Open Word

FIRST READING

2 Kings 4:1-7

Verse 1. Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves!” Verse 2. “How can I help you?” asked Elisha. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She answered, “Your servant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.” Verse 3. “Go,” said Elisha, “borrow empty jars from all your neighbors. Do not gather just a few. Verse 4. Then go inside, shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour oil into all these jars, setting the full ones aside.” Verse 5. So she left him, and after she had shut the door behind her and her sons, they kept bringing jars to her, and she kept pouring. Verse 6. When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another.” But he replied, “There are no more jars.” Then the oil stopped flowing. Verse 7. She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil, and pay your debt. Then you and your sons can live on the remainder.”

PSALM

Psalm 53

For the choirmaster. According to Mahalath. A Maskil of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their ways are vile. There is no one who does good.

God looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.

All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.

Will the workers of iniquity never learn? They devour my people like bread; they refuse to call upon God.

There they are, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to fear. For God has scattered the bones of those who besieged you. You put them to shame, for God has despised them.

Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come from Zion! When God restores His captive people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad!

SECOND READING

Luke 9:10-17

Verse 10. Then the apostles returned and reported to Jesus all that they had done. Taking them away privately, He withdrew to a town called Bethsaida. Verse 11. But the crowds found out and followed Him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and He healed those who needed healing. Verse 12. As the day neared its end, the Twelve came to Jesus and said, “Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside for lodging and provisions. For we are in a desolate place here.” Verse 13. But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.” “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered, “unless we go and buy food for all these people.” Verse 14. (There were about five thousand men.) He told His disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” Verse 15. They did so, and everyone was seated. Verse 16. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus spoke a blessing and broke them. Then He gave them to the disciples to set before the people. Verse 17. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.