Job

16 Then Job replied:

“I have heard many things like these;
    you are miserable comforters,(A) all of you!(B)
Will your long-winded speeches never end?(C)
    What ails you that you keep on arguing?(D)
I also could speak like you,
    if you were in my place;
I could make fine speeches against you
    and shake my head(E) at you.
But my mouth would encourage you;
    comfort(F) from my lips would bring you relief.(G)

“Yet if I speak, my pain is not relieved;
    and if I refrain, it does not go away.(H)
Surely, God, you have worn me out;(I)
    you have devastated my entire household.(J)
You have shriveled me up—and it has become a witness;
    my gauntness(K) rises up and testifies against me.(L)
God assails me and tears(M) me in his anger(N)
    and gnashes his teeth at me;(O)
    my opponent fastens on me his piercing eyes.(P)
10 People open their mouths(Q) to jeer at me;(R)
    they strike my cheek(S) in scorn
    and unite together against me.(T)
11 God has turned me over to the ungodly
    and thrown me into the clutches of the wicked.(U)
12 All was well with me, but he shattered me;
    he seized me by the neck and crushed me.(V)
He has made me his target;(W)
13     his archers surround me.(X)
Without pity, he pierces(Y) my kidneys
    and spills my gall on the ground.
14 Again and again(Z) he bursts upon me;
    he rushes at me like a warrior.(AA)

15 “I have sewed sackcloth(AB) over my skin
    and buried my brow in the dust.(AC)
16 My face is red with weeping,(AD)
    dark shadows ring my eyes;(AE)
17 yet my hands have been free of violence(AF)
    and my prayer is pure.(AG)

18 “Earth, do not cover my blood;(AH)
    may my cry(AI) never be laid to rest!(AJ)
19 Even now my witness(AK) is in heaven;(AL)
    my advocate is on high.(AM)
20 My intercessor(AN) is my friend[a](AO)
    as my eyes pour out(AP) tears(AQ) to God;
21 on behalf of a man he pleads(AR) with God
    as one pleads for a friend.

22 “Only a few years will pass
    before I take the path of no return.(AS)

17 My spirit(AT) is broken,
    my days are cut short,(AU)
    the grave awaits me.(AV)
Surely mockers(AW) surround me;(AX)
    my eyes must dwell on their hostility.

“Give me, O God, the pledge you demand.(AY)
    Who else will put up security(AZ) for me?(BA)
You have closed their minds to understanding;(BB)
    therefore you will not let them triumph.
If anyone denounces their friends for reward,(BC)
    the eyes of their children will fail.(BD)

“God has made me a byword(BE) to everyone,(BF)
    a man in whose face people spit.(BG)
My eyes have grown dim with grief;(BH)
    my whole frame is but a shadow.(BI)
The upright are appalled at this;
    the innocent are aroused(BJ) against the ungodly.
Nevertheless, the righteous(BK) will hold to their ways,
    and those with clean hands(BL) will grow stronger.(BM)

10 “But come on, all of you, try again!
    I will not find a wise man among you.(BN)
11 My days have passed,(BO) my plans are shattered.
    Yet the desires of my heart(BP)
12 turn night into day;(BQ)
    in the face of the darkness light is near.(BR)
13 If the only home I hope for is the grave,(BS)
    if I spread out my bed(BT) in the realm of darkness,(BU)
14 if I say to corruption,(BV) ‘You are my father,’
    and to the worm,(BW) ‘My mother’ or ‘My sister,’
15 where then is my hope—(BX)
    who can see any hope for me?(BY)
16 Will it go down to the gates of death?(BZ)
    Will we descend together into the dust?”(CA)

Bildad

18 Then Bildad the Shuhite(CB) replied:

“When will you end these speeches?(CC)
    Be sensible, and then we can talk.
Why are we regarded as cattle(CD)
    and considered stupid in your sight?(CE)
You who tear yourself(CF) to pieces in your anger,(CG)
    is the earth to be abandoned for your sake?
    Or must the rocks be moved from their place?(CH)

