Acts 3:8
in Acts 3He sprang to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and leaping and praising God.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And leaping up, he stood, and began to walk; and he entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
KJV
And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
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This verse in Acts 3
Commentary
12 notes on this verse"Walking and leaping," that is, testing himself and assuring himself as much as possible whether he had truly become well. Since the healing was extraordinary and beyond expectation, it was natural for him to doubt even regarding himself. And others say that he did not …
This site's exposition
Silver or gold
on Acts 3:6-8
Peter gives what he has, the command In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth to get up and walk. The name is spoken before the power acts, and at once the man’s feet and ankles were made strong.
This site's exposition
walking and leaping and praising God
Adam Clarke and Theophylact think the man leaped to test his limbs and assure himself that the cure was real. Clarke sees Isaiah 35:6 fulfilled here. Chrysostom notes that the man followed the apostles of his own accord and gave his praise to God, who worked through them.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"And immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked." Perhaps it was by way of trying himself that he put it thus to further proof, whether perchance the thing done might not be to no purpose. His feet were weak; it was not that he had lost them. Some say that he did not even know how to walk. "And entered with them into the temple." Of a truth it was marvellous. The Apostles do not urge him; but of his own accord he follows, by the act of following pointing out his benefactors. "And leaping and praising God;" not admiring them, but God that wrought by them. The man was grateful.
And the wonder is, that he believed so readily. For those who are set free from diseases of long standing, hardly believe their very eyesight. Once healed, he remains with the Apostles, giving thanks to God. "And he entered," it is said, "with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God." Observe how restless he is, in the eagerness of his delight, at the same time shutting the mouths of the Jews. Also, that he leaped, was to prevent the suspicion of hypocrisy; for after all, this was beyond the possibility of deception. For if previously he was totally unable to walk, even when hunger pressed hard (and indeed he would not have chosen to share with his bearers the proceeds of his begging, if he had been able to manage for himself), this holds still more in the present case. And how should he have feigned in behalf of those who had given him no alms? But the man was grateful, even after his recovery. And thus on either side his faith is shown, both by his thankfulness, and by the recent event.
"Walking and leaping." As if he were by now almost entirely unknown, who a little before had been so slow that he needed the help of others to move around.
The Medieval Church1 voice
And leaping up, he stood and walked. And he entered the temple with them. The order of perfection is clear: first, he who had lain down rises, then he seizes strength, and thus he enters the gate of the kingdom with the apostles.
The Reformation1 voice
And leaping and praising God: To conceal the kind deeds of God is a matter of ingratitude; to attribute them to human endeavor is impiety.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And he leaping up,.... From off the bed or couch, or ground on which he lay: stood and walked; stood firm and strong upon his feet, and walked about; by which it was abundantly manifest to himself and others, that he had a perfect cure.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Walking and leaping, and praising God - These actions are very naturally described. He walked, in obedience to the command of the apostle, rise up and walk: he leaped, to try the strength of his limbs and to be convinced of the reality of the cure: he praised God, as a testimony of the gratitude he felt for the cure he had received. Now was fulfilled, in the most literal manner, the words of the Prophet Isaiah, Isa 35:6: The lame man shall leap as a hart.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
leaping up, stood . . . walked . . . entered the temple walking, leaping, and praising God--Every word here is emphatic, expressing the perfection of the cure, as Ac 3:7 its immediateness.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And he, leaping up - This was a natural expression of joy, and it was a striking fulfillment of the prophecy in Isa 35:6; “Then shall the lame man leap as an hart.” The account here given is one that is perfectly natural. The man would be filled with joy, and would express it in this manner. He had been lame from a child; he had never walked; and there was more in the miracle than merely giving strength. The art of “walking” is one that is acquired by long practice. Children learn slowly. Caspar Hauser, discovered in one of the cities of Germany, who had been confined in prison from a child, was unable to walk in an easy way when released, but stumbled in a very awkward manner (see his Life). When, therefore, this man was able at once to walk, it was clear proof of a miracle. Praising God - This was the natural and appropriate expression of his feelings on this occasion. His heart would be full; and he could have no doubt that this blessing had come from God alone. It is remarkable that he did not even express his gratitude to Peter and John. They had not pretended to restore him in their own name, and he would feel that man could not do it. It is remarkable that he praised God without being taught or entreated to do it. It was instinctive - the natural feeling of the heart. So a sinner. His first feelings, when he is converted, will be to ascribe the praise to God. While he may and will feel regard for the ministry by whose instrumentality he has received the blessing, yet his main expression of gratitude will be to God. And this he will do instinctively. He needs no prompter; he knows that no power of man is equal to the work of converting the soul, and will rejoice, and give all the praise to the God of grace.
The words behind it
19 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐξαλλόμενος | exallomenos | leaping up | G1814 → | |
| ἔστη | este | he stood | G2476 → | 153 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| περιεπάτει | periepatei | was walking | G4043 → | 94 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| εἰσῆλθεν | eiselthen | he entered | G1525 → | 194 times |
| σὺν | sun | with | G4862 → | 128 times |
| αὐτοῖς | autois | them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| εἰς | eis | into | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἱερὸν | hi'eron | temple | G2411 → | 70 times |
| περιπατῶν | peripaton | walking | G4043 → | 94 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἁλλόμενος | hallomenos | leaping | G242 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| αἰνῶν | ainon | praising | G134 → | 8 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεόν.¶ | theon | God. | G2316 → | 1312 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐξαλλόμενοςleaping up
exallomenosG1814 →
ἔστηhe stood
esteG2476 →153 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
περιεπάτειwas walking
periepateiG4043 →94 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εἰσῆλθενhe entered
eiselthenG1525 →194 times
σὺνwith
sunG4862 →128 times
αὐτοῖςthem
autoisG846 →5565 times
εἰςinto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
ἱερὸνtemple
hi'eronG2411 →70 times
περιπατῶνwalking
peripatonG4043 →94 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἁλλόμενοςleaping
hallomenosG242 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
αἰνῶνpraising
ainonG134 →8 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
θεόν.¶God.
theonG2316 →1312 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 35:6Then the lame will leap like a deer and the mute tongue will shout for joy. For waters will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.
it leads to
- John 5:8–9
Then Jesus told him, “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- John 7:37–39
On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.
- Luke 11:14
One day Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. And when the demon was gone, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowds were amazed,
- Isaiah 32:4
The mind of the rash will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will speak clearly and fluently.
- Matthew 12:22
Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed the man so that he could speak and see.
- John 5:8–9
Through
Acts 14:10In a loud voice Paul called out, “Stand up on your feet!” And the man jumped up and began to walk.
it leads to
- Isaiah 35:6
Then the lame will leap like a deer and the mute tongue will shout for joy. For waters will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.
- John 14:12
Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
- Acts 3:6–8
But Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!”
- Isaiah 35:6
Where this verse is studied
About Acts
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Acts; Erasmus of Rotterdam, Commentary (church-history corpus); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 8; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.