Job 25-27
Christian Standard Bible
Bildad Speaks
25 Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:
2 Dominion and dread(A) belong to him,
the one who establishes harmony in his heights.
3 Can his troops be numbered?
Does his light not shine on everyone?
4 How can a human be justified before God?(B)
How can one born of woman be pure?(C)
5 If even the moon does not shine
and the stars are not pure in his sight,(D)
6 how much less a human, who is a maggot,
a son of man,[a] who is a worm!(E)
Job’s Reply to Bildad
26 Then Job answered:
2 How you have helped(F) the powerless
and delivered the arm that is weak!
3 How you have counseled the unwise(G)
and abundantly provided insight!
4 With whom did you speak these words?
Whose breath came out of your mouth?
5 The departed spirits tremble
beneath the waters and all that inhabit them.(H)
6 Sheol(I) is naked before God,
and Abaddon(J) has no covering.(K)
7 He stretches the northern skies over empty space;
he hangs the earth on nothing.
8 He wraps up the water in his clouds,
yet the clouds do not burst beneath its weight.(L)
9 He obscures the view of his throne,
spreading his cloud over it.
10 He laid out the horizon on the surface of the waters(M)
at the boundary between light and darkness.
11 The pillars that hold up the sky tremble,
astounded at his rebuke.(N)
12 By his power he stirred(O) the sea,
and by his understanding he crushed Rahab.(P)
13 By his breath the heavens gained their beauty;
his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.[b](Q)
14 These are but the fringes of his ways;
how faint is the word we hear of him!
Who can understand his mighty thunder?
27 Job continued his discourse, saying:
2 As God lives, who has deprived me of justice,(R)
and the Almighty who has made me bitter,(S)
3 as long as my breath is still in me
and the breath from God remains in my nostrils,(T)
4 my lips will not speak unjustly,
and my tongue will not utter deceit.
5 I will never affirm that you are right.
I will maintain my integrity[c](U) until I die.
6 I will cling to my righteousness and never let it go.
My conscience(V) will not accuse me as long as I live!
7 May my enemy be like the wicked
and my opponent like the unjust.
8 For what hope does the godless person(W) have when he is cut off,
when God takes away his life?(X)
9 Will God hear his cry
when distress comes on him?
10 Will he delight(Y) in the Almighty?
Will he call on God at all times?
11 I will teach you about God’s power.
I will not conceal what the Almighty has planned.[d]
12 All of you have seen this for yourselves,
why do you keep up this empty talk?(Z)
13 This is a wicked man’s lot(AA) from God,
the inheritance the ruthless receive from the Almighty.
14 Even if his children increase, they are destined for the sword;
his descendants will never have enough food.
15 Those who survive him will be buried by the plague,
yet their widows will not weep for them.(AB)
16 Though he piles up silver like dust
and heaps up fine clothing like clay—
17 he may heap it up, but the righteous will wear it,
and the innocent will divide up his silver.(AC)
18 The house he built is like a moth’s cocoon
or a shelter set up by a watchman.(AD)
19 He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more;
when he opens his eyes, it is gone.
20 Terrors overtake him like a flood;(AE)
a storm(AF) wind sweeps him away at night.
21 An east wind picks him up, and he is gone;
it carries him away from his place.
22 It blasts at him without mercy,
while he flees desperately from its force.
23 It claps(AG) its hands at him
and scoffs at him from its place.
