Acts 3:2

Contemporary English Version

A man who had been born lame was being carried to the temple door. Each day he was placed beside this door, known as the Beautiful Gate. He sat there and begged from the people who were going in.

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
They got there at the same time a lame fellow was being helped in. People put him at the Beautiful Gate every day to beg.

Legacy Standard Bible
And a man who had been lame from his mother's womb was being carried, whom they used to set down daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And a man who had been lame from his mother's womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple.

Bible in Basic English
And a certain man who from birth had had no power in his legs, was taken there every day, and put down at the door of the Temple which is named Beautiful, requesting money from those who went into the Temple;

Darby Translation
and a certain man who was lame from his mother's womb was being carried, whom they placed every day at the gate of the temple called Beautiful, to ask alms of those who were going into the temple;

New King James Version
And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple;

Christian Standard Bible®
And a man who was lame from birth was carried there and placed every day at the temple gate called Beautiful, so he could beg from those entering the temple complex.

World English Bible
A certain man who was lame from his mother's womb was being carried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask gifts for the needy of those who entered into the temple.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And a certain man, lame from his mother's womb, was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple, called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that were entering into the temple, Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple,

Weymouth's New Testament
some men were carrying there one who had been lame from birth, whom they were wont to place every day close to the Beautiful Gate (as it was called) of the Temple, for him to beg from the people as they went in.

King James Version (1611)
And a certaine man lame from his mothers womb was caried, whom they laide daily at the gate of the Temple which is called Beautifull, to aske almes of them that entred into the Temple.

Literal Translation
And a certain man, being lame from his mother's womb, was being carried, whom day by day they put at the door of the temple, being called Beautiful, to ask alms from those going into the temple;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And there was a certayne man halt from his mothers wombe, whom they brought and layed daylie at the gate of the teple, which is called, the Bewtyfull, that he might axe almesse of them that wete in to the temple.

Mace New Testament (1729)
they were carrying a man who had been lame from his birth, one whom they daily laid at the gate of the temple called, Beauty-gate, to ask alms of those that pass'd into the temple.

Amplified Bible
and a man who had been unable to walk from birth was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at that gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, so that he could beg alms from those entering the temple.

American Standard Version
And a certain man that was lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

Revised Standard Version
And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at that gate of the temple which is called Beautiful to ask alms of those who entered the temple.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And ther was a certayne man halt from his mothers wobe who they brought and layde at the gate of the temple called beutifull to axe almes of them that entred into the temple.

Update Bible Version
And a certain man that was lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of those that entered into the temple;

Webster's Bible Translation
And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple.

Young's Literal Translation
and a certain man, being lame from the womb of his mother, was being carried, whom they were laying every day at the gate of the temple, called Beautiful, to ask a kindness from those entering into the temple,

New Century Version
There, at the Temple gate called Beautiful Gate, was a man who had been crippled all his life. Every day he was carried to this gate to beg for money from the people going into the Temple.

New English Translation
And a man lame from birth was being carried up, who was placed at the temple gate called "the Beautiful Gate" every day so he could beg for money from those going into the temple courts.

Berean Standard Bible
And a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those entering the temple courts.

Complete Jewish Bible
a man crippled since birth was being carried in. Every day people used to put him at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, so that he could beg from those going into the Temple court.

English Standard Version
And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And a certaine ma which was a creeple fro his mothers wombe, was caried, whom they layde dayly at the gate of the Temple called Beautifull, to aske almes of them that entred into ye Temple.

George Lamsa Translation
Behold a certain man, lame from his mother''s womb, was carried by men who were accustomed to bring him and lay him at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful so that he might ask alms from those who entered into the temple.

Hebrew Names Version
A certain man who was lame from his mother's womb was being carried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Yafeh, to ask gifts for the needy of those who entered into the temple.

International Standard Version
Now a man who had been crippled from birth was being carried in. Every day peoplethey">[fn] would lay him at what was called the Beautiful Gate so that he could beg from those who were going into the temple.John 9:8; Acts 14:8;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
behold a certain man lame from the womb of his mother, (whom) they carried, who were used to bring and set at the gate of the temple which is called the Beautiful, to beg alms of those who entered into the temple.

Murdock Translation
that, lo, those accustomed to bring a man lame from his mother's womb, brought him and laid him at the gate of the temple called Beautiful; that he might ask alms of those going into the temple.

New Living Translation
As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple.

New Life Bible
Each day a certain man was carried to the Beautiful Gate of the house of God. This man had never been able to walk. He was there begging for money from those who were going in.

English Revised Version
And a certain man that was lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

New Revised Standard
And a man lame from birth was being carried in. People would lay him daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate so that he could ask for alms from those entering the temple.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, a certain man, who had been, lame from his mother's womb, was being carried, - whom they used to lay daily at the door of the temple - the door called Beautiful, that he might ask alms of them who were entering into the temple:

Douay-Rheims Bible
And a certain man who was lame from his mother’s womb was carried: whom they laid every day at the gate of the temple, which is called Beautiful, that he might ask alms of them that went into the temple.

