Job 21-23
English Standard Version
Job Replies: The Wicked Do Prosper
21 Then Job answered and said:
2 (A)“Keep listening to my words,
and let this be your comfort.
3 Bear with me, and I will speak,
and after I have spoken, (B)mock on.
4 As for me, is my (C)complaint against man?
Why should I not be impatient?
5 Look at me and be appalled,
and (D)lay your hand over your mouth.
6 When I remember, I am dismayed,
and shuddering seizes my flesh.
7 (E)Why do the wicked live,
reach old age, and grow mighty in power?
8 Their (F)offspring are established in their presence,
and their descendants before their eyes.
9 Their houses are (G)safe from fear,
and (H)no rod of God is upon them.
10 Their bull breeds without fail;
their cow calves and (I)does not miscarry.
11 They send out their (J)little boys like a flock,
and their children dance.
12 They sing to (K)the tambourine and (L)the lyre
and rejoice to the sound of (M)the pipe.
13 They (N)spend their days in prosperity,
and in (O)peace they go down to (P)Sheol.
14 They say to God, (Q)‘Depart from us!
We do not desire the knowledge of your ways.
15 (R)What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
And what (S)profit do we get if we pray to him?’
16 Behold, is not their prosperity in their hand?
(T)The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17 “How often is it that (U)the lamp of the wicked is put out?
That their calamity comes upon them?
That God[a] distributes pains in his anger?
18 That they are like (V)straw before the wind,
and like (W)chaff that the storm carries away?
19 You say, ‘God (X)stores up their iniquity for their (Y)children.’
Let him pay it out to them, that they may (Z)know it.
20 Let their own eyes see their destruction,
and let them (AA)drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 For what do they care for their houses after them,
when (AB)the number of their months is cut off?
22 (AC)Will any teach God knowledge,
seeing that he (AD)judges those who are on high?
23 One dies in his full vigor,
being wholly at ease and secure,
24 his pails[b] full of milk
and (AE)the marrow of his bones moist.
25 Another dies in (AF)bitterness of soul,
never having tasted of prosperity.
26 They (AG)lie down alike in the dust,
and (AH)the worms cover them.
27 “Behold, I know your thoughts
and your schemes to wrong me.
28 For you say, (AI)‘Where is the house of the prince?
Where is (AJ)the tent in which the wicked lived?’
29 Have you not asked those who travel the roads,
and do you not accept their testimony
30 that (AK)the evil man is spared in the day of calamity,
that he is rescued in the day of wrath?
31 Who declares his way (AL)to his face,
and who (AM)repays him for what he has done?
32 When he is (AN)carried to the grave,
watch is kept over his tomb.
33 (AO)The clods of the valley are sweet to him;
(AP)all mankind follows after him,
and those who go before him are innumerable.
34 How then will you comfort me with empty nothings?
There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood.”
Eliphaz Speaks: Job's Wickedness Is Great
22 Then (AQ)Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 (AR)“Can a man be profitable to God?
Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are in the right,
or is it gain to him if you (AS)make your ways blameless?
4 Is it for your fear of him that he reproves you
and (AT)enters into judgment with you?
5 Is not your evil abundant?
There is no end to your iniquities.
6 For you have (AU)exacted pledges of your brothers for nothing
(AV)and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 You have given no water to the weary to drink,
and you have (AW)withheld bread from the hungry.
8 (AX)The man with power possessed the land,
and (AY)the favored man lived in it.
9 You have (AZ)sent widows away empty,
and (BA)the arms of (BB)the fatherless were crushed.
10 Therefore (BC)snares are all around you,
and sudden terror overwhelms you,
11 or (BD)darkness, so that you cannot see,
and a (BE)flood of (BF)water covers you.
12 “Is not God high in the heavens?
See (BG)the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13 But you say, (BH)‘What does God know?
Can he judge through (BI)the deep darkness?
14 (BJ)Thick clouds veil him, so that he does not see,
and he walks on the vault of heaven.’
15 Will you keep to the old way
that wicked men have trod?
16 They were snatched away (BK)before their time;
their foundation was washed away.[c]
17 They said to God, (BL)‘Depart from us,’
and (BM)‘What can the Almighty do to us?’[d]
18 Yet he filled their houses with good things—
but (BN)the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 (BO)The righteous see it and are glad;
the innocent one (BP)mocks at them,
20 saying, ‘Surely our adversaries are cut off,
and what they left (BQ)the fire has consumed.’
21 (BR)“Agree with God, and (BS)be at peace;
thereby good will come to you.
22 Receive instruction from (BT)his mouth,
and (BU)lay up his words in your heart.
23 If you (BV)return to the Almighty you will be (BW)built up;
if you (BX)remove injustice far from your tents,
24 if you lay gold in (BY)the dust,
and gold of (BZ)Ophir among the stones of the torrent-bed,
25 then the Almighty will be your gold
and your precious silver.
26 For then you (CA)will delight yourself in the Almighty
and (CB)lift up your face to God.
27 You will (CC)make your prayer to him, and he will hear you,
and you will (CD)pay your vows.
28 You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you,
and (CE)light will shine on your ways.
29 For when they are humbled you say, ‘It is because of pride’;[e]
but he saves (CF)the lowly.
30 He (CG)delivers even the one who is not innocent,
who will be delivered through (CH)the cleanness of your hands.”
Job Replies: Where Is God?
23 Then Job answered and said:
2 “Today also my (CI)complaint is bitter;[f]
my (CJ)hand is heavy on account of my groaning.