Matthew 10:32-11:15
Christian Standard Bible
Acknowledging Christ
32 “Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge me before others, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.(A) 33 But whoever denies me before others,(B) I will also deny him before my Father in heaven. 34 Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.(C) 35 For I came to turn
a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36 and a man’s enemies will be
the members of his household.[a](D)
37 The one who loves a father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; (E) the one who loves a son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Anyone who finds his life will lose it,(F) and anyone who loses his life because of me will find it.(G)
A Cup of Cold Water
40 “The one who welcomes you welcomes me,(H) and the one who welcomes me welcomes him who sent me.(I) 41 Anyone who welcomes a prophet(J) because he is a prophet[b] will receive a prophet’s reward. And anyone who welcomes a righteous person because he’s righteous[c] will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And whoever gives(K) even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple,[d](L) truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”
John the Baptist Doubts
11 When Jesus had finished giving instructions to his twelve disciples, he moved on from there to teach and preach in their towns.(M) 2 Now when John heard in prison what the Christ was doing, he sent a message through his disciples(N) 3 and asked him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” (O)
4 Jesus replied to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy[e] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news,(P) 6 and blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me.”(Q)
7 As these men were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?(R) 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothes? See, those who wear soft clothes are in royal palaces. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.(S) 10 This is the one about whom it is written:
11 “Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has appeared,[g] but the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been suffering violence,[h] and the violent have been seizing it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 And if you’re willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who is to come.(U) 15 Let anyone who has ears[i] listen.(V)
Footnotes
- 10:35–36 Mc 7:6
- 10:41 Lit prophet in the name of a prophet
- 10:41 Lit person in the name of a righteous person
- 10:42 Lit little ones in the name of a disciple
- 11:5 Gk lepros; a term for various skin diseases; see Lv 13–14
- 11:10 Mal 3:1
- 11:11 Lit arisen
- 11:12 Or has been forcefully advancing
- 11:15 Other mss add to hear
Psalm 68-70
Christian Standard Bible
Psalm 68
God’s Majestic Power
For the choir director. A psalm of David. A song.
1 God arises. His enemies scatter,
and those who hate him flee from his presence.(A)
2 As smoke is blown away,
so you blow them away.
As wax melts before the fire,
so the wicked are destroyed before God.(B)
3 But the righteous are glad;
they rejoice before God and celebrate with joy.(C)
4 Sing to God! Sing praises to his name.
Exalt him who rides on the clouds[a]—
his name is the Lord[b]—and celebrate before him.(D)
5 God in his holy dwelling is
a father of the fatherless
and a champion of widows.(E)
6 God provides homes for those who are deserted.
He leads out the prisoners to prosperity,[c]
but the rebellious live in a scorched land.(F)
7 God, when you went out before your people,
when you marched through the desert,Selah
8 the earth trembled and the skies poured rain
before God, the God of Sinai,[d]
before God, the God of Israel.(G)
9 You, God, showered abundant rain;
you revived your inheritance when it languished.(H)
10 Your people settled in it;
God, you provided for the poor by your goodness.(I)
11 The Lord gave the command;
a great company of women brought the good news:(J)
12 “The kings of the armies flee—they flee!”
She who stays at home divides the spoil.(K)
13 While[e] you lie among the sheep pens,[f]
the wings of a dove are covered with silver,
and its feathers with glistening gold.(L)
14 When the Almighty scattered kings in the land,
it snowed on Zalmon.[g](M)
15 Mount Bashan is God’s towering mountain;
Mount Bashan is a mountain of many peaks.(N)
16 Why gaze with envy, you mountain peaks,
at the mountain God desired for his abode?
The Lord will dwell there forever!(O)
17 God’s chariots are tens of thousands,
thousands and thousands;(P)
the Lord is among them in the sanctuary[h]
as he was at Sinai.(Q)
18 You ascended to the heights, taking away captives;
you received gifts from[i] people,
even from the rebellious,
so that the Lord God might dwell there.[j](R)
19 Blessed be the Lord!
Day after day he bears our burdens;
God is our salvation.(S)Selah
20 Our God is a God of salvation,
and escape from death belongs to the Lord my Lord.(T)
21 Surely God crushes the heads of his enemies,
the hairy brow of one who goes on in his guilty acts.(U)
22 The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan;
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea(V)
23 so that your foot may wade[k] in blood
and your dogs’ tongues may have their share
from the enemies.”(W)
24 People have seen your procession, God,
the procession of my God,
my King, in the sanctuary.(X)
25 Singers lead the way,
with musicians following;
among them are young women
playing tambourines.(Y)
26 Bless God in the assemblies;
bless the Lord from the fountain of Israel.(Z)
27 There is Benjamin, the youngest, leading them,
the rulers of Judah in their assembly,[l]
the rulers of Zebulun, the rulers of Naphtali.(AA)