King James Version
And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

Lexham English Bible
And a certain man was being carried who was lame from birth. He was placed every day at the gate of the temple called "Beautiful," so that he could ask for charitable gifts from those who were going into the temple courts.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And a certayne man, that was lame from his mothers wombe, was brought, whom they layde dayly at the gate of the temple which is called beawtifull, to aske almes of them that entred into the temple.

Easy-to-Read Version
As they were entering the Temple area, a man was there who had been crippled all his life. He was being carried by some friends who brought him to the Temple every day. They put him by one of the gates outside the Temple. It was called Beautiful Gate. There he begged for money from the people going to the Temple.

New American Standard Bible
And a man who had been unable to walk from birth was being carried, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order for him to beg for charitable gifts from those entering the temple grounds.

Good News Translation
There at the Beautiful Gate, as it was called, was a man who had been lame all his life. Every day he was carried to the gate to beg for money from the people who were going into the Temple.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And a man that was lame fro the wombe of his modir, was borun, and was leid ech dai at the yate of the temple, that is seid feir, to axe almes of men that entriden in to the temple.

Contextual Overview

¹ The time of prayer was about three o'clock in the afternoon, and Peter and John were going into the temple. ² A man who had been born lame was being carried to the temple door. Each day he was placed beside this door, known as the Beautiful Gate. He sat there and begged from the people who were going in. ³ The man saw Peter and John entering the temple, and he asked them for money. ⁴ But they looked straight at him and said, "Look up at us!" ⁵ The man stared at them and thought he was going to get something. ⁶ But Peter said, "I don't have any silver or gold! But I will give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, get up and start walking." ⁷ Peter then took him by the right hand and helped him up. At once the man's feet and ankles became strong, ⁸ and he jumped up and started walking. He went with Peter and John into the temple, walking and jumping and praising God. ⁹ Everyone saw him walking around and praising God. ¹⁰ They knew that he was the beggar who had been lying beside the Beautiful Gate, and they were completely surprised. They could not imagine what had happened to the man.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

lame: Acts 4:22, Acts 14:8, John 1:9-30

whom: Luke 16:20

which: Acts 3:10

to ask: Acts 10:4, Acts 10:31, Luke 18:35, John 9:8

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 23:5 - the gate Isaiah 35:6 - shall the lame Matthew 11:5 - the lame Matthew 15:31 - the lame Mark 9:21 - How Mark 10:46 - begging Luke 7:22 - the lame Luke 8:43 - twelve Luke 13:11 - eighteen Luke 16:3 - to beg John 5:5 - thirty Acts 5:42 - daily Acts 9:33 - which

Cross-References

Psalms 58:4
Your words spread poison like the bite of a cobra

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And a certain man, lame from his mother's womb,.... He was born so; his lameness came not through any disease or fall, or any external hurt, but from a defect in nature, in one of his limbs, or more; which made the after miracle the more extraordinary: and he was so lame that he

was carried; he could not walk of himself, or go, being led, but they were obliged to carry him:

whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple; it had been a common usage, it may be, for years past, to bring him every day, at prayer time, and lay him at the gate of the temple where the people went in; hence he was well known by the people, and to have been of a long time lame, even ever since he was born; so that there could be no imposture in this case: and it was at the gate of the temple he lay,

which is called beautiful; which some think was the gate Shushan, which was the eastern gate of the mountain of the house, or the outmost wall, and was so called, because Shushan, the metropolis of Persia, was pourtrayed upon it q, which made it look very beautiful. The reason commonly given by the Jewish commentators r why this was done, is this; when the Jews returned from captivity, the king of Persia commanded that they should make a figure of the palace of Shushan upon one of the gates of the temple, that they might fear the king, and not rebel against him; and accordingly they drew one upon the eastern gate: but some say s, that the children of the captivity did this (upon their return) that they might remember the wonder of Purim, (their deliverance from Haman,) which was done in Shushan; moreover, it might be so called from the word Shushan, which signifies joy and gladness: but this does not bid so fair to be the gate here meant, since it was lower than all the rest; for as the eastern wall was lower than the rest of the walls, that when the high priest burnt the red heifer on the top of Mount Olivet, he might see the gate of the temple at the time of the sprinkling of the blood; so the gate itself was four cubits lower than the others t, and therefore could not look so grand and beautiful as the rest. Indeed, concerning this eastern gate of the mountain of the house, it is said u, that

"in the time when the sanctuary stood, when they prayed on the mountain of the house, they went in by the way of the eastern gate.''

And as this was now the hour of prayer, and the people were going to the temple to pray, whose entrance was at the east gate; here it might be thought, in all probability, was laid the lame man: though it seems rather to be the eastern gate of the court of the women, which was made of Corinthian brass, and looked brighter than gold itself; of which Josephus w thus speaks:

"nine of the gates were covered all over with gold and silver, likewise the side posts and lintels; but there was one, without the temple, of Corinthian brass, which in dignity greatly exceeded the silver and golden ones.''

