Reader 1: One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, at three o’clock in the afternoon. And a man lame from birth was being carried in.
Reader 2: Pay attention!
Congregation: PAY ATTENTION!
R1: His friends 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.
R2: Pay attention!
Congregation: PAY ATTENTION!
R1: When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them for alms.
R2: Look at us!
Congregation: LOOK AT US!
R1: Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said to the man, “Look at us.” And the man fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.
R2: Gold and silver!
Congregation: GOLD AND SILVER!
R1: But Peter said to the man, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give to you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.”
R2: Stand up and walk!
Congregation: STAND UP AND WALK!
R1: And Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.
R2: Stand up and walk!
Congregation: STAND UP AND WALK!
R1: Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple praising God.
R2: Wonder and amazement!
Congregation: WONDER AND AMAZEMENT!
R1: And the people recognized him as the one who used to sit and ask for alms; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
R2: Wonder and amazement!
Congregation: WONDER AND AMAZEMENT!
R1: And all the people said,
Congregation: AMEN!
©Ken Sehested @ prayerandpolitiks.org. Adaptation of Acts 3:1-10.