Job 16:1-21
GOD’S WORD Translation
Job Speaks: My Friends Do Not Help Ease My Pain
16 Then Job replied ⌞to his friends⌟,
2 “I have heard many things like this before.
You are all pathetic at comforting me.
3 Will ⌞your⌟ long-winded speeches never end?
What disturbs you that you keep on answering ⌞me⌟?
4 I, too, could speak like you
if we could trade places.
I could string words together against you
and shake my head at you.
5 I could encourage you with my mouth,
and my quivering lips could ease ⌞your pain⌟.
6 If I speak, my pain is not eased.
If I stop talking, how much of it will go away?
7 “But now, God has worn me out.
You, ⌞God,⌟ have destroyed everyone who supports me.
8 You have shriveled me up, which itself is a witness ⌞against me⌟.
My frail body rises up and testifies against me.
Job Describes What God Has Done to Him
9 “God’s anger tore me ⌞apart⌟ and attacked me.
He gritted his teeth at me.
My opponent looked sharply at me.
10 People ridiculed me with their mouths.
They slapped my cheeks with contempt.
They united against me.
11 God handed me over to unjust people
and threw me into the hands of wicked people.
12 I was at ease, and he shattered me.
He grabbed me by the back of the neck and smashed ⌞my skull⌟.
He set me up as his target,
13 and his archers surrounded me.
He slashes open my kidneys without mercy
and spills my blood[a] on the ground.
14 He inflicts wound after wound on me.
He lunges at me like a warrior.
15 “I have sewn sackcloth over my skin,
and I have thrown my strength in the dust.
16 My face is red from crying,
and dark shadows encircle my eyes,
17 although my hands have done nothing violent,
and my prayer is sincere.
Job Appeals His Case to Heaven
18 “Earth, don’t cover my blood.
Don’t ever let my cry ⌞for justice⌟ be stopped.
19 Even now, look! My witness is in heaven,
and the one who testifies for me is above,
20 the spokesman for my thoughts.[b]
My eyes drip ⌞with tears⌟ to God
22 because in a few short years I will take the path of no return.[c]
21 But my witness will plead for a human in front of God.
The Son of Man will plead for his friend!
John 7:1-13
GOD’S WORD Translation
Jesus Goes to the Festival of Booths
7 Jesus later traveled throughout Galilee. He didn’t want to travel in Judea because Jews there wanted to kill him.
2 The time for the Jewish Festival of Booths was near. 3 So Jesus’ brothers told him, “Leave this place, and go to Judea so that your disciples can see the things that you’re doing. 4 No one does things secretly when he wants to be known publicly. If you do these things, you should let the world see you.” 5 Even his brothers didn’t believe in him.
6 Jesus told them, “Now is not the right time for me to go. Any time is right for you. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I say that what everyone does is evil. 8 Go to the festival. I’m not going to this festival right now. Now is not the right time for me to go.”
9 After saying this, Jesus stayed in Galilee. 10 But after his brothers had gone to the festival, Jesus went. He didn’t go publicly but secretly.
11 The Jews were looking for Jesus in the crowd at the festival. They kept asking, “Where is that man?” 12 The crowds argued about Jesus. Some people said, “He’s a good man,” while others said, “No he isn’t. He deceives the people.” 13 Yet, no one would talk openly about him because they were afraid of the Jews.
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