Job

19 Then Job replied:

“How long will you torment(A) me
    and crush(B) me with words?
Ten times(C) now you have reproached(D) me;
    shamelessly you attack me.
If it is true that I have gone astray,
    my error(E) remains my concern alone.
If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me(F)
    and use my humiliation against me,
then know that God has wronged me(G)
    and drawn his net(H) around me.(I)

“Though I cry, ‘Violence!’ I get no response;(J)
    though I call for help,(K) there is no justice.(L)
He has blocked my way so I cannot pass;(M)
    he has shrouded my paths in darkness.(N)
He has stripped(O) me of my honor(P)
    and removed the crown from my head.(Q)
10 He tears me down(R) on every side till I am gone;
    he uproots my hope(S) like a tree.(T)
11 His anger(U) burns against me;
    he counts me among his enemies.(V)
12 His troops advance in force;(W)
    they build a siege ramp(X) against me
    and encamp around my tent.(Y)

13 “He has alienated my family(Z) from me;
    my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.(AA)
14 My relatives have gone away;
    my closest friends(AB) have forgotten me.
15 My guests(AC) and my female servants(AD) 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(AE) to my own family.
18 Even the little boys(AF) scorn me;
    when I appear, they ridicule me.(AG)
19 All my intimate friends(AH) detest me;(AI)
    those I love have turned against me.(AJ)
20 I am nothing but skin and bones;(AK)
    I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.[a]

21 “Have pity on me, my friends,(AL) have pity,
    for the hand of God has struck(AM) me.
22 Why do you pursue(AN) me as God does?(AO)
    Will you never get enough of my flesh?(AP)

23 “Oh, that my words were recorded,
    that they were written on a scroll,(AQ)
24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool(AR) on[b] lead,
    or engraved in rock forever!(AS)
25 I know that my redeemer[c](AT) lives,(AU)
    and that in the end he will stand on the earth.[d]
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
    yet[e] in[f] my flesh I will see God;(AV)
27 I myself will see him
    with my own eyes(AW)—I, and not another.
    How my heart yearns(AX) within me!

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Footnotes

  1. Job 19:20 Or only by my gums
  2. Job 19:24 Or and
  3. Job 19:25 Or vindicator
  4. Job 19:25 Or on my grave
  5. Job 19:26 Or And after I awake, / though this body has been destroyed, / then
  6. Job 19:26 Or destroyed, / apart from

31 Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker,(A)
    but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.(B)

32 When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down,(C)
    but even in death the righteous seek refuge in God.(D)

33 Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning(E)
    and even among fools she lets herself be known.[a]

34 Righteousness exalts a nation,(F)
    but sin condemns any people.

35 A king delights in a wise servant,
    but a shameful servant arouses his fury.(G)

15 A gentle answer(H) turns away wrath,(I)
    but a harsh word stirs up anger.

The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge,(J)
    but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.(K)

The eyes(L) of the Lord are everywhere,(M)
    keeping watch on the wicked and the good.(N)

The soothing tongue(O) is a tree of life,(P)
    but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.(Q)

A fool spurns a parent’s discipline,
    but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.(R)

The house of the righteous contains great treasure,(S)
    but the income of the wicked brings ruin.(T)

The lips of the wise spread knowledge,(U)
    but the hearts of fools are not upright.

The Lord detests the sacrifice(V) of the wicked,(W)
    but the prayer of the upright pleases him.(X)

The Lord detests the way of the wicked,(Y)
    but he loves those who pursue righteousness.(Z)

10 Stern discipline awaits anyone who leaves the path;
    the one who hates correction will die.(AA)

11 Death and Destruction[b] lie open before the Lord(AB)
    how much more do human hearts!(AC)

12 Mockers resent correction,(AD)
    so they avoid the wise.

13 A happy heart makes the face cheerful,(AE)
    but heartache crushes the spirit.(AF)

14 The discerning heart seeks knowledge,(AG)
    but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.

15 All the days of the oppressed are wretched,
    but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.(AH)

16 Better a little with the fear of the Lord
    than great wealth with turmoil.(AI)

17 Better a small serving of vegetables with love
    than a fattened calf with hatred.(AJ)

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:33 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac discerning / but in the heart of fools she is not known
  2. Proverbs 15:11 Hebrew Abaddon

21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies(A) in your minds(B) because of[a] your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled(C) you by Christ’s physical body(D) through death to present you(E) holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation(F) 23 if you continue(G) in your faith, established(H) and firm, and do not move from the hope(I) held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven,(J) and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.(K)

Paul’s Labor for the Church

24 Now I rejoice(L) in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions,(M) for the sake of his body, which is the church.(N) 25 I have become its servant(O) by the commission God gave me(P) to present to you the word of God(Q) in its fullness— 26 the mystery(R) that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 27 To them God has chosen to make known(S) among the Gentiles the glorious riches(T) of this mystery, which is Christ in you,(U) the hope of glory.

28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing(V) and teaching everyone with all wisdom,(W) so that we may present everyone fully mature(X) in Christ. 29 To this end I strenuously(Y) contend(Z) with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.(AA)

I want you to know how hard I am contending(AB) for you and for those at Laodicea,(AC) and for all who have not met me personally. My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart(AD) and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery(AE) of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.(AF) I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.(AG) For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit(AH) and delight to see how disciplined(AI) you are and how firm(AJ) your faith in Christ(AK) is.

Spiritual Fullness in Christ

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,(AL) continue to live your lives in him, rooted(AM) and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught,(AN) and overflowing with thankfulness.

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 1:21 Or minds, as shown by

Warnings and Encouragements(A)

12 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be[a] on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.(B) There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.(C) What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.

“I tell you, my friends,(D) do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.(E) Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.(F) Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.(G)

“I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God.(H) But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned(I) before the angels of God. 10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man(J) will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.(K)

11 “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say,(L) 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”(M)

The Parable of the Rich Fool

13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”(N)

16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool!(O) This very night your life will be demanded from you.(P) Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’(Q)

21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”(R)

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 12:1 Or speak to his disciples, saying: “First of all, be

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