Not Dead But Asleep

While Jesus was speaking to the people, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter’s just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she’ll live.” Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.

Just then a woman who’d been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I’ll be healed.”

Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith’s healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.

When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, he said, “Go away. The girl’s not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. News of this spread through all that region.

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

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

“Yes, Lord,” they replied.

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

While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and couldn’t talk was brought to Jesus. And when the demon was driven out, the man who’d been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”

But the Pharisees said, “It’s by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.”

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. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Matthew