And since at this gate was the greatest frequency of persons, both men and women entering here; it is most likely, that here lay the lame man a begging: this is thought, by some, to be the higher gate of the house of the Lord; said to be built by Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, 2 Kings 15:35 upon which text, a Jewish commentator of great note x has this remark,

"observe it is said of Jotham, that he built it, because he made a building on it, נכבד וגדול "more glorious and great" than it had been:''

and this is also called the new gate of the house of the Lord, Jeremiah 26:10 and which both the Targum and Kimchi on the place say is the eastern gate.

To ask alms of them that entered into the temple; who going to religious exercises, might be thought to be more disposed to acts of liberality and charity: and besides, these were known to be Jews, of whom only alms were to be asked and taken; for so run their canons y,

"it is forbidden to take alms of Gentiles publicly, except a man cannot live by the alms of Israelites; and if a king, or a prince of the Gentiles, should send money to an Israelite for alms, he must not return it, because of the peace of the kingdom, but must take it of him, and give it to the poor of the Gentiles secretly, that the king may not hear.''

q Misn. Middot, c. 1. sect. 3. r Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. ib. s Vid. Juchasin, fol. 65. 2. t Misn. Middot, c. 2. sect. 4. Maimon. Hilchot Beth Habechirah, c. 6. sect. 5. u Gloss. in T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 15. 2. Vid. Maimon. Hilch. Taanith, c. 4. sect. 15. w De Bello Jud. l. 5. c. 5. sect. 3. x Abarbinel in loc. y Moses Kotsensis Mitzvot Tora, pr. Affirm. 162.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Lame from his mother’s womb - The mention of this shows that there was no deception in the case. The man had been always lame; he was obliged to be carried; and he was well known to the Jews.

Whom they laid daily - That is, his friends laid him there daily. He would therefore be well known to those who were in the habit of entering the temple. Among the ancients there were no hospitals for the sick, and no alms-houses for the poor. The poor were dependent, therefore, on the Charity of those who were in better circumstances. It became an important matter for them to be placed where they would see many people. Hence, it was customary to place them at the gates of rich men Luke 16:20; and they also sat by the highway to beg where many persons would pass, Mark 10:46; Luke 18:35; John 9:1-8. The entrance to the temple would be a favorable place for begging; for:

(1)Great multitudes were accustomed to enter there; and,

(2)When going up for the purposes of religion, they would be more inclined to give alms than at other times; and especially was this true of the Pharisees, who were particularly desirous of publicity in bestowing charity. It is recorded by Martial (i. 112) that the custom prevailed among the Romans of placing the poor by the gates of the temples; and the custom was also observed a long time in the Christian churches.

At the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful - In regard to this gate there have been two opinions, one of which supposes that it was the gate commonly called Nicanor, which led from the court of the Gentiles to the court of the women (see Plan in notes on Matthew 21:12), and the other that it was the gate at the eastern entrance of the temple, commonly called Susan. It is not easy to determine which is intended; though from the fact that what is here recorded occurred near Solomon’s porch (Acts 3:11; compare the Plan of the Temple, Matthew 21:12), it seems probable that the latter was intended. This gate was large and splendid. It was made of Corinthian brass, a most valuable metal, and made a magnificent appearance (Josephus, Jewish Wars, book 5, chapter 5, section 3).

To ask alms - Charity.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 3:2. A - man lame from his mother's womb — The case of this man must have been well known:

1. from the long standing of his infirmity:

2. from his being daily exposed in a place so public.

It appears that he had no power to walk, and was what we term a cripple, for he was carried to the gate of the temple, and laid there in order to excite compassion. These circumstances are all marked by St. Luke, the more fully to show the greatness and incontestable nature of the miracle.

The gate - which is called Beautiful — There are different opinions concerning this gate. Josephus observes, Bell. Jud. lib. v. cap. 5, sect. 3, that the temple had nine gates, which were on every side covered with gold and silver; but there was one gate which was without the holy house, and was of Corinthian brass, and greatly excelled those which were only covered with gold and silver: πολυ τῃ τιμῃ τας καταργυρους και περιχρυσους ὑπεραγουσα. The magnitudes of the other gates were equal one to another; but that of the Corinthian gate, which opened on the east, over against the gate of the holy house itself, was much larger: πεντηκοντα γαρ πηχων ουσα την αναστασιν, τεσσαρακοντα πηχεις τας θυρας ειχε, και τον κοσμον πολυτελεστερον, επι δαψιλες παχος αργυρου τε και χρυσου· for its height was fifty cubits, and its doors were forty cubits, and it was adorned after a most costly manner, as having much richer and thicker plates of silver and gold upon them than upon the other. This last was probably the gate which is here called Beautiful; because it was on the outside of the temple, to which there was an easy access, and because it was evidently the most costly, according to the account in Josephus; but it must be granted that the text of Josephus is by no means clear.