Beautiful, to beg from those going into the Temple. When he saw Peter and John about to enter the Temple, he asked for a handout. Peter, with John at his side, looked him straight in the eye and said, "Look here." He looked up, expecting to get something from them. Peter said, "I don't have a nickel to my name, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!" He grabbed him by the right hand and pulled him up. In an instant his feet and ankles became firm. He jumped to his feet and walked. The man went into the Temple with them, walking back and forth, dancing and praising God. Everybody there saw him walking around and praising God. They recognized him as the one who sat begging at the Temple's Gate Beautiful and rubbed their eyes, astonished, scarcely believing what they were seeing. ¹¹ The man threw his arms around Peter and John, ecstatic. All the people ran up to where they were at Solomon's Porch to see it for themselves.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

fastening: Acts 11:6, Acts 14:9, Acts 14:10, Luke 4:20

Look: Acts 3:12, John 5:6, John 11:40

Cross-References

Genesis 3:13
"The serpent seduced me," she said, "and I ate."

2 Kings 1:6
They told him, "A man met us and said, ‘Turn around and go back to the king who sent you; tell him, God 's message: Is it because there's no God in Israel that you're running off to consult Baal-Zebub god of Ekron? You needn't bother. You're not going to get out of that bed you're in—you're as good as dead already.'"

2 Kings 1:16
Elijah told him, " God 's word: Because you sent messengers to consult Baal-Zebub the god of Ekron, as if there were no God in Israel to whom you could pray, you'll never get out of that bed alive—already you're as good as dead."

2 Kings 8:10
Elisha answered, "Go and tell him, ‘Don't worry; you'll live.' The fact is, though— God showed me—that he's doomed to die." Elisha then stared hard at Hazael, reading his heart. Hazael felt exposed and dropped his eyes. Then the Holy Man wept.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Peter fastening his eyes upon him,.... Or looking very wistly and intently at him, being, no doubt, under some uncommon impulse of the Spirit of God to take notice of him, and cure him of his disease:

with John; who was also under a like impulse at the same time; and who was equally concerned in this cure, as appears by the notice the man, when healed, took of the one, as well as the other; and by Peter's declaration, Acts 3:11 as also by the following words:

said, look on us; which was said to raise his attention to them, to put him upon observing what manner of men they were, and how unlikely to perform the following cure, and to take notice of the manner in which it would be done. The Jews speak of a supernatural cure effected in such a manner, using such words; and which perhaps is told, with a view to lessen the glory of this z.

"Elias appeared to one in the likeness of R. Chiyah Rabbah; he said to him, how does my Lord do? he replied to him, a certain tooth distresses me; he said to him, חמי לי, "look on me"; and he looked on him, and put his finger on it, and he was well.''

z T. Hieros. Cetubot, fol. 35. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Fastening his eyes - The word used here denotes “to look intently, or with fixed attention.” It is one of the special words which Luke uses (Luke 4:20; Luke 22:56; Acts 1:10; Acts 3:12; Acts 6:15; Acts 7:55; Acts 10:4; etc.) 12 times in all. It is used by no other writer in the New Testament, except twice by Paul, 2 Corinthians 3:7, 2 Corinthians 3:13.

Look on us - All this Was done to fix the attention. He wished to call the attention of the man distinctly to himself, and to what he was about to do. It was also done that the man might be fully apprised that his restoration to health came from him.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 3:4. Look on us. — He wished to excite and engage his attention that he might see what was done to produce his miraculous cure, and, it is likely, took this occasion to direct his faith to Jesus Christ. Acts 3:16; Acts 3:16. Peter and John probably felt themselves suddenly drawn by the Holy Spirit to pronounce the healing name in behalf of this poor man.