^6 (A)Now there was a day when the ^[a](B)sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and ^[b]Satan also came among them. ⁷ The Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “^(C)From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” ⁸ The Lord said to Satan, “Have you ^[c]considered ^(D)My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, ^(E)a blameless and upright man, ^[d]fearing God and turning away from evil.” ⁹ Then ^(F)Satan answered the ^[e]Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? ^10 (G)Have You not made a fence around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? ^(H)You have blessed the work of his hands, and his ^(I)possessions have increased in the land. ^11 (J)But reach out with Your hand now and ^(K)touch all that he has; he will certainly curse You to Your face.” ¹² Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your ^[f]power; only do not reach out and put your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord.

Satan Allowed to Test Job

¹³ Now on the day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, ¹⁴ a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the female donkeys feeding beside them, ¹⁵ and ^[g]the ^(L)Sabeans ^[h]attacked and took them. They also ^[i]killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and ^[j]I alone have escaped to tell you.” ¹⁶ While he was still speaking, another came and said, “^(M)The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” ¹⁷ While he was still speaking, another came and said, “The ^(N)Chaldeans formed three units and made a raid on the camels and took them, and ^[k]killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” ¹⁸ While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, ¹⁹ and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

²⁰ Then Job got up, ^(O)tore his robe, and shaved his head; then he fell to the ground and worshiped. ²¹ He said,

^22 (R)Despite all this, Job did not sin, nor did he ^[l]blame God.

² The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” 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.”

⁷ Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with ^(D)severe boils from the sole of his foot to the top of his head. ⁸ And Job took a piece of pottery to scrape himself while ^(E)he was sitting in the ashes.

⁹ Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold firm your integrity? Curse God and die!” ¹⁰ But he said to her, “You are speaking as one of the foolish women speaks. ^(F)Shall we actually accept good from God but not accept adversity?” ^(G)Despite all this, Job did not sin with his lips.