Acts 3:12When Peter saw it, he responded to the people, "You men of Israel, why do you marvel at this man? Why do you fasten your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him walk?
The setting
Jerusalem, ~32 AD. Solomon's Portico at the Temple. A crowd surrounds Peter and John after healing a lame beggar. Modern-day Temple Mount, Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: urgent concern about misdirected praise
The original word
dynamis (δυνάμει) — miraculous power, supernatural force beyond human ability
Why it matters
Solomon's Portico was a covered walkway where Jesus himself often taught
Read with care
What most readers miss in Acts 3:12
Peter is interrupting their amazement — he sees them staring and immediately redirects
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about false modesty. Peter isn't being humble — he's preventing idolatry. The crowd was treating them like gods.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Acts 3:12
Bible Genome reading
Acts 3:12 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Acts 3:12 comes from the book of Acts, written during the early_church period. The setting is the Temple. These words are attributed to Peter. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include humility, attribution. Notable phrases: why do you marvel; our own power.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does Acts 3:12 mean to you, today?
A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.
Speak your heart →Get 3 verses for "deciding"
Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.