The Blind Man of Bethsaida

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The Blind Man of Bethsaida is found only in Mark 8:22-26. According to Mark, when Jesus came to Bethsaida, a town in Galilee, he was asked to heal a blind man. Jesus took his patient out of town, put some spittle on his eyes, and laid hands on him. "I see men like trees, walking," said the man. Jesus repeated the procedure, resulting in clear and perfect eyesight. "Neither go into the town," commanded Jesus, "nor tell anyone in the town." (New King James Version). Though the story appears only here and nowhere else in the New Testament, it is considered authentic because of the Criterion of Embarrassment: Matthew, Luke and John may have been embarrassed by the story because Jesus had to apply his blessing twice before the man was entirely healed.