Job 19
Modern English Version
Job Replies: My Redeemer Lives
19 Then Job answered:
2 “How long will you torment my soul
and break me in pieces with words?
3 These ten times you have reproached me;
you are not ashamed that you have wronged me.
4 And if indeed I have erred,
my error remains with me.
5 If indeed you exalt yourselves against me
and plead against me with my disgrace,
6 know now that God has bent me
and has surrounded me with His net.
7 “Look, I cry out concerning wrong, but I am not heard;
I cry aloud, but there is no justice.
8 He has fenced up my way that I cannot pass,
and He has set darkness in my paths.
9 He has stripped me of my glory
and taken the crown from my head.
10 He has destroyed me on every side, and I am gone;
my hope He has uprooted like a tree.
11 He has also kindled His wrath against me,
and He counts me as one of His enemies.
12 His troops come together
and build up their road against me;
they set up camp all around my tent.
13 “He has removed my brothers far from me,
and my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.
14 My relatives have failed,
and my close friends have forgotten me.
15 Those who dwell in my house, and my maidservants,
count me for a stranger;
I am a foreigner in their sight.
16 I called my servant, but he gave me no answer;
I begged him with my mouth.
17 My breath is offensive to my wife;
I am loathsome to the children of my own body.
18 Yes, young children despise me;
I arose, and they spoke against me.
19 All my close friends abhorred me,
and they whom I love are turned against me.
20 My bones cling to my skin and to my flesh,
and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21 “Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O you my friends,
for the hand of God has struck me!
22 Why do you persecute me as God does,
and are not satisfied with my flesh?
23 “Oh, that my words were written!
Oh, that they were inscribed in a book!
24 That they were engraved with an iron pen
and lead in the rock forever!
25 For I know that my Redeemer lives,
and He will stand at last on the earth;
26 and after my skin is destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God,
27 whom I will see for myself,
and my eyes will behold, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me.
28 “If you should say, ‘How shall we persecute him?’
since the root of the matter is found in me,
29 be afraid of the sword for yourselves;
for wrath brings the punishments of the sword,
that you may know there is a judgment.”
Job 19
Authorized (King James) Version
19 Then Job answered and said,
2 How long will ye vex my soul,
and break me in pieces with words?
3 These ten times have ye reproached me:
ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.
4 And be it indeed that I have erred,
mine error remaineth with myself.
5 If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me,
and plead against me my reproach:
6 know now that God hath overthrown me,
and hath compassed me with his net.
7 Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard:
I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass,
and he hath set darkness in my paths.
9 He hath stripped me of my glory,
and taken the crown from my head.
10 He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone:
and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.
11 He hath also kindled his wrath against me,
and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies.
12 His troops come together, and raise up their way against me,
and encamp round about my tabernacle.
13 He hath put my brethren far from me,
and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me.
14 My kinsfolk have failed,
and my familiar friends have forgotten me.
15 They that dwell in mine house, and my maids,
count me for a stranger:
I am an alien in their sight.
16 I called my servant, and he gave me no answer;
I intreated him with my mouth.
17 My breath is strange to my wife,
though I intreated for the children’s sake of mine own body.
18 Yea, young children despised me;
I arose, and they spake against me.
19 All my inward friends abhorred me:
and they whom I loved are turned against me.
20 My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh,
and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends;
for the hand of God hath touched me.
22 Why do ye persecute me as God,
and are not satisfied with my flesh?
23 Oh that my words were now written!
oh that they were printed in a book!
24 That they were graven with an iron pen and lead
in the rock for ever!
25 For I know that my redeemer liveth,
and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
26 and though after my skin worms destroy this body,
yet in my flesh shall I see God:
27 whom I shall see for myself,
and mine eyes shall behold, and not another;
though my reins be consumed within me.
28 But ye should say, Why persecute we him,
seeing the root of the matter is found in me?
29 Be ye afraid of the sword:
for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword,
that ye may know there is a judgment.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.