In this post, I review all the references to healing in the Book of Acts (or “Acts of the Apostles”), which is the fifth book of the New Testament right after the four gospels. The author does not name himself, but extra-biblical sources attribute this book to Luke, author of the third gospel and the only non-Jewish New Testament author.
Healing of a lame man
Peter and John were in Jerusalem going to the temple complex for the afternoon prayers. There was a man who was lame from birth at one of the temple gates. People helped him every day to place him there so he could beg for money. He asked the apostles for help, but Peter told him, “I don’t have silver or gold, but what I have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” He then took the man by his hand and helped him to stand up. Immediately, his feet and ankles became strong. He became healed!
The man started walking and jumping, praising God. People were full of awe and astonishment at what had happened. Peter addressed the people and explained to them that by faith in the name of Jesus, this man became strong. He added that the faith that comes through Him had given the man perfect health in front of all of them. This is the first healing performed by the followers of Jesus after His death and resurrection (Acts 3: 1-10).
After the healing, the temple police and the Sadducees arrested Peter and John. They were upset that they taught the people and they proclaimed the resurrection from the dead (Acts 4: 1-4). After threatening them further they released them. They found no way to punish them, because of the many witnesses who had seen the healing. These people were all giving glory to God (Acts 4: 21-22).
Signs and wonders of the apostles
The writer tells us that crowds of believers, both men and women, grew in increasing numbers. Some would carry the sick out into the streets and lay them on cots and mats so that Peter could heal them when he came by, even by his shadow! Large groups of people came from the towns surrounding Jerusalem. They brought sick people and those tormented by unclean spirits. They were all healed (Acts 5: 14-16)!
Philip in Samaria
Philip went down to a city in Samaria proclaiming the Messiah. There, unclean spirits, crying out with loud voices, came out of many who were possessed. Many who were paralyzed, and lame were healed and there was great joy (Acts 8: 4-8).
The healing of Aeneas
After the conversion of Saul (Paul) in Acts, Peter came down to the saints who lived in Lydda (near present day Tel Aviv). There he found a man named Aeneas, paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. Peter told him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed.” Immediately he got up, and many in the town heard about it and turned to the Lord (Acts 9: 32-35).
Tabitha is restored to life
Dorcas (a woman also known as Tabitha) was an early disciple of Jesus who lived in the port city of Joppa (present day Jaffa). We read that she was a person of good works that sewed clothes for the poor. She got sick and died but the widows of her community sent urgently for Peter who was in nearby Lydda. Peter came and he raised her from the dead by saying, “Tabitha, get up!” (Acts 9: 36-43).
Paul Heals a lame man in Lystra
In Lystra a man who was lame from birth and who had never walked in his life heard Paul speaking. Paul observed him closely and saw that he had faith to be healed. He then told him in a loud voice, “Stand up on your feet!” The man immediately jumped up and started to walk around. The people in the crowds started to think some of the apostles were gods that had come down in the form of men (Acts 14: 8-13)!
Later, some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and convinced the crowds to stone Paul, which they did! They dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead but when the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went into the town. Another act of healing. People just did not survive stoning (Acts 14: 19-20)!
Healing miracles with handkerchiefs
Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul. Even when people brought handkerchiefs or aprons that had been in contact with his body to the sick, the diseases left them, and evil spirits went out of them (Acts 19: 11-12). The prayer cloths which many people use for healing to this day, including myself, come from this passage of the book of Acts.
Paul heals a man at Troas
Paul was preaching at the Greek city of Troas, an ancient city whose ruins are in modern day Turkey. A boy named Eutychus was sitting in a window and fell asleep. As he fell asleep, he fell from the third story of the building and people believed he was dead. Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, “Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him.” The boy went home alive and people felt great comfort (Acts 20: 7-12).
Paul heals many people in Malta
After his famous shipwreck in the island of Malta, on the way to Rome as a prisoner, Paul was bitten by a snake. The local people were waiting for his hand to swell up and then die, but nothing happened to him (Acts 28: 1-6).
In Malta Paul met Publius, the chief man on the island, who told him that his father was sick with fever and dysentery. Paul went to visit the sick man, laid his hands on him, and healed him. When this happened, other people from around the island also came to Paul and they were healed (Acts 28: 7-10).
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