Job 6
English Standard Version
Job Replies: My Complaint Is Just
6 Then Job answered and said:
2 “Oh that my vexation were weighed,
and all my calamity laid in the balances!
3 For then it would be heavier than (A)the sand of the sea;
therefore my words have been rash.
4 For (B)the arrows of the Almighty are in me;
my spirit drinks their poison;
the terrors of God are arrayed against me.
5 Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass,
or the ox low over his fodder?
6 Can that which is tasteless be eaten without salt,
or is there any taste in the juice of the mallow?[a]
7 My appetite refuses to touch them;
they are as food that is loathsome to me.[b]
8 “Oh that I might have my request,
and that God would fulfill my hope,
9 that it would (C)please God to crush me,
that he would let loose his hand and cut me off!
10 This would be my comfort;
I would even exult[c] in pain (D)unsparing,
for I have not denied the words of (E)the Holy One.
11 What is my strength, that I should wait?
And what is my end, that I should be patient?
12 Is my strength the strength of stones, or is my flesh bronze?
13 Have I any help in me,
when resource is driven from me?
14 “He who (F)withholds[d] kindness from a (G)friend
forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15 My (H)brothers are (I)treacherous as a torrent-bed,
as torrential (J)streams that pass away,
16 which are dark with ice,
and where the snow hides itself.
17 When they melt, they disappear;
when it is hot, they vanish from their place.
18 The caravans turn aside from their course;
they go up into (K)the waste and perish.
19 The caravans of (L)Tema look,
the travelers of (M)Sheba hope.
20 They are (N)ashamed because they were confident;
they come there and are (O)disappointed.
21 For you have now become nothing;
you see my calamity and are afraid.
22 Have I said, ‘Make me a gift’?
Or, ‘From your wealth offer a bribe for me’?
23 Or, ‘Deliver me from the adversary's hand’?
Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of (P)the ruthless’?
24 “Teach me, and I will be silent;
make me understand how I have gone astray.
25 How forceful are upright words!
But what does reproof from you reprove?
26 Do you think that you can reprove words,
when the speech of a despairing man is (Q)wind?
27 You would even (R)cast lots over the fatherless,
and bargain over your friend.
28 “But now, be pleased to look at me,
for I will not lie to your face.
29 (S)Please turn; let no injustice be done.
Turn now; my vindication is at stake.
30 Is there any injustice on my tongue?
Cannot my palate discern the cause of calamity?
Psalm 132:11-18
English Standard Version
11 (A)The Lord swore to David a sure oath
(B)from which he will not turn back:
(C)“One of the sons of your body[a]
I will set on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant
and my testimonies that I shall teach them,
their sons also forever
shall (D)sit on your throne.”
13 For the Lord has (E)chosen Zion;
he has (F)desired it for his dwelling place:
14 “This is my (G)resting place forever;
here I will (H)dwell, for I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly (I)bless her provisions;
I will (J)satisfy her poor with bread.
16 Her (K)priests I will clothe with salvation,
and her (L)saints will shout for joy.
17 There I will make (M)a horn to sprout for David;
I have prepared (N)a lamp for (O)my anointed.
18 His enemies I will (P)clothe with shame,
but on him his crown will shine.”
Footnotes
- Psalm 132:11 Hebrew of your fruit of the womb
2 Corinthians 9-10
English Standard Version
The Collection for Christians in Jerusalem
9 Now (A)it is superfluous for me to write to you about (B)the ministry for the saints, 2 for I know your readiness, (C)of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready (D)since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them. 3 But (E)I am sending[a] the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove empty in this matter, so that you may be ready, (F)as I said you would be. 4 Otherwise, if some Macedonians (G)come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—for being so confident. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the (H)gift[b] you have promised, so that it may be ready (I)as a willing gift, (J)not as an exaction.[c]
The Cheerful Giver
6 The point is this: (K)whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully[d] will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, (L)not reluctantly or under compulsion, for (M)God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And (N)God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency[e] in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written,
(O)“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.”
10 He who supplies (P)seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and (Q)increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 (R)You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which (S)through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying (T)the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13 By their approval of this service, (U)they[f] will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your (V)confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 (W)Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!
Paul Defends His Ministry
10 (X)I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the (Y)meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!— 2 I beg of you (Z)that when I am present I may not have to show (AA)boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the (AB)weapons of (AC)our warfare are not of the flesh but have (AD)divine power (AE)to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and (AF)every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to (AG)obey Christ, 6 (AH)being ready to punish every disobedience, (AI)when your obedience is complete.
7 (AJ)Look at what is before your eyes. (AK)If anyone is confident that he is Christ's, let him remind himself that just as (AL)he is Christ's, (AM)so also are we. 8 For even if I boast a little too much of (AN)our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be ashamed. 9 I do not want to appear to be frightening you with my letters. 10 For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but (AO)his bodily presence is weak, and (AP)his speech of no account.” 11 Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present. 12 Not that we dare to classify or (AQ)compare ourselves with some of those who (AR)are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are (AS)without understanding.
13 But we will not boast (AT)beyond limits, but will (AU)boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, (AV)to reach even to you. 14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you. (AW)For we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ. 15 We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that (AX)as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be (AY)greatly enlarged, 16 so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another's area of influence. 17 “Let (AZ)the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 18 For it is (BA)not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one (BB)whom the Lord commends.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 9:3 Or I have sent
- 2 Corinthians 9:5 Greek blessing; twice in this verse
- 2 Corinthians 9:5 Or a gift expecting something in return; Greek greed
- 2 Corinthians 9:6 Greek with blessings; twice in this verse
- 2 Corinthians 9:8 Or all contentment
- 2 Corinthians 9:13 Or you
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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