Job 1:6-12

Common English Bible

Job’s motives questioned

⁶ One day the divine beings^[a] came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Adversary^[b] also came among them. ⁷ The Lord said to the Adversary, “Where did you come from?”

The Adversary answered the Lord, “From wandering throughout the earth.”

⁸ The Lord said to the Adversary, “Have you thought about my servant Job; surely there is no one like him on earth, a man who is honest, who is of absolute integrity, who reveres God and avoids evil?”

⁹ The Adversary answered the Lord, “Does Job revere God for nothing? ¹⁰ Haven’t you fenced him in—his house and all he has—and blessed the work of his hands so that his possessions extend throughout the earth? ¹¹ But stretch out your hand and strike all he has. He will certainly curse you to your face.”

¹² The Lord said to the Adversary, “Look, all he has is within your power; only don’t stretch out your hand against him.” So the Adversary left the Lord’s presence.