Section 20:29–34

Jesus healed two blind people

In this section, Jesus healed two blind people. These blind people called Jesus the “Son of David” two times. This emphasizes who Jesus was just as he was about to enter Jerusalem as the Messiah. The blind people’s simple request to be healed is a stark contrast with James’ and John’s request for high positions.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Two blind men receive their sight
-or-
Jesus had mercy on two blind people and healed them

There are parallel passages for this section in Mark 10:46–52 and Luke 18:35–43.

20:29

The story in this section began sometime after the story in the previous section ended. The Greek text does not indicate how much time passed between these two stories. In some languages, it is natural to begin a new story with a time word or phrase. If your language is like that, use an expression here that is not too specific. For example:

Then
-or-
Later

In other languages, a time word or phrase is not necessary. Introduce this story in a natural way in your language.

As they were leaving Jericho: There is some implied information here. Matthew did not say that Jesus and his disciples had arrived at Jericho. He only says that they were leaving. In some languages, it may be important to include some of this implied information. For example:

Jesus and his disciples ⌊arrived at⌋ Jericho, and as they were leaving
-or-
After Jesus and his disciples had passed through Jericho

they: The pronoun they refers to Jesus and his disciples. In some languages, it may be natural to make this explicit. For example:

Jesus and his disciples (New International Version)

Jericho: Jericho was a town on the west side of the Jordan River. It was just a few kilometers from where the Jordan River runs into the Dead Sea. It was about 24 kilometer to the northeast of Jerusalem. Jerusalem was where Jesus and his disciples were going.

In some languages, it may be natural to say that Jericho is a town. For example:

⌊the town of⌋ Jericho

a large crowd: The word large indicates that there was a great number of people in the crowd.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

a great many people (New Century Version)
-or-
a large group of people

followed Him: Here the phrase followed Him probably means “walked along with Jesus for some distance” (as in 19:2a). This probably indicates that the crowd was attracted to who Jesus was, what he said, and the miracles he did. The people wanted to see and hear him. They did not just happen to be on the same road as Jesus.

In other contexts, this word can mean “became a disciple of Jesus.” That is not the meaning here. Here you should translate followed in a more literal way. For example:

followed behind him

-or-

walked along behind/with him

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