3 Oh, (CK)that I knew where I might find him,
that I might come even to his (CL)seat!
4 I would (CM)lay my case before him
and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would know what he would answer me
and understand what he would say to me.
6 Would he (CN)contend with me in the greatness of his power?
No; he would pay attention to me.
7 There an upright man could argue with him,
and I would be acquitted forever by my judge.
8 “Behold, (CO)I go forward, but he is not there,
and backward, but I do not perceive him;
9 on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him;
he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him.
10 But he (CP)knows (CQ)the way that I (CR)take;
when he has (CS)tried me, I shall come out as gold.
11 My foot (CT)has held fast to his steps;
I have kept his way and have (CU)not turned aside.
12 I have not departed from the commandment of his lips;
I have (CV)treasured the words of his mouth more than my (CW)portion of food.
13 But he is unchangeable,[g] and (CX)who can turn him back?
What he (CY)desires, that he does.
14 For he will complete what he (CZ)appoints for me,
and many such things are (DA)in his mind.
15 Therefore I am terrified at his presence;
when I consider, I am in dread of him.
16 God has made my (DB)heart faint;
the Almighty has terrified me;
17 yet I am not silenced because of the darkness,
nor because thick darkness covers my face.
Matthew 4
English Standard Version
The Temptation of Jesus
4 (A)Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness (B)to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting (C)forty days and forty nights, he (D)was hungry. 3 And (E)the tempter came and said to him, “If you are (F)the Son of God, command (G)these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, (H)“It is written,
(I)“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
5 (J)Then the devil took him to (K)the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
(L)“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and
“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus said to him, “Again (M)it is written, (N)‘You shall not (O)put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 (P)Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, (Q)Satan! For (R)it is written,
11 Then the devil left him, and behold, (U)angels came and were ministering to him.
Jesus Begins His Ministry
12 Now when he heard that (V)John had been arrested, (W)he withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving (X)Nazareth he went and lived in (Y)Capernaum by (Z)the sea, in the territory of (AA)Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 (AB)so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
15 (AC)“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 (AD)the people dwelling in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and (AE)shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.”
17 (AF)From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, (AG)“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”[a]
Jesus Calls the First Disciples
18 (AH)While walking by (AI)the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you (AJ)fishers of men.”[b] 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Jesus Ministers to Great Crowds
23 (AK)And he went throughout all Galilee, (AL)teaching in their synagogues and (AM)proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and (AN)healing every disease and every affliction among the people. 24 So his fame spread throughout all (AO)Syria, and (AP)they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and (AQ)pains, (AR)those oppressed by demons, (AS)those having seizures, and (AT)paralytics, and he healed them. 25 (AU)And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the (AV)Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.
Footnotes
- Matthew 4:17 Or the kingdom of heaven has come near
- Matthew 4:19 The Greek word anthropoi refers here to both men and women
Luke 4
English Standard Version
The Temptation of Jesus
4 (A)And Jesus, (B)full of the Holy Spirit, (C)returned from the Jordan and was led (D)by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for (E)forty days, (F)being tempted by the devil. (G)And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, (H)he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are (I)the Son of God, command (J)this stone to become bread.” 4 And Jesus answered him, (K)“It is written, (L)‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” 5 (M)And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, “To you (N)I will give all this authority and their glory, (O)for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 And Jesus answered him, (P)“It is written,
9 (S)And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are (T)the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written,
(U)“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
to guard you,’
11 and
(V)“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”
12 And Jesus answered him, “It is said, (W)‘You shall not (X)put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him (Y)until an opportune time.
Jesus Begins His Ministry
14 (Z)And Jesus returned (AA)in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and (AB)a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. 15 And (AC)he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
16 (AD)And he came to (AE)Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And (AF)as was his custom, (AG)he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up (AH)to read. 17 And (AI)the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
18 (AJ)“The Spirit of the Lord (AK)is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to (AL)proclaim good news to the poor.
(AM)He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and (AN)recovering of sight to the blind,
(AO)to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 (AP)to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and (AQ)sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were (AR)fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today (AS)this Scripture (AT)has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at (AU)the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, (AV)“Is not this (AW)Joseph's son?” 23 And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, (AX)‘“Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did (AY)at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’” 24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, (AZ)no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when (BA)the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them (BB)but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And (BC)there were many lepers[a] in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, (BD)but only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and (BE)drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. 30 But (BF)passing through their midst, he went away.
Jesus Heals a Man with an Unclean Demon
31 (BG)And he (BH)went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And (BI)he was teaching them (BJ)on the Sabbath, 32 and (BK)they were astonished at his teaching, (BL)for his word possessed authority. 33 And (BM)in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, 34 “Ha![b] (BN)What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? (BO)I know who you are—(BP)the Holy One of God.” 35 But Jesus (BQ)rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. 36 And (BR)they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? (BS)For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” 37 And (BT)reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.
Jesus Heals Many
38 (BU)And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon's house. Now (BV)Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. 39 And he stood over her and (BW)rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.
40 Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and (BX)he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. 41 (BY)And demons also came out of many, (BZ)crying, “You are (CA)the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and (CB)would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was (CC)the Christ.
Jesus Preaches in Synagogues
42 (CD)And when it was day, he departed and went (CE)into a desolate place. And (CF)the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, 43 but he said to them, (CG)“I must (CH)preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” 44 And he was preaching (CI)in the synagogues of Judea.[c]
Footnotes
- Luke 4:27 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13
- Luke 4:34 Or Leave us alone
- Luke 4:44 Some manuscripts Galilee
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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