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- Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret.
- In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit came and fell at his feet.
- The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.
- "First let the children eat all they want," he told her, "for it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs."
- "Yes, Lord," she replied, "but even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs."
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- Then he told her, "For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter."
- She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
- Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.
- There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man.
- After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue.
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- He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means, "Be opened!" ).
- At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.
- Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it.
- People were overwhelmed with amazement. "He has done everything well," they said. "He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."
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