28 Your God has decreed your strength.
Show your strength, God,
you who have acted on our behalf.(AB)
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem,
kings will bring tribute to you.(AC)
30 Rebuke the beast in the reeds,
the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.(AD)
Trample underfoot those with bars of silver.[m]
Scatter the peoples who take pleasure in war.(AE)
31 Ambassadors will come[n] from Egypt;
Cush will stretch out its hands to God.(AF)
32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth;
sing praise to the Lord,(AG)Selah
33 to him who rides in the ancient, highest heavens.(AH)
Look, he thunders with his powerful voice!(AI)
34 Ascribe power to God.
His majesty is over Israel;
his power is among the clouds.(AJ)
35 God, you are awe-inspiring in your sanctuaries.
The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!(AK)
Psalm 69
A Plea for Rescue
For the choir director: according to “The Lilies.”(AL) Of David.
1 Save me, God,
for the water has risen to my neck.(AM)
2 I have sunk in deep mud, and there is no footing;
I have come into deep water,
and a flood sweeps over me.(AN)
3 I am weary from my crying;
my throat is parched.
My eyes fail, looking for my God.(AO)
4 Those who hate me without cause
are more numerous than the hairs of my head;
my deceitful enemies, who would destroy me,
are powerful.(AP)
Though I did not steal, I must repay.(AQ)
5 God, you know my foolishness,
and my guilty acts are not hidden from you.(AR)
6 Do not let those who put their hope in you
be disgraced because of me,
Lord God of Armies;
do not let those who seek you
be humiliated because of me,
God of Israel.(AS)
7 For I have endured insults because of you,
and shame has covered my face.(AT)
8 I have become a stranger to my brothers
and a foreigner to my mother’s sons(AU)
9 because zeal for your house has consumed me,(AV)
and the insults of those who insult you
have fallen on me.(AW)
10 I mourned and fasted,
but it brought me insults.(AX)
11 I wore sackcloth as my clothing,
and I was a joke to them.
12 Those who sit at the city gate talk about me,
and drunkards make up songs about me.(AY)
13 But as for me, Lord,
my prayer to you is for a time of favor.
In your abundant, faithful love, God,
answer me with your sure salvation.(AZ)
14 Rescue me from the miry mud; don’t let me sink.
Let me be rescued from those who hate me
and from the deep water.(BA)
15 Don’t let the floodwaters sweep over me
or the deep swallow me up;
don’t let the Pit close its mouth over me.(BB)
16 Answer me, Lord,
for your faithful love is good.
In keeping with your abundant compassion,
turn to me.(BC)
17 Don’t hide your face from your servant,
for I am in distress.
Answer me quickly!(BD)
18 Come near to me and redeem me;
ransom me because of my enemies.(BE)
19 You know the insults I endure—
my shame and disgrace.
You are aware of all my adversaries.(BF)
20 Insults have broken my heart,
and I am in despair.
I waited for sympathy,
but there was none;
for comforters, but found no one.(BG)
21 Instead, they gave me gall for my food,
and for my thirst
they gave me vinegar to drink.(BH)
22 Let their table set before them be a snare,
and let it be a trap for their allies.(BI)
23 Let their eyes grow too dim to see,
and let their hips continually quake.(BJ)
24 Pour out your rage on them,
and let your burning anger overtake them.(BK)
25 Make their fortification desolate;
may no one live in their tents.(BL)
26 For they persecute the one you struck
and talk about the pain of those you wounded.(BM)
27 Charge them with crime on top of crime;
do not let them share in your righteousness.(BN)
28 Let them be erased from the book of life
and not be recorded with the righteous.(BO)
29 But as for me—poor and in pain—
let your salvation protect me, God.(BP)
30 I will praise God’s name with song
and exalt him with thanksgiving.(BQ)
31 That will please the Lord more than an ox,
more than a bull with horns and hooves.(BR)
32 The humble will see it and rejoice.
You who seek God, take heart!(BS)
33 For the Lord listens to the needy
and does not despise
his own who are prisoners.(BT)
34 Let heaven and earth praise him,
the seas and everything that moves in them,(BU)
35 for God will save Zion
and build up[o] the cities of Judah.
