Open Word

FIRST READING

Judges 5:12-21

Verse 12. ‘Awake, awake, O Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, O Barak, and take hold of your captives, O son of Abinoam!’ Verse 13. Then the survivors came down to the nobles; the people of the LORD came down to me against the mighty. Verse 14. Some came from Ephraim, with their roots in Amalek; Benjamin came with your people after you. The commanders came down from Machir, the bearers of the marshal’s staff from Zebulun. Verse 15. The princes of Issachar were with Deborah, and Issachar was with Barak, rushing into the valley at his heels. In the clans of Reuben there was great indecision. Verse 16. Why did you sit among the sheepfolds to hear the whistling for the flocks? In the clans of Reuben there was great indecision. Verse 17. Gilead remained beyond the Jordan. Dan, why did you linger by the ships? Asher stayed at the coast and remained in his harbors. Verse 18. Zebulun was a people who risked their lives; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the battlefield. Verse 19. Kings came and fought; then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no plunder of silver. Verse 20. From the heavens the stars fought; from their courses they fought against Sisera. Verse 21. The River Kishon swept them away, the ancient river, the River Kishon. March on, O my soul, in strength!

PSALM

Psalm 106:1-12

Hallelujah! Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.

Who can describe the mighty acts of the LORD or fully proclaim His praise?

Blessed are those who uphold justice, who practice righteousness at all times.

Remember me, O LORD, in Your favor to Your people; visit me with Your salvation,

that I may see the prosperity of Your chosen ones, and rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, and give glory with Your inheritance.

We have sinned like our fathers; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.

Our fathers in Egypt did not grasp Your wonders or remember Your abundant kindness; but they rebelled by the sea, there at the Red Sea.

Yet He saved them for the sake of His name, to make His power known.

He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up; He led them through the depths as through a desert.

He saved them from the hand that hated them; He redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

The waters covered their foes; not one of them remained.

Then they believed His promises and sang His praise.

SECOND READING

1 John 5:13-21

Verse 13. I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. Verse 14. And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. Verse 15. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him. Verse 16. If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he should ask God, who will give life to those who commit this kind of sin. There is a sin that leads to death; I am not saying he should ask regarding that sin. Verse 17. All unrighteousness is sin, yet there is sin that does not lead to death. Verse 18. We know that anyone born of God does not keep on sinning; the One who was born of God protects him, and the evil one cannot touch him. Verse 19. We know that we are of God, and that the whole world is under the power of the evil one. Verse 20. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true — in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Verse 21. Little children, keep yourselves from idols.