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.”

Peter’s Vision^(A)

⁹ About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof^(B) to pray. ¹⁰ He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.^{(C) 11} He saw heaven opened^(D) and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. ¹² It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. ¹³ Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”

¹⁴ “Surely not, Lord!”^(E) Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”^(F)

¹⁵ The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”^(G)

¹⁶ This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

¹⁷ While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision,^(H) the men sent by Cornelius^(I) found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. ¹⁸ They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.

¹⁹ While Peter was still thinking about the vision,^(J) the Spirit said^(K) to him, “Simon, three^[a] men are looking for you. ²⁰ So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”^(L)

²¹ Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?”

²² The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man,^(M) who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.”^{(N) 23} Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.

Peter at Cornelius’s House

The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers^(O) from Joppa went along.^(P)