Job 17:1-18:10

New International Version

17 ¹My spirit^(A) is broken,
    my days are cut short,^(B)
    the grave awaits me.^(C)
²Surely mockers^(D) surround me;^(E)
    my eyes must dwell on their hostility.

³“Give me, O God, the pledge you demand.^(F)
    Who else will put up security^(G) for me?^(H)
⁴You have closed their minds to understanding;^(I)
    therefore you will not let them triumph.
⁵If anyone denounces their friends for reward,^(J)
    the eyes of their children will fail.^(K)

⁶“God has made me a byword^(L) to everyone,^(M)
    a man in whose face people spit.^(N)
⁷My eyes have grown dim with grief;^(O)
    my whole frame is but a shadow.^(P)
⁸The upright are appalled at this;
    the innocent are aroused^(Q) against the ungodly.
⁹Nevertheless, the righteous^(R) will hold to their ways,
    and those with clean hands^(S) will grow stronger.^(T)

¹⁰“But come on, all of you, try again!
    I will not find a wise man among you.^(U)
¹¹My days have passed,^(V) my plans are shattered.
    Yet the desires of my heart^(W)
¹²turn night into day;^(X)
    in the face of the darkness light is near.^(Y)
¹³If the only home I hope for is the grave,^(Z)
    if I spread out my bed^(AA) in the realm of darkness,^(AB)
¹⁴if I say to corruption,^(AC) ‘You are my father,’
    and to the worm,^(AD) ‘My mother’ or ‘My sister,’
¹⁵where then is my hope—^(AE)
    who can see any hope for me?^(AF)
¹⁶Will it go down to the gates of death?^(AG)
    Will we descend together into the dust?”^(AH)

Bildad

18 Then Bildad the Shuhite^(AI) replied:

²“When will you end these speeches?^(AJ)
    Be sensible, and then we can talk.
³Why are we regarded as cattle^(AK)
    and considered stupid in your sight?^(AL)
⁴You who tear yourself^(AM) to pieces in your anger,^(AN)
    is the earth to be abandoned for your sake?
    Or must the rocks be moved from their place?^(AO)

⁵“The lamp of a wicked man is snuffed out;^(AP)
    the flame of his fire stops burning.^(AQ)
⁶The light in his tent^(AR) becomes dark;^(AS)
    the lamp beside him goes out.^(AT)
⁷The vigor^(AU) of his step is weakened;^(AV)
    his own schemes^(AW) throw him down.^(AX)
⁸His feet thrust him into a net;^(AY)
    he wanders into its mesh.
⁹A trap seizes him by the heel;
    a snare^(AZ) holds him fast.^(BA)
¹⁰A noose^(BB) is hidden for him on the ground;
    a trap^(BC) lies in his path.^(BD)

Psalm 97:1-6

New International Version

Psalm 97

¹The Lord reigns,^(A) let the earth be glad;^(B)
    let the distant shores^(C) rejoice.
²Clouds^(D) and thick darkness^(E) surround him;
    righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.^(F)
³Fire^(G) goes before^(H) him
    and consumes^(I) his foes on every side.
⁴His lightning^(J) lights up the world;
    the earth^(K) sees and trembles.^(L)
⁵The mountains melt^(M) like wax^(N) before the Lord,
    before the Lord of all the earth.^(O)
⁶The heavens proclaim his righteousness,^(P)
    and all peoples see his glory.^(Q)

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Romans 14:13-23

New International Version

¹³Therefore let us stop passing judgment^(A) on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.^(B) ¹⁴I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself.^(C) But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean.^(D) ¹⁵If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love.^(E) Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died.^(F) ¹⁶Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil.^(G) ¹⁷For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking,^(H) but of righteousness, peace^(I) and joy in the Holy Spirit,^(J) ¹⁸because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.^(K)

¹⁹Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace^(L) and to mutual edification.^(M) ²⁰Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.^(N) All food is clean,^(O) but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.^(P) ²¹It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.^(Q)

²²So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn^(R) himself by what he approves. ²³But whoever has doubts^(S) is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.^[a]

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