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Job 13
New King James Version
Job 13
New King James Version
Job Defends Himself
13 “Behold, my eye has seen all this,
My ear has heard and understood it.
2 (A)What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.
3 (B)But I would speak to the Almighty,
And I desire to reason with God.
4 But you forgers of lies,
(C)You are all worthless physicians.
5 Oh, that you would be silent,
And (D)it would be your wisdom!
6 Now hear my reasoning,
And heed the pleadings of my lips.
7 (E)Will you speak [a]wickedly for God,
And talk deceitfully for Him?
8 Will you show partiality for Him?
Will you contend for God?
9 Will it be well when He searches you out?
Or can you mock Him as one mocks a man?
10 He will surely rebuke you
If you secretly show partiality.
11 Will not His [b]excellence make you afraid,
And the dread of Him fall upon you?
12 Your platitudes are proverbs of ashes,
Your defenses are defenses of clay.
13 “Hold[c] your peace with me, and let me speak,
Then let come on me what may!
14 Why (F)do I take my flesh in my teeth,
And put my life in my hands?
15 (G)Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.
(H)Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
16 He also shall be my salvation,
For a (I)hypocrite could not come before Him.
17 Listen carefully to my speech,
And to my declaration with your ears.
18 See now, I have prepared my case,
I know that I shall be (J)vindicated.
19 (K)Who is he who will contend with me?
If now I hold my tongue, I perish.
Job’s Despondent Prayer
20 “Only(L) two things do not do to me,
Then I will not hide myself from You:
21 (M)Withdraw Your hand far from me,
And let not the dread of You make me afraid.
22 Then call, and I will (N)answer;
Or let me speak, then You respond to me.
23 How many are my iniquities and sins?
Make me know my transgression and my sin.
24 (O)Why do You hide Your face,
And (P)regard me as Your enemy?
25 (Q)Will You frighten a leaf driven to and fro?
And will You pursue dry stubble?
26 For You write bitter things against me,
And (R)make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.
27 (S)You put my feet in the stocks,
And watch closely all my paths.
You [d]set a limit for the [e]soles of my feet.
28 “Man[f] decays like a rotten thing,
Like a garment that is moth-eaten.
Job 13
New International Version
Job 13
New International Version
13 “My eyes have seen all this,(A)
my ears have heard and understood it.
2 What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.(B)
3 But I desire to speak to the Almighty(C)
and to argue my case with God.(D)
4 You, however, smear me with lies;(E)
you are worthless physicians,(F) all of you!(G)
5 If only you would be altogether silent!(H)
For you, that would be wisdom.(I)
6 Hear now my argument;
listen to the pleas of my lips.(J)
7 Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf?
Will you speak deceitfully for him?(K)
8 Will you show him partiality?(L)
Will you argue the case for God?
9 Would it turn out well if he examined you?(M)
Could you deceive him as you might deceive a mortal?(N)
10 He would surely call you to account
if you secretly showed partiality.(O)
11 Would not his splendor(P) terrify you?
Would not the dread of him fall on you?(Q)
12 Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
your defenses are defenses of clay.(R)
13 “Keep silent(S) and let me speak;(T)
then let come to me what may.(U)
14 Why do I put myself in jeopardy
and take my life in my hands?(V)
15 Though he slay me, yet will I hope(W) in him;(X)
I will surely[a] defend my ways to his face.(Y)
16 Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance,(Z)
for no godless(AA) person would dare come before him!(AB)
17 Listen carefully to what I say;(AC)
let my words ring in your ears.
18 Now that I have prepared my case,(AD)
I know I will be vindicated.(AE)
19 Can anyone bring charges against me?(AF)
If so, I will be silent(AG) and die.(AH)
20 “Only grant me these two things, God,
and then I will not hide from you:
21 Withdraw your hand(AI) far from me,
and stop frightening me with your terrors.(AJ)
22 Then summon me and I will answer,(AK)
or let me speak, and you reply to me.(AL)
23 How many wrongs and sins have I committed?(AM)
Show me my offense and my sin.(AN)
24 Why do you hide your face(AO)
and consider me your enemy?(AP)
25 Will you torment(AQ) a windblown leaf?(AR)
Will you chase(AS) after dry chaff?(AT)
26 For you write down bitter things against me
and make me reap the sins of my youth.(AU)
27 You fasten my feet in shackles;(AV)
you keep close watch on all my paths(AW)
by putting marks on the soles of my feet.
Footnotes
- Job 13:15 Or He will surely slay me; I have no hope — / yet I will
Job 13
International Standard Version
Job 13
International Standard Version
Job Begins to Argues His Case
13 “Look, I’ve seen everything;
I’ve listened carefully and I understand.
2 What you know, I know, too;
I’m not inferior to you.
3 But I want to talk to the Almighty;
and I’m determined to argue my case[a] before God.”
Job Accuses His Friends
4 “But as for you, you whitewash with lies;
all of you are worthless quacks.[b]
5 I wish you’d all just shut up.
Then at least you would appear to be wise.
6 “Now listen to my dispute!
Pay attention to my arguments.[c]
7 Why do you speak falsely on God’s behalf
and speak deceitfully[d] about him?
8 Will you show partiality to him?[e]
Will you plead God’s case?
9 Will things go well for you under his cross-examination?
Can you lie to him, as you would to a human being?[f]
10 “He will be sure to rebuke you,
if you show partiality[g] in secret.
11 His splendor will petrify you with terror,
paralyzing you with fear, won’t it?
12 Your maxims are just worthless proverbs;
your defensive arguments are made of clay.”
Job Resolves to Present His Case
13 “Don’t talk to me! It’s my turn to speak;
then whatever happens, happens.
14 Why shouldn’t I bite my flesh
or take my life in my hands?
15 Even though he kills me,
I’ll continue to hope in him.
At least I’ll be able to argue my case[h] to his face!
16 I have this as my salvation:
the godless person won’t be appearing before him.
17 Pay attention[i] to what I have to say
and listen to my testimony with your own ears.”
Job Presents His Conditions
18 “Look, now! I’ve prepared my case for court.[j]
I know that I’m going to win.[k]
19 Who can oppose me?
If they do, I’ll be silent and die.
20 Grant me only two things as you deal with me;
then I won’t hide from you.[l]
21 Withdraw your hand far from me
and keep me from being petrified with terror.
22 Then call and I’ll answer,
or let me speak and then you reply to me!”
Job Presents Himself for Cross-Examination
23 “How many of my iniquities and sins have you counted?
Show me my transgression and sin.
24 Why do you hide your face
and regard me as your enemy?
25 Are you a god who would make a leaf tremble
or who would prosecute a dry straw?
26 You’ve accused me of bitter things;
you’ve caused me to reap[m] the sins of my youth.
27 You’ve locked my feet in stocks;
you watch all my steps;
You’ve limited where I can walk.[n]
28 So I’m a man who wears out like something rotten,
like a garment that has become moth-eaten.”
Footnotes
- Job 13:3 The Heb. lacks my case
- Job 13:4 Lit. physicians
- Job 13:6 Lit. arguments of my lips
- Job 13:7 Or treachery
- Job 13:8 Lit. lift up his face
- Job 13:9 Lit. mankind
- Job 13:10 Lit. you lift up the face
- Job 13:15 Or way
- Job 13:17 Lit. listen, to listen
- Job 13:18 Or judgment
- Job 13:18 Lit. I’m in the right
- Job 13:20 Lit. from your face
- Job 13:26 Lit. inherit
- Job 13:27 Lit. limited the soles of my feet
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
International Standard Version (ISV) 
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.