First ReadingExodus 3:13-20
From the Book of Exodus
13Moses said to God,“Behold, when I come to the children of Israel,and tell them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’what should I tell them?”
14God said to Moses,“I AM WHO I AM,” and he said,“You shall tell the children of Israel this:‘I AM has sent me to you.’”15God said moreover to Moses,“You shall tell the children of Israel this,‘The Lord, the God of your fathers,the God of Abraham,the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,has sent me to you.’This is my name forever,and this is my memorial to all generations.16Go and gather the elders of Israel together,and tell them, ‘The Lord,the God of your fathers,the God of Abraham,of Isaac, and of Jacob,has appeared to me,saying, “I have surely visited you,and seen that which is done to you in Egypt.17I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanite,the Hittite, the Amorite,the Perizzite, the Hivite,and the Jebusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey.”’18They will listen to your voice.You shall come, you and the elders of Israel,to the king of Egypt,and you shall tell him,‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us.Now please let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness,that we may sacrifice to the Lord, our God.’19I know that the king of Egypt won’t give you permission to go,no, not by a mighty hand.20I will reach out my handand strike Egypt with all my wonderswhich I will do among them,and after that he will let you go.