“The lamp of a wicked man is snuffed out;(CI)
    the flame of his fire stops burning.(CJ)
The light in his tent(CK) becomes dark;(CL)
    the lamp beside him goes out.(CM)
The vigor(CN) of his step is weakened;(CO)
    his own schemes(CP) throw him down.(CQ)
His feet thrust him into a net;(CR)
    he wanders into its mesh.
A trap seizes him by the heel;
    a snare(CS) holds him fast.(CT)
10 A noose(CU) is hidden for him on the ground;
    a trap(CV) lies in his path.(CW)
11 Terrors(CX) startle him on every side(CY)
    and dog(CZ) his every step.
12 Calamity(DA) is hungry(DB) for him;
    disaster(DC) is ready for him when he falls.(DD)
13 It eats away parts of his skin;(DE)
    death’s firstborn devours his limbs.(DF)
14 He is torn from the security of his tent(DG)
    and marched off to the king(DH) of terrors.(DI)
15 Fire resides[b] in his tent;(DJ)
    burning sulfur(DK) is scattered over his dwelling.
16 His roots dry up below(DL)
    and his branches wither above.(DM)
17 The memory of him perishes from the earth;(DN)
    he has no name(DO) in the land.(DP)
18 He is driven from light into the realm of darkness(DQ)
    and is banished(DR) from the world.(DS)
19 He has no offspring(DT) or descendants(DU) among his people,
    no survivor(DV) where once he lived.(DW)
20 People of the west are appalled(DX) at his fate;(DY)
    those of the east are seized with horror.
21 Surely such is the dwelling(DZ) of an evil man;(EA)
    such is the place(EB) of one who does not know God.”(EC)

Job

19 Then Job replied:

“How long will you torment(ED) me
    and crush(EE) me with words?
Ten times(EF) now you have reproached(EG) me;
    shamelessly you attack me.
If it is true that I have gone astray,
    my error(EH) remains my concern alone.
If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me(EI)
    and use my humiliation against me,
then know that God has wronged me(EJ)
    and drawn his net(EK) around me.(EL)

“Though I cry, ‘Violence!’ I get no response;(EM)
    though I call for help,(EN) there is no justice.(EO)
He has blocked my way so I cannot pass;(EP)
    he has shrouded my paths in darkness.(EQ)
He has stripped(ER) me of my honor(ES)
    and removed the crown from my head.(ET)
10 He tears me down(EU) on every side till I am gone;
    he uproots my hope(EV) like a tree.(EW)
11 His anger(EX) burns against me;
    he counts me among his enemies.(EY)
12 His troops advance in force;(EZ)
    they build a siege ramp(FA) against me
    and encamp around my tent.(FB)

13 “He has alienated my family(FC) from me;
    my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.(FD)
14 My relatives have gone away;
    my closest friends(FE) have forgotten me.
15 My guests(FF) and my female servants(FG) count me a foreigner;
    they look on me as on a stranger.
16 I summon my servant, but he does not answer,
    though I beg him with my own mouth.
17 My breath is offensive to my wife;
    I am loathsome(FH) to my own family.
18 Even the little boys(FI) scorn me;
    when I appear, they ridicule me.(FJ)
19 All my intimate friends(FK) detest me;(FL)
    those I love have turned against me.(FM)
20 I am nothing but skin and bones;(FN)
    I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.[c]

21 “Have pity on me, my friends,(FO) have pity,
    for the hand of God has struck(FP) me.
22 Why do you pursue(FQ) me as God does?(FR)
    Will you never get enough of my flesh?(FS)

23 “Oh, that my words were recorded,
    that they were written on a scroll,(FT)
24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool(FU) on[d] lead,
    or engraved in rock forever!(FV)
25 I know that my redeemer[e](FW) lives,(FX)
    and that in the end he will stand on the earth.[f]
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
    yet[g] in[h] my flesh I will see God;(FY)
27 I myself will see him
    with my own eyes(FZ)—I, and not another.
    How my heart yearns(GA) within me!

