Memorial Saturday

But, beloved, we are persuaded of better things for you, and things that accompany salvation, even though we speak like this. ¹⁰For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them. ¹¹We desire that each one of you may show the same diligence to the fullness of hope even to the end, ¹²that you won’t be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherited the promises.

Again he departed from the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and came to the sea of Galilee through the middle of the region of Decapolis. ³²They brought to him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech. They begged him to lay his hand on him. ³³He took him aside from the multitude privately and put his fingers into his ears; and he spat and touched his tongue. ³⁴Looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!” ³⁵Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was released, and he spoke clearly. ³⁶He commanded them that they should tell no one, but the more he commanded them, so much the more widely they proclaimed it. ³⁷They were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes even the deaf hear and the mute speak!”