Job 20

New International Version

Zophar

20 Then Zophar the Naamathite^(A) replied:

²“My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer
because I am greatly disturbed.^(B)
³I hear a rebuke^(C) that dishonors me,
and my understanding inspires me to reply.

⁴“Surely you know how it has been from of old,^(D)
    ever since mankind^[a] was placed on the earth,
⁵that the mirth of the wicked^(E) is brief,
    the joy of the godless^(F) lasts but a moment.^(G)
⁶Though the pride^(H) of the godless person reaches to the heavens^(I)
    and his head touches the clouds,^(J)
⁷he will perish forever,^(K) like his own dung;
    those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’^(L)
⁸Like a dream^(M) he flies away,^(N) no more to be found,
    banished^(O) like a vision of the night.^(P)
⁹The eye that saw him will not see him again;
    his place will look on him no more.^(Q)
¹⁰His children^(R) must make amends to the poor;
    his own hands must give back his wealth.^(S)
¹¹The youthful vigor^(T) that fills his bones^(U)
    will lie with him in the dust.^(V)

¹²“Though evil^(W) is sweet in his mouth
    and he hides it under his tongue,^(X)
¹³though he cannot bear to let it go
    and lets it linger in his mouth,^(Y)
¹⁴yet his food will turn sour in his stomach;^(Z)
    it will become the venom of serpents^(AA) within him.
¹⁵He will spit out the riches^(AB) he swallowed;
    God will make his stomach vomit^(AC) them up.
¹⁶He will suck the poison^(AD) of serpents;
    the fangs of an adder will kill him.^(AE)
¹⁷He will not enjoy the streams,
    the rivers^(AF) flowing with honey^(AG) and cream.^(AH)
¹⁸What he toiled for he must give back uneaten;^(AI)
    he will not enjoy the profit from his trading.^(AJ)
¹⁹For he has oppressed the poor^(AK) and left them destitute;^(AL)
    he has seized houses^(AM) he did not build.

²⁰“Surely he will have no respite from his craving;^(AN)
    he cannot save himself by his treasure.^(AO)
²¹Nothing is left for him to devour;
    his prosperity will not endure.^(AP)
²²In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him;^(AQ)
    the full force of misery will come upon him.^(AR)
²³When he has filled his belly,^(AS)
    God will vent his burning anger^(AT) against him
    and rain down his blows on him.^(AU)
²⁴Though he flees^(AV) from an iron weapon,
    a bronze-tipped arrow pierces him.^(AW)
²⁵He pulls it out of his back,
    the gleaming point out of his liver.
Terrors^(AX) will come over him;^(AY)
²⁶    total darkness^(AZ) lies in wait for his treasures.
A fire^(BA) unfanned will consume him^(BB)
    and devour what is left in his tent.^(BC)
²⁷The heavens will expose his guilt;
    the earth will rise up against him.^(BD)
²⁸A flood will carry off his house,^(BE)
    rushing waters^[b] on the day of God’s wrath.^(BF)
²⁹Such is the fate God allots the wicked,
    the heritage appointed for them by God.”^(BG)

Footnotes

Job 20:4 Or Adam
Job 20:28 Or The possessions in his house will be carried off, / washed away

Matthew 16

New International Version

The Demand for a Sign^(A)

16 The Pharisees and Sadducees^(B) came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.^(C)

²He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ ³and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.^[a]^(D) ⁴A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.”^(E) Jesus then left them and went away.

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees

⁵When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. ⁶“Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”^(F)

⁷They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.”

⁸Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith,^(G) why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? ⁹Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?^(H) ¹⁰Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?^(I) ¹¹How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” ¹²Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.^(J)

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah^(K)

¹³When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

¹⁴They replied, “Some say John the Baptist;^(L) others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”^(M)

¹⁵“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

¹⁶Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”^(N)

¹⁷Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood,^(O) but by my Father in heaven.^(P) ¹⁸And I tell you that you are Peter,^[b]^(Q) and on this rock I will build my church,^(R) and the gates of Hades^[c] will not overcome it. ¹⁹I will give you the keys^(S) of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be^[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be^[e] loosed in heaven.”^(T) ²⁰Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone^(U) that he was the Messiah.

Jesus Predicts His Death^(V)

²¹From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem^(W) and suffer many things^(X) at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,^(Y) and that he must be killed^(Z) and on the third day^(AA) be raised to life.^(AB)

²²Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

²³Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!^(AC) You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

²⁴Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.^(AD) ²⁵For whoever wants to save their life^[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.^(AE) ²⁶What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ²⁷For the Son of Man^(AF) is going to come^(AG) in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.^(AH)

²⁸“Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Footnotes

Matthew 16:3 Some early manuscripts do not have When evening comes … of the times.
Matthew 16:18 The Greek word for Peter means rock.
Matthew 16:18 That is, the realm of the dead
Matthew 16:19 Or will have been
Matthew 16:19 Or will have been
Matthew 16:25 The Greek word means either life or soul; also in verse 26.

Psalm 94

New International Version

Psalm 94

¹The Lord is a God who avenges.^(A)
    O God who avenges, shine forth.^(B)
²Rise up,^(C) Judge^(D) of the earth;
    pay back^(E) to the proud what they deserve.
³How long, Lord, will the wicked,
    how long will the wicked be jubilant?^(F)

⁴They pour out arrogant^(G) words;
    all the evildoers are full of boasting.^(H)
⁵They crush your people,^(I) Lord;
    they oppress your inheritance.^(J)
⁶They slay the widow^(K) and the foreigner;
    they murder the fatherless.^(L)
⁷They say, “The Lord does not see;^(M)
    the God of Jacob^(N) takes no notice.”

⁸Take notice, you senseless ones^(O) among the people;
    you fools, when will you become wise?
⁹Does he who fashioned the ear not hear?
    Does he who formed the eye not see?^(P)
¹⁰Does he who disciplines^(Q) nations not punish?
    Does he who teaches^(R) mankind lack knowledge?
¹¹The Lord knows all human plans;^(S)
    he knows that they are futile.^(T)

¹²Blessed is the one you discipline,^(U) Lord,
    the one you teach^(V) from your law;
¹³you grant them relief from days of trouble,^(W)
    till a pit^(X) is dug for the wicked.
¹⁴For the Lord will not reject his people;^(Y)
    he will never forsake his inheritance.
¹⁵Judgment will again be founded on righteousness,^(Z)
    and all the upright in heart^(AA) will follow it.

¹⁶Who will rise up^(AB) for me against the wicked?
    Who will take a stand for me against evildoers?^(AC)
¹⁷Unless the Lord had given me help,^(AD)
    I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.^(AE)
¹⁸When I said, “My foot is slipping,^(AF)”
    your unfailing love, Lord, supported me.
¹⁹When anxiety^(AG) was great within me,
    your consolation^(AH) brought me joy.

²⁰Can a corrupt throne^(AI) be allied with you—
    a throne that brings on misery by its decrees?^(AJ)
²¹The wicked band together^(AK) against the righteous
    and condemn the innocent^(AL) to death.^(AM)
²²But the Lord has become my fortress,
    and my God the rock^(AN) in whom I take refuge.^(AO)
²³He will repay^(AP) them for their sins
    and destroy^(AQ) them for their wickedness;
    the Lord our God will destroy them.