One of the New Testament's great accounts of healing through divine authority is the incident of Peter and John having encountered "a certain man lame from his mother's womb," who was carried each day to a gate leading to the temple at Jerusalem. The account is recorded in the third chapter of Acts.

The man, following his daily custom to ask alms of passersby, appealed to Peter and John. "Look on us," Peter said to the man, who "gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them."

Peter's response was as poetic as prophetic: "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk."

Peter took him by the right hand and "lifted him up."

"And immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping and praising God."

People nearby saw the man walking and heard his praises. They "were filled with wonder and amazement" to see the man, whom they all knew to be lame, able to walk. To them, Peter proclaimed: "Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?" Peter testified that it was through the name of Jesus, and faith in His name, that the man was brought to a state of "perfect soundness in the presence of you all." (See Acts 3:1-16.)

At the October 1988 general conference, Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve said: "The phrase 'lifted him up' is, to me, a key point in this miracle. That is what the priesthood does. To be lifted up in this sense means to be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof. . . . The priesthood lifts us and enables us to do things far beyond our own unassisted abilities if we are worthy to exercise it. Also, it gives us the power and authority to lift others. In fact, it places on us the obligation to lift all who come under our influence, much as Peter lifted the afflicted man."