Favoritism Forbidden

2 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious^(A) Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.^{(B) 2} Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. ³ If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” ⁴ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges^(C) with evil thoughts?

⁵ Listen, my dear brothers and sisters:^(D) Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world^(E) to be rich in faith^(F) and to inherit the kingdom^(G) he promised those who love him?^(H)

Jesus Heals a Deaf and Mute Man^(A)

³¹ Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre^(B) and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee^(C) and into the region of the Decapolis.^{[a](D) 32} There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk,^(E) and they begged Jesus to place his hand on^(F) him.

³³ After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit^(G) and touched the man’s tongue. ³⁴ He looked up to heaven^(H) and with a deep sigh^(I) said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). ³⁵ At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.^(J)

³⁶ Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone.^(K) But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. ³⁷ People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”