28 “If you say, ‘How we will hound(GB) him,
    since the root of the trouble lies in him,[i]
29 you should fear the sword yourselves;
    for wrath will bring punishment by the sword,(GC)
    and then you will know that there is judgment.[j](GD)

Footnotes

  1. Job 16:20 Or My friends treat me with scorn
  2. Job 18:15 Or Nothing he had remains
  3. Job 19:20 Or only by my gums
  4. Job 19:24 Or and
  5. Job 19:25 Or vindicator
  6. Job 19:25 Or on my grave
  7. Job 19:26 Or And after I awake, / though this body has been destroyed, / then
  8. Job 19:26 Or destroyed, / apart from
  9. Job 19:28 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts me
  10. Job 19:29 Or sword, / that you may come to know the Almighty

The Collection for the Lord’s People

16 Now about the collection(A) for the Lord’s people:(B) Do what I told the Galatian(C) churches to do. On the first day of every week,(D) each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.(E) Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve(F) and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.

Personal Requests

After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you(G)—for I will be going through Macedonia.(H) Perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey,(I) wherever I go. For I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.(J) But I will stay on at Ephesus(K) until Pentecost,(L) because a great door for effective work has opened to me,(M) and there are many who oppose me.

10 When Timothy(N) comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord,(O) just as I am. 11 No one, then, should treat him with contempt.(P) Send him on his way(Q) in peace(R) so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers.

12 Now about our brother Apollos:(S) I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.

13 Be on your guard; stand firm(T) in the faith; be courageous; be strong.(U) 14 Do everything in love.(V)

15 You know that the household of Stephanas(W) were the first converts(X) in Achaia,(Y) and they have devoted themselves to the service(Z) of the Lord’s people.(AA) I urge you, brothers and sisters, 16 to submit(AB) to such people and to everyone who joins in the work and labors at it. 17 I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you.(AC) 18 For they refreshed(AD) my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.(AE)

Final Greetings

19 The churches in the province of Asia(AF) send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla[a](AG) greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.(AH) 20 All the brothers and sisters here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.(AI)

21 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand.(AJ)

22 If anyone does not love the Lord,(AK) let that person be cursed!(AL) Come, Lord[b]!(AM)

23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.(AN)

24 My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.[c]

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 16:19 Greek Prisca, a variant of Priscilla
  2. 1 Corinthians 16:22 The Greek for Come, Lord reproduces an Aramaic expression (Marana tha) used by early Christians.
  3. 1 Corinthians 16:24 Some manuscripts do not have Amen.

Psalm 40[a](A)

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

I waited patiently(B) for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.(C)
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,(D)
    out of the mud(E) and mire;(F)
he set my feet(G) on a rock(H)
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song(I) in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord(J)
    and put their trust(K) in him.

Blessed is the one(L)
    who trusts in the Lord,(M)
who does not look to the proud,(N)
    to those who turn aside to false gods.[b](O)
Many, Lord my God,
    are the wonders(P) you have done,
    the things you planned for us.
None can compare(Q) with you;
    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
    they would be too many(R) to declare.

Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—(S)
    but my ears you have opened[c](T)
    burnt offerings(U) and sin offerings[d] you did not require.
Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
    it is written about me in the scroll.[e](V)
I desire to do your will,(W) my God;(X)
    your law is within my heart.”(Y)

I proclaim your saving acts(Z) in the great assembly;(AA)
    I do not seal my lips, Lord,
    as you know.(AB)
10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
    I speak of your faithfulness(AC) and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
    from the great assembly.(AD)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 40:1 In Hebrew texts 40:1-17 is numbered 40:2-18.
  2. Psalm 40:4 Or to lies
  3. Psalm 40:6 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts but a body you have prepared for me
  4. Psalm 40:6 Or purification offerings
  5. Psalm 40:7 Or come / with the scroll written for me

22 A good name is more desirable than great riches;
    to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.(A)

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