Job’s Character and Wealth

There was a man in the (A)land of Uz whose name was (B)Job; and that man was (C)blameless, upright, (D)fearing God and (E)turning away from evil. (F)Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. (G)His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was (H)the greatest of all the [a]men of the east. His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering (I)burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “(J)Perhaps my sons have sinned and (K)cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.

(L)Now there was a day when the (M)sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and [b]Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “(N)From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” The Lord said to Satan, “Have you [c]considered (O)My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, (P)a blameless and upright man, [d]fearing God and turning away from evil.” Then (Q)Satan answered the [e]Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 (R)Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? (S)You have blessed the work of his hands, and his (T)possessions have increased in the land. 11 (U)But put forth Your hand now and (V)touch all that he has; he will surely 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 put forth 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 [g]donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and [h]the (W)Sabeans [i]attacked and took them. They also [j]slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and [k]I alone have escaped to tell you.” 16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “(X)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 also came and said, “The (Y)Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and [l]slew 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 arose and (Z)tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 He said,

(AA)Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked I shall return there.
The (AB)Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

22 (AC)Through all this Job did not sin nor did he [m]blame God.

Footnotes

  1. Job 1:3 Lit sons
  2. Job 1:6 I.e. the adversary, and so throughout chs 1 and 2
  3. Job 1:8 Lit set your heart to
  4. Job 1:8 Or revering
  5. Job 1:9 Lit Lord and said
  6. Job 1:12 Lit hand
  7. Job 1:14 Lit female donkeys
  8. Job 1:15 Lit Sheba
  9. Job 1:15 Lit fell upon
  10. Job 1:15 Lit smote
  11. Job 1:15 Lit only I alone, and so also vv 16, 17, 19
  12. Job 1:17 Lit smote
  13. Job 1:22 Lit ascribe unseemliness to

A Prayer for the Overthrow of the Wicked.

10 Why (A)do You stand afar off, O Lord?
Why (B)do You hide [a]Yourself in times of trouble?
In (C)pride the wicked [b]hotly pursue the afflicted;
[c]Let them be (D)caught in the plots which they have devised.

For the wicked (E)boasts of his (F)heart’s desire,
And [d]the greedy man curses and (G)spurns the Lord.
The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, (H)does not seek Him.
All his [e]thoughts are, “(I)There is no God.”

His ways [f](J)prosper at all times;
Your judgments are on high, (K)out of his sight;
As for all his adversaries, he snorts at them.
He says to himself, “(L)I will not be moved;
[g]Throughout all generations (M)I will not be in adversity.”
His (N)mouth is full of curses and deceit and (O)oppression;
(P)Under his tongue is mischief and wickedness.
He sits in the (Q)lurking places of the villages;
In the hiding places he (R)kills the innocent;
His eyes [h]stealthily watch for the [i](S)unfortunate.
He lurks in a hiding place as (T)a lion in his [j]lair;
He (U)lurks to catch (V)the afflicted;
He catches the afflicted when he draws him into his (W)net.
10 He [k]crouches, he [l]bows down,
And the [m]unfortunate fall [n]by his mighty ones.
11 He (X)says to himself, “God has forgotten;
He has hidden His face; He will never see it.”

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 10:1 Or Your eyes
  2. Psalm 10:2 Lit burn
  3. Psalm 10:2 Or They will be caught
  4. Psalm 10:3 Or blesses the greedy man
  5. Psalm 10:4 Or plots
  6. Psalm 10:5 Lit are strong
  7. Psalm 10:6 Lit To
  8. Psalm 10:8 Lit lie in wait
  9. Psalm 10:8 Or poor
  10. Psalm 10:9 Or thicket
  11. Psalm 10:10 Or is crushed
  12. Psalm 10:10 Or is bowed down
  13. Psalm 10:10 Or poor
  14. Psalm 10:10 Or into his claws

But when he saw many of the (A)Pharisees and (B)Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You (C)brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from (D)the wrath to come? (E)Therefore bear fruit (F)in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘(G)We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. 10 The (H)axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore (I)every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “As for me, (J)I baptize you [a]with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; (K)He will baptize you [b]with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His (L)winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will (M)gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the (N)chaff with (O)unquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus

13 (P)Then Jesus *arrived (Q)from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. 14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” 15 But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us (R)to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he *permitted Him. 16 After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and [c](S)he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and [d]lighting on Him, 17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “(T)This is [e]My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 3:11 The Gr here can be translated in, with or by
  2. Matthew 3:11 The Gr here can be translated in, with or by
  3. Matthew 3:16 Or He
  4. Matthew 3:16 Lit coming upon Him
  5. Matthew 3:17 Or My Son, the Beloved