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Acts 4:13
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

Acts 8:14
Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

Matthew 17:1
And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

went.

Acts 2:46
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

Acts 5:25
Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.

Luke 24:53
And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

the hour.

Acts 10:3,30
He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius…

Exodus 29:39
The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even:

Numbers 28:4
The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even;

Peter and John
Peter and John were two of Jesus' closest disciples, often seen together in the Gospels and Acts. Their partnership in ministry highlights the importance of fellowship and collaboration in the early church. Peter, known for his leadership and boldness, and John, known for his deep spiritual insight, represent a balance of action and contemplation. Their presence together underscores the unity and shared mission among the apostles.

were going up to the temple
The temple in Jerusalem was the center of Jewish worship and a place of significant religious activity. "Going up" refers to the physical ascent to the temple, which was situated on a hill. This phrase also indicates their continued participation in Jewish religious practices, showing respect for their heritage while also being part of the new movement initiated by Jesus. The temple was a place where Jesus himself taught, and now his apostles continue his work there.

at the hour of prayer
The Jewish day included three specific times for prayer: morning, afternoon, and evening. The hour of prayer mentioned here aligns with the afternoon sacrifice, a time when many would gather at the temple. This practice reflects the discipline and devotion of the early believers, who maintained regular prayer times. It also shows the continuity between Jewish customs and the emerging Christian faith.

the ninth hour
The ninth hour corresponds to 3 PM, a significant time in the Jewish day for prayer and sacrifice. This was the time of the evening sacrifice, a moment of communal worship and atonement. In the context of the New Testament, the ninth hour is also the time when Jesus cried out on the cross, "It is finished" (John 19:30), marking the completion of his sacrificial work. This connection underscores the fulfillment of Old Testament sacrificial practices through Christ's ultimate sacrifice.

“One afternoon” (Acts 3:1) tells us this moment happened on an ordinary day. Scripture never treats real history as myth; Luke anchors the account in literal time. By including a specific part of the day, he reminds us that God often works through everyday routines (compareActs 16:13, “On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river…”). The Lord who set the sun’s course is just as active in a Tuesday afternoon as on Easter morning.

Peter and John—two apostles who had fished together (Luke 5:10) and raced to the empty tomb together (John 20:3-4)—now minister together.

• Their partnership models the “two by two” principle Jesus used (Mark 6:7).

• The presence of both satisfies the requirement for trustworthy witness (Deuteronomy 19:15).

• Their differing personalities—Peter bold, John reflective—show how Christ welds diverse believers into one body (1 Corinthians 12:4-6).

Their unity in purpose illustratesPsalm 133:1, “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!”

The fledgling church did not abandon God’s house in Jerusalem; rather, they cherished it as the place where God had long revealed Himself (2 Chronicles 7:15-16).Acts 2:46 says, “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.”

• They “were going up,” literally ascending the temple mount, a physical act mirroring their spiritual desire to draw near to God (Psalm 24:3-4).

• Their presence testified that faith in Jesus fulfills, not rejects, the law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17).

• The temple provided a public platform for gospel proclamation (Acts 5:20-21).

Jews customarily prayed three set times a day (Psalm 55:17). The apostles honored that rhythm, showing continuity with God’s covenant people.

• Regular prayer anchored the early church (Acts 1:14;2 Thessalonians 1:11).

• Set hours cultivate discipline, yet Acts will shortly display spontaneous prayer in crisis (Acts 4:24). Structure and Spirit complement, not compete.

• The “hour of prayer” underscores that approaching God is never random; He is a God of order (1 Corinthians 14:33).

The ninth hour equals about 3 p.m.—the time of the evening sacrifice and the offering of incense (Exodus 29:39;Luke 1:10).

• Elijah’s fire-from-heaven prayer occurred “at the time of the evening sacrifice” (1 Kings 18:36).

• Jesus cried, “It is finished,” and breathed His last “about the ninth hour” (Matthew 27:46-50), forever linking this hour with the completed atonement.

• By arriving then, Peter and John step into a moment loaded with redemptive meaning: sacrifices are still being offered, yet the Lamb has already died. Their upcoming miracle (Acts 3:6-8) will point worshipers from the temple’s rituals to the risen Christ.

Acts 3:1 portrays two redeemed fishermen, on an ordinary afternoon, deliberately ascending God’s house at the set time of prayer. Their faithfulness to routine devotion positions them for an extraordinary work of God moments later. The verse reminds us that God meets obedient believers in the regular rhythms of worship, uses simple partnerships for powerful witness, and weaves each hour of the day into His redemptive plan.

(1)Now Peterand John went up.--Better,were going up. The union of the two brings the narratives of the Gospels into an interesting connection with the Acts. They were probably about the same age (the idea that Peter was some years older than John rests mainly on the pictures which artists have drawn from their imagination, and has no evidence in Scripture), and had been friends from their youth upward. They had been partners as fishermen on the Sea of Galilee (Luke 5:10). They had been sharers in looking for the consolation of Israel, and had together received the baptism of John (John 1:41). John and Andrew had striven which should be the first to tell Peter that they had found the Christ (John 1:41). The two had been sent together to prepare for the Passover (Luke 22:8). John takes Peter into the palace of the high priest (John 18:16), and though he must have witnessed his denials is not estranged from him. It is to John that Peter turns for comfort after his fall, and with him he comes to the sepulchre on the morning of the Resurrection (John 20:6). The eager affection which, now more strongly than ever, bound the two together is seen in Peter's question, "Lord, and what shall this man do?" (John 21:21); and now they are again sharers in action and in heart, in teaching and in worship. Passing rivalries there may have been, disputes which was the greatest, prayers for places on the right hand and the left (Matthew 20:20;Mark 10:35); but the idea maintained by Renan (Vie de Jesus, Introduction),that St. John wrote his Gospel to exalt himself at the expense of Peter, must take its place among thedelirantium somnia,the morbid imaginations, of inventive interpretation. They appear in company again in the mission to Samaria (Acts 8:14), and in recognising the work that had been done by Paul and Barnabas among the Gentiles (Galatians 2:9). When it was that they parted never to meet again, we have no record. No account is given as to the interval that had passed since the Day of Pentecost. Presumably the brief notice at the end of Acts 2 was meant to summarise a gradual progress, marked by no striking incidents, which may have gone on for several months. The absence of chronologicaldata in the Acts, as a book written by one who in the Gospel appears to lay stress on such matters (Luke 3:1;Luke 6:2), is somewhat remarkable. The most natural explanation is that he found the informants who supplied him with his facts somewhat uncertain on these points, and that, as a truthful historian, he would not invent dates. . . .