April 13

Mark 5:21-43

Jesus Heals a Woman and Jairus’s Daughter

[21] And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. [22] Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet [23] and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” [24] And he went with him. 

And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him.  [25] And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, [26] and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. [27] She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. [28] For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” [29] And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. [30] And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” [31] And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” [32] And he looked around to see who had done it. [33] But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. [34] And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

[35] While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” [36] But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” [37] And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. [38] They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. [39] And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” [40] And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. [41] Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” [42] And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. [43] And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

1 Corinthians 9:13-27

[13] Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? [14] In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.

[15] But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. [16] For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! [17] For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. [18] What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

[19] For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. [20] To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. [21] To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. [22] To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. [23] I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

[24] Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. [25] Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. [26] So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. [27] But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Psalm 83

O God, Do Not Keep Silence

A Song. A Psalm of Asaph.

    [1] O God, do not keep silence;

        do not hold your peace or be still, O God! 

    [2] For behold, your enemies make an uproar;

        those who hate you have raised their heads. 

    [3] They lay crafty plans against your people;

        they consult together against your treasured ones. 

    [4] They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation;

        let the name of Israel be remembered no more!” 

    [5] For they conspire with one accord;

        against you they make a covenant—

    [6] the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,

        Moab and the Hagrites, 

    [7] Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,

        Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; 

    [8] Asshur also has joined them;

        they are the strong arm of the children of Lot. Selah

    [9] Do to them as you did to Midian,

        as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon, 

    [10] who were destroyed at En-dor,

        who became dung for the ground. 

    [11] Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,

        all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna, 

    [12] who said, “Let us take possession for ourselves

        of the pastures of God.”

    [13] O my God, make them like whirling dust,

        like chaff before the wind. 

    [14] As fire consumes the forest,

        as the flame sets the mountains ablaze, 

    [15] so may you pursue them with your tempest

        and terrify them with your hurricane! 

    [16] Fill their faces with shame,

        that they may seek your name, O LORD. 

    [17] Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever;

        let them perish in disgrace, 

    [18] that they may know that you alone,

        whose name is the LORD,

        are the Most High over all the earth.

Judges 4

Deborah and Barak

[1] And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD after Ehud died. [2] And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. [3] Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years.

[4] Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. [5] She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment. [6] She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun. [7] And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand’?” [8] Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” [9] And she said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. [10] And Barak called out Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. And 10,000 men went up at his heels, and Deborah went up with him.

[11] Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh.

[12] When Sisera was told that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, [13] Sisera called out all his chariots, 900 chariots of iron, and all the men who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. [14] And Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the LORD go out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him. [15] And the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword. And Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot. [16] And Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left.

[17] But Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. [18] And Jael came out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord; turn aside to me; do not be afraid.” So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. [19] And he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him. [20] And he said to her, “Stand at the opening of the tent, and if any man comes and asks you, ‘Is anyone here?’ say, ‘No.’” [21] But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died. [22] And behold, as Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he went in to her tent, and there lay Sisera dead, with the tent peg in his temple.

[23] So on that day God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the people of Israel. [24] And the hand of the people of Israel pressed harder and harder against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

Judges 5

The Song of Deborah and Barak

[1] Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day:

    [2] “That the leaders took the lead in Israel,

        that the people offered themselves willingly,

        bless the LORD!

    [3] “Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes;

        to the LORD I will sing;

        I will make melody to the LORD, the God of Israel.

    [4] “LORD, when you went out from Seir,

        when you marched from the region of Edom,

    the earth trembled

        and the heavens dropped,

        yes, the clouds dropped water. 

    [5] The mountains quaked before the LORD,

        even Sinai before the LORD, the God of Israel.

    [6] “In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath,

        in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned,

        and travelers kept to the byways. 

    [7] The villagers ceased in Israel;

        they ceased to be until I arose;

        I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel. 

    [8] When new gods were chosen,

        then war was in the gates.

    Was shield or spear to be seen

        among forty thousand in Israel? 

    [9] My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel

        who offered themselves willingly among the people.

        Bless the LORD.

    [10] “Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys,

        you who sit on rich carpets

        and you who walk by the way. 

    [11] To the sound of musicians at the watering places,

        there they repeat the righteous triumphs of the LORD,

        the righteous triumphs of his villagers in Israel.

    “Then down to the gates marched the people of the LORD.

    [12] “Awake, awake, Deborah!

        Awake, awake, break out in a song!

    Arise, Barak, lead away your captives,

        O son of Abinoam. 

    [13] Then down marched the remnant of the noble;

        the people of the LORD marched down for me against the mighty. 

    [14] From Ephraim their root they marched down into the valley,

        following you, Benjamin, with your kinsmen;

    from Machir marched down the commanders,

        and from Zebulun those who bear the lieutenant’s staff; 

    [15] the princes of Issachar came with Deborah,

        and Issachar faithful to Barak;

        into the valley they rushed at his heels.

    Among the clans of Reuben

        there were great searchings of heart. 

    [16] Why did you sit still among the sheepfolds,

        to hear the whistling for the flocks?

    Among the clans of Reuben

        there were great searchings of heart. 

    [17] Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan;

        and Dan, why did he stay with the ships?

    Asher sat still at the coast of the sea,

        staying by his landings. 

    [18] Zebulun is a people who risked their lives to the death;

        Naphtali, too, on the heights of the field.

    [19] “The kings came, they fought;

        then fought the kings of Canaan,

    at Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo;

        they got no spoils of silver. 

    [20] From heaven the stars fought,

        from their courses they fought against Sisera. 

    [21] The torrent Kishon swept them away,

        the ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon.

        March on, my soul, with might!

    [22] “Then loud beat the horses’ hoofs

        with the galloping, galloping of his steeds.

    [23] “Curse Meroz, says the angel of the LORD,

        curse its inhabitants thoroughly,

    because they did not come to the help of the LORD,

        to the help of the LORD against the mighty.

    [24] “Most blessed of women be Jael,

        the wife of Heber the Kenite,

        of tent-dwelling women most blessed. 

    [25] He asked for water and she gave him milk;

        she brought him curds in a noble’s bowl. 

    [26] She sent her hand to the tent peg

        and her right hand to the workmen’s mallet;

    she struck Sisera;

        she crushed his head;

        she shattered and pierced his temple. 

    [27] Between her feet

        he sank, he fell, he lay still;

    between her feet

        he sank, he fell;

    where he sank,

        there he fell—dead.

    [28] “Out of the window she peered,

        the mother of Sisera wailed through the lattice:

    ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming?

        Why tarry the hoofbeats of his chariots?’ 

    [29] Her wisest princesses answer,

        indeed, she answers herself, 

    [30] ‘Have they not found and divided the spoil?—

        A womb or two for every man;

    spoil of dyed materials for Sisera,

        spoil of dyed materials embroidered,

        two pieces of dyed work embroidered for the neck as spoil?’

    [31] “So may all your enemies perish, O LORD!

        But your friends be like the sun as he rises in his might.”

    And the land had rest for forty years.