³ The Lord said to Satan, “Have you ^[a]considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man ^[b]fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still ^(A)holds firm to his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ^[c]ruin him without cause.” ⁴ Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has, he will give for his life. ^5 (B)However, reach out with Your hand now, and ^(C)touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face!” ⁶ So the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your ^[d]power, only spare his life.”

^3 (A)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and ^(B)God of all comfort, ⁴ who ^(C)comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in ^[a]any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. ⁵ For just ^(D)as the sufferings of Christ are ^[b]ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. ⁶ But if we are afflicted, it is ^(E)for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; ⁷ and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that ^(F)as you are partners in our sufferings, so also you are in our comfort.