²⁷ As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, screaming loudly, “Have mercy and compassion on us, ^[a]Son of David (Messiah)!” ²⁸ When He went into the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe [with a deep, abiding trust] that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” ²⁹ Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith [your trust and confidence in My power and My ability to heal] it will be done to you.” ³⁰ And their eyes were opened. And Jesus ^[b]sternly warned them: “See that no one knows this!” ³¹ But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout that whole district.

³² While they were going away, a mute, demon-possessed man was brought to Jesus. ³³ And when the demon was driven out [by Jesus], the mute man spoke; and the crowds wondered in amazement, saying, “Never before has anything like this [miracle] been seen in Israel.” ³⁴ But the Pharisees were saying, “He casts out the demons by [the power of] the ruler of demons.”

³⁵ Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages [in Galilee], teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news (gospel) of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness [His words and His works reflecting His Messiahship].

³⁶ When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion and pity for them, because they were dispirited and distressed, like sheep without a shepherd.^{(A) 37} Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is [indeed] plentiful, but the workers are few. ³⁸ So pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”