Job 17-18
English Standard Version
Job Continues: Where Then Is My Hope?
17 “My spirit is broken; my days are (A)extinct;
(B)the graveyard is ready for me.
2 Surely there are mockers about me,
and my eye dwells on their (C)provocation.
3 “Lay down a pledge for me with you;
who is there who will put up (D)security for me?
4 Since you have closed their hearts to understanding,
therefore you will not let them triumph.
5 He who informs against his friends to get a share of their property—
the (E)eyes of his children will fail.
6 “He has made me (F)a byword of the peoples,
and I am one before whom men spit.
7 My (G)eye has grown dim from vexation,
and all my members are like (H)a shadow.
8 The upright are (I)appalled at this,
and the innocent stirs himself up against the godless.
9 Yet the righteous holds to his way,
and he who has (J)clean hands grows stronger and stronger.
10 But you, (K)come on again, all of you,
and I shall not find a wise man among you.
11 My (L)days are past; my plans are broken off,
the desires of my heart.
12 They (M)make night into day:
‘The light,’ they say, ‘is near to the darkness.’[a]
13 If I hope for (N)Sheol as (O)my house,
if I make my bed in darkness,
14 if I say to the pit, ‘You are my father,’
and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ or ‘My sister,’
15 where then is my hope?
Who will see my hope?
16 Will it go down to the bars of (P)Sheol?
Shall we (Q)descend together (R)into the dust?”[b]
Bildad Speaks: God Punishes the Wicked
18 Then (S)Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:
2 “How long will you (T)hunt for words?
Consider, and then we will speak.
3 Why are we counted as (U)cattle?
Why are we stupid in your sight?
4 You who (V)tear yourself in your anger,
shall the earth be forsaken for you,
or (W)the rock be removed out of its place?
5 “Indeed, (X)the light of the wicked is put out,
and the flame of his fire does not shine.
6 The light is (Y)dark in his tent,
and his lamp above him is put out.
7 His strong steps are shortened,
and his (Z)own schemes throw him down.
8 For he is cast into a net by his own feet,
and he walks on its mesh.
9 (AA)A trap seizes him by the heel;
a snare lays hold of him.
10 A rope is hidden for him in the ground,
a trap for him in the path.
11 (AB)Terrors frighten him on every side,
and chase him at his heels.
12 His strength is famished,
and calamity is (AC)ready for his stumbling.
13 It consumes the parts of his skin;
(AD)the firstborn of death consumes his limbs.
14 He is torn from the tent in which he trusted
and is brought to (AE)the king of terrors.
15 In his tent dwells that which is none of his;
(AF)sulfur is scattered over his habitation.
16 His (AG)roots dry up beneath,
and his branches (AH)wither above.
17 His (AI)memory perishes from the earth,
and he has no name in the street.
18 (AJ)He is thrust from light into darkness,
and driven out of the world.
19 He has no (AK)posterity or progeny among his people,
and no survivor where he used to live.
20 They of the west are appalled at his (AL)day,
and (AM)horror seizes them of the east.
21 Surely such are the dwellings of the unrighteous,
such is the place of him who (AN)knows not God.”
Acts 25:13-27
English Standard Version
Paul Before Agrippa and Bernice
13 Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. 14 And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, (A)“There is a man left prisoner by Felix, 15 and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid out their case (B)against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 (C)I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone (D)before the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him. 17 (E)So when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on (F)the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought. 18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed. 19 Rather they (G)had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about (H)a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. 20 Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I (I)asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. 21 But (J)when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of (K)the emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.” 22 Then (L)Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” said he, “you will hear him.”
23 So on the next day (M)Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom (N)the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, (O)shouting that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found that (P)he had done nothing deserving death. And (Q)as he himself appealed to (R)the emperor, I decided to go ahead and send him. 26 But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after we have examined him, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him.”
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Psalm 89:42-48
English Standard Version
42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes;
you have made all his enemies rejoice.
43 You have also turned back the edge of his sword,
and you have not made him stand in battle.
44 You have made his splendor to cease
and cast his throne to the ground.
45 You have cut short (A)the days of his youth;
you have (B)covered him with shame. Selah
46 (C)How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?
How long will your wrath (D)burn like fire?
47 (E)Remember (F)how short my (G)time is!
For what vanity you have created all the children of man!
48 (H)What man can live and never (I)see death?
Who can deliver his soul from the power of (J)Sheol? Selah
Proverbs 19:12-14
English Standard Version
12 A king's wrath is like (A)the growling of a lion,
but his (B)favor is like (C)dew on the grass.
13 (D)A foolish son is ruin to his father,
and (E)a wife's quarreling is (F)a continual dripping of rain.
14 (G)House and wealth are inherited from fathers,
but a prudent wife is (H)from the Lord.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
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