In the days when Jesus came out of Jericho, a multitude followed Him. And behold, two blind men sitting by the wayside, hearing that Jesus was passing by, began to cry out: "Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!" The people forced them to be silent; but they began to cry out even louder: "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!" And Jesus stopped, and called them, and said, What do you want of me? They said to Him, "Lord! that our eyes may be opened. And Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes; and immediately their eyes saw and they followed him.

Matthew 20:29–34

Saturday, 12th week.

The Gospel of Matthew, conceived 83a

In those days, when Jesus drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethpage to the Mount of Olives, then He sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village that is right before you; and immediately you will find a donkey tied up, and a young ass with it; when you have untied it, bring it to me; and if anyone says anything to you, answer that the Lord has need of them; and immediately he will send them. Yet all this was done, that it might be fulfilled that which was spoken through the prophet, who says: Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold, your King is coming to you meek, sitting on an ass and a colt, the son of a foal. The disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them: they brought the donkey and the colt and the colt and put their garments on them, and he sat on top of them. A multitude of people spread their garments along the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them along the way; And the people who preceded and accompanied cried out, Hosanna to the Son of David! blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest! And when he entered into Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred, saying, Who is this? And the people said, "This is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee." And when the chief priests and the scribes saw the miracles which he had wrought, and the children crying out in the temple, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David! They were indignant, and said to Him, Do you hear what they say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yes! Have you never read: Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast arranged praise? And having left them, he went out of the city to Bethany, and there he spent the night.

Matthew 21:1-11; 15–17

Sunday of Vai, at Matins.

The Gospel of Matthew, conceived 83b

In those days Jesus entered into the temple of God, and cast out all those who sold and bought in the temple, and overturned the tables of the moneychangers, and the benches of those who sold pigeons, and said to them, It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer; but you have made it a den of thieves. And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. And having left them, he went out of the city to Bethany, and there he spent the night. In the morning, returning to the city, he hungered; And when he saw a fig tree by the wayside, he came up to it, and finding nothing on it but leaves, he said to her, "Let there be no more fruit from you forever." And the fig tree immediately withered. Seeing this, the disciples were amazed and said, "How is it that the fig tree immediately withered?"

Matthew 21:12-14; 17–20

Friday of the 9th week.

The Gospel of Matthew, conceived 84a

In those days, as Jesus returned to the city, he hungered; And when he saw a fig tree by the wayside, he came up to it, and finding nothing on it but leaves, he said to her, "Let there be no more fruit from you forever." And the fig tree immediately withered. Seeing this, the disciples were amazed and said, "How is it that the fig tree immediately withered?" And Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, if ye have faith and do not doubt, ye shall not only do what was done to the fig tree, but if ye also say to this mountain, Be lifted up, and be cast into the sea, it shall be done; and whatever you ask in prayer with faith, you will receive.

Matthew 21:18-22