They will live there and possess it.(BV)
36 The descendants of his servants will inherit it,
and those who love his name will live in it.(BW)
Psalm 70
A Call for Deliverance
For the choir director. Of David. To bring remembrance.(BX)
1 God, hurry to rescue me.
Lord, hurry to help me!(BY)
2 Let those who seek to kill me
be disgraced and confounded;
let those who wish me harm
be turned back and humiliated.
3 Let those who say, “Aha, aha!”
retreat because of their shame.(BZ)
4 Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you;
let those who love your salvation
continually say, “God is great!” (CA)
5 I am oppressed and needy;
hurry to me, God.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Lord, do not delay.(CB)
Footnotes
- 68:4 Or rides through the desert
- 68:4 Hb Yah
- 68:6 Or prisoners with joyous music; Hb uncertain
- 68:8 Or God, this one of Sinai
- 68:13 Or If
- 68:13 Or the campfires, or the saddlebags; Hb obscure
- 68:14 Or Black Mountain
- 68:17 Or in holiness, also in v. 24
- 68:18 Lit among
- 68:18 Or even those rebelling against the Lord God’s living there; Hb obscure
- 68:23 LXX, Syr read dip
- 68:27 Hb obscure
- 68:30 Or peoples, trampling on those who take pleasure in silver, or peoples, trampling on the bars of silver, or peoples, who trample each other for bars of silver
- 68:31 Or They bring red cloth, or They bring bronze
- 69:35 Or and rebuild
Proverbs 13
Christian Standard Bible
13 A wise son responds to his father’s discipline,
but a mocker doesn’t listen to rebuke.
2 From the fruit of his mouth,
a person will enjoy good things,(A)
but treacherous people have an appetite for violence.(B)
3 The one who guards his mouth protects his life;(C)
the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.(D)
4 The slacker craves, yet has nothing,
but the diligent is fully satisfied.(E)
5 The righteous hate lying,
but the wicked bring disgust and shame.
7 One person pretends to be rich but has nothing;(G)
another pretends to be poor but has abundant wealth.(H)
8 Riches are a ransom for a person’s life,(I)
but a poor person hears no threat.
10 Arrogance leads to nothing but strife,(L)
but wisdom is gained by those who take advice.
11 Wealth obtained by fraud will dwindle,(M)
but whoever earns it through labor[b] will multiply it.(N)
12 Hope delayed makes the heart sick,
but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.(O)
13 The one who has contempt for instruction will pay the penalty,(P)
but the one who respects a command will be rewarded.(Q)
14 A wise person’s instruction is a fountain of life,(R)
turning people away from the snares of death.(S)
16 Every sensible person acts knowledgeably,
but a fool displays his stupidity.(U)
17 A wicked envoy falls into trouble,
but a trustworthy courier brings healing.(V)
18 Poverty and disgrace come to those
who ignore discipline,
but the one who accepts correction will be honored.(W)
19 Desire fulfilled is sweet to the taste,
but to turn from evil is detestable to fools.(X)
20 The one who walks with the wise will become wise,
but a companion of fools will suffer harm.
21 Disaster pursues sinners,
but good rewards the righteous.(Y)
22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his[d] grandchildren,
but the sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.(Z)
23 The uncultivated field of the poor yields abundant food,
but without justice, it is swept away.
24 The one who will not use the rod hates his son,(AA)
but the one who loves him disciplines him diligently.(AB)
25 A righteous person eats until he is satisfied,
but the stomach of the wicked is empty.(AC)
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