Job and His Family in Uz

1 There was a man ^(A)in the land of Uz, whose name was ^(B)Job; and that man was ^(C)blameless and upright, and one who ^(D)feared God and ^[a]shunned evil. ² And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. ³ Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the ^[b]people of the East.

⁴ And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. ⁵ So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and ^[c]sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning ^(E)and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and ^(F)cursed^[d] God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly.

Satan Attacks Job’s Character

⁶ Now ^(G)there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and ^[e]Satan also came among them. ⁷ And the Lord said to ^[f]Satan, “From where do you come?”

So Satan answered the Lord and said, “From ^(H)going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”

⁸ Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you ^[g]considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and ^[h]shuns evil?”

⁹ So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? ^10 (I)Have You not ^[i]made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? ^(J)You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. ^11 (K)But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely ^(L)curse^[j] You to Your face!”

¹² And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your ^[k]power; only do not lay a hand on his person.”

So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

Job Loses His Property and Children

¹³ Now there was a day ^(M)when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house; ¹⁴ and a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, ¹⁵ when the ^[l]Sabeans ^[m]raided them and took them away—indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

¹⁶ While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and ^[n]consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

¹⁷ While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and 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, ^(N)“Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, ¹⁹ and suddenly a great wind came from ^[o]across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

²⁰ Then Job arose, ^(O)tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he ^(P)fell to the ground and worshiped. ²¹ And he said:

^22 (U)In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.

Satan Attacks Job’s Health

2 Again ^(V)there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord. ² And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?”

^(W)Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”

³ Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, ^(X)a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he ^(Y)holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, ^(Z)to ^[p]destroy him without cause.”

⁴ So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. ^5 (AA)But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his ^(AB)bone and his flesh, and he will surely ^[q]curse You to Your face!”

^6 (AC)And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.”

⁷ So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and struck Job with painful boils ^(AD)from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. ⁸ And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself ^(AE)while he sat in the midst of the ashes.

⁹ Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? ^[r]Curse God and die!”

¹⁰ But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. ^(AF)Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” ^(AG)In all this Job did not ^(AH)sin with his lips.

Job’s Three Friends

¹¹ Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place—Eliphaz the ^(AI)Temanite, Bildad the ^(AJ)Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to come ^(AK)and mourn with him, and to comfort him. ¹² And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and ^(AL)sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven. ¹³ So they sat down with him on the ground ^(AM)seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.

Job Deplores His Birth

3 After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. ² And Job ^[s]spoke, and said:

The Parable of the Lost Sheep^(A)

¹⁰ “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven ^(B)their angels always ^(C)see the face of My Father who is in heaven. ^11 (D)For^[a] the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.

^12 (E)“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? ¹³ And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. ¹⁴ Even so it is not the ^(F)will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

Dealing with a Sinning Brother

¹⁵ “Moreover ^(G)if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, ^(H)you have gained your brother. ¹⁶ But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ^(I)‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ ¹⁷ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a ^(J)heathen and a tax collector.

¹⁸ “Assuredly, I say to you, ^(K)whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

^19 (L)“Again^[b] I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, ^(M)it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three are gathered ^(N)together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

²¹ Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? ^(O)Up to seven times?”

²² Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, ^(P)up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. ²³ Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁵ But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded ^(Q)that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. ²⁶ The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ ²⁷ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

²⁸ “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ ²⁹ So his fellow servant fell down ^[c]at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you ^[d]all.’ ³⁰ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. ³¹ So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. ³² Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you ^(R)all that debt because you begged me. ³³ Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ ³⁴ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

^35 (S)“So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother ^[e]his trespasses.”

The Hope of the Faithful, and the Messiah’s Victory

A ^(A)Michtam of David.