Jesus Heals the Blind and the Mute

²⁷ As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”^(A)

²⁸ When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

“Yes, Lord,” they replied.^(B)

²⁹ Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”;^{(C) 30} and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.”^{(D) 31} But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.^(E)

³² While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed^(F) and could not talk^(G) was brought to Jesus. ³³ And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”^(H)

³⁴ But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.”^(I)

The Workers Are Few

³⁵ Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.^{(J) 36} When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them,^(K) because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.^{(L) 37} Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest^(M) is plentiful but the workers are few.^{(N) 38} Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”