Job 2
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Attack on Job’s Health
2 One day the heavenly beings[a] came to present themselves before the Lord, and the accuser[b] also came among them to present himself before the Lord.(A) 2 The Lord said to the accuser,[c] “Where have you come from?” The accuser[d] answered the Lord, “From going to and fro on the earth and from walking up and down on it.”(B) 3 The Lord said to the accuser,[e] “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil. He still persists in his integrity, although you incited me against him, to destroy him for no reason.”(C) 4 Then the accuser[f] answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! All that the man has he will give for his life. 5 But stretch out your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.”(D) 6 The Lord said to the accuser,[g] “Very well, he is in your power; only spare his life.”(E)
7 So the accuser[h] went out from the presence of the Lord and inflicted loathsome sores on Job from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.(F) 8 Job[i] took a potsherd with which to scrape himself and sat among the ashes.(G)
9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse[j] God and die.” 10 But he said to her, “You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Shall we receive good from God and not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.(H)
Job’s Three Friends
11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all these troubles that had come upon him, each of them set out from his home—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to go and console and comfort him.(I) 12 When they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him, and they raised their voices and wept aloud; they tore their robes and threw dust in the air upon their heads.(J) 13 They sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.(K)
Job 2
Common English Bible
Job’s Adversary refuses to give up
2 One day the divine beings came to present themselves before the Lord. The Adversary also came among them to present himself before the Lord. 2 The Lord said to the Adversary, “Where have you come from?”
The Adversary answered the Lord, “From wandering throughout the earth.”
3 The Lord said to the Adversary, “Have you thought about my servant Job, for there is no one like him on earth, a man who is honest, who is of absolute integrity, who reveres God and avoids evil? He still holds on to his integrity, even though you incited me to ruin him for no reason.”
4 The Adversary responded to the Lord, “Skin for skin—people will give up everything they have in exchange for their lives. 5 But stretch out your hand and strike his bones and flesh. Then he will definitely curse[a] you to your face.”
6 The Lord answered the Adversary, “There he is—within your power; only preserve his life.”
The test intensifies
7 The Adversary departed from the Lord’s presence and struck Job with severe sores from the sole of his foot to the top of his head. 8 Job took a piece of broken pottery to scratch himself and sat down on a mound of ashes. 9 Job’s wife said to him, “Are you still clinging to your integrity? Curse[b] God, and die.”
10 Job said to her, “You’re talking like a foolish woman. Will we receive good from God but not also receive bad?” In all this, Job didn’t sin with his lips.
Job’s three friends come to comfort him
11 When Job’s three friends heard about all this disaster that had happened to him, they came, each one from his home—Eliphaz from Teman, Bildad from Shuah, and Zophar from Naamah. They agreed to come so they could console and comfort him. 12 When they looked up from a distance and didn’t recognize him, they wept loudly. Each one tore his garment and scattered dust above his head toward the sky. 13 They sat with Job on the ground seven days and seven nights, not speaking a word to him, for they saw that he was in excruciating pain.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible