The Daily Audio Bible
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Round Two: Job’s First Speech
16 Job responded:
2 I have heard many things just like these.
You are miserable comforters, all of you!
3 Is there any end to your windy words?
What provokes you to respond like this?
4 I also could speak just like you,
if your lives were in the same condition that my life is.
I could weave fancy words against you
and shake my head at you.
5 But instead, I would build you up with the words from my mouth,
and comforting words from my lips would ease your pain.
6 Now if I speak up, it does not lessen my pain,
and if I hold back, how much of my pain goes away?
7 Surely, he[a] has worn me out!
You have devastated everyone close to me.
8 You have made me shrivel up,[b]
and this testifies against me.
My emaciated body stands up
and is a witness against me.
9 His anger has torn me.
He has been hostile to me.
He has gnashed his teeth at me.
My opponent glares at me with piercing eyes.
10 People have opened their mouths wide against me.
They have slapped my face with contempt.
They have ganged up on me.
11 God hands me over to evil people.[c]
He throws me into the hands of the wicked.
12 When I was at ease, he shattered me.[d]
He seized me by the neck and has ripped me to pieces.
He has set me up as his target.
13 His archers surround me.
He pierces my kidneys and has no pity.
He pours out my bile on the earth.
14 He breaks down my walls in many places.
He runs against me like a warrior.
15 I have stitched sackcloth to my skin.
My horn[e] is stuck in the dust.
16 My face is red from my weeping.
There are dark circles under my eyes,
17 even though there is no violence in my hands,
and my prayer is pure.
18 O earth, do not cover my blood.
Let my cry never find a place to rest.
19 Even now, my witness is in heaven.
My advocate is on high.
20 My intercessor is my friend.
My eyes never stop weeping to God.
21 My intercessor pleads with God for a man,
as another human pleads for his friend.
22 A few more years will come.
Then I will go the way of no return.
17 My spirit is broken.
My days are snuffed out.
The tomb is waiting for me.
2 Surely mockery closes in on me.
My eyes must live with my enemies’ bitter contempt.
3 Please pay for me the deposit that you require from me.
Indeed, who else could guarantee this payment for me?
4 You have hidden understanding from their hearts.
Therefore, you will not let them win.
5 If someone denounces friends for a payoff,
his children’s eyes will fail.
6 He has made me a laughingstock among the people.
They spit in my face.
7 My vision is blurry from grief.
I am just a shadow of myself.
8 The upright are appalled at this,
and the innocent are aroused against the godless.
9 In spite of it all, the righteous hold tight to their ways,
and everyone with clean hands grows stronger.
10 All right then—all of you, please come and try again,
but I will not find a wise man among you.
11 My days have passed.
All the things I planned to do are ripped apart,
including the deepest desires of my heart.
12 They turn night into day.
In the face of darkness, they claim light is near.
13 If I wait hopefully for the grave to become my house,
if I spread out my bed in the darkness,
14 if I cry out to the pit, “You are my father,”
and to the worm, “My mother” or “My sister,”
15 where then is my hope?
Who can find any hope for me?
16 Will it go down with me to the barred gates of the grave?
Will we rest in the dust together?
Round Two: Bildad’s Speech
18 Bildad the Shuhite responded:
2 How much longer are all of you going to keep hunting for words?[f]
Come to your senses! Then we can talk.
3 Why are we considered to be like cattle?
Why are we regarded as unreasoning animals in your eyes?
4 You, who tear yourself to pieces with your anger,
do you expect the earth to be made desolate for your sake?
Should rocks be moved from their place for you?
5 The light of the wicked has been extinguished,
and not a spark of his flame still shines.
6 In his tent, light becomes darkness
when the lamp beside him goes out.
7 His powerful strides are tangled up,
and his own plans bring him down.
8 Yes, his feet are caught in a net,
and he stumbles into its webbing.
9 A trap snaps at his heel,
and a snare catches him firmly.
10 A noose lies hidden on the ground for him.
A trap is set on his path.
11 Terrors frighten him on every side.
They harass him at every step.
12 His strength is eaten away by hunger,[g]
and disaster is waiting for him to stumble.
13 It eats away pieces of his skin.
Death’s firstborn child eats away pieces of him.
14 He is torn away from the safety of his tent.
He is marched off to the king of terrors.
15 Nothing that belonged to him remains in his tent.[h]
Sulfur is scattered over his dwelling.
16 His roots dry up below,
and his branches wither above.
17 All memory of him perishes from the earth.
No one on the street remembers his name.
18 He is pushed away from the light into the darkness.
He is chased out of the world.
19 He has no posterity or descendants among his people.
He leaves no survivor in his place, where he lived as an alien.
20 People in the west shudder at his fate.
People in the east are overcome with horror.
21 Certainly this is the dwelling place for an evil man.
This is the place for one who does not acknowledge God.
Round Two: Job’s Second Speech
19 Then Job responded:
2 How long will you torment my soul?
How long will you crush me with words?
3 Ten times now you have insulted me,
but you are not ashamed that you are treating me so badly.
4 But even if I actually were in the wrong,
my error would remain my own concern.
5 To be sure, when you lord it over me,
and you hurl my disgrace against me,
6 you should know that God has denied me justice,
and he has trapped me in his net.
7 Listen to me!
I cry out, “Injustice,” but I get no answer.
I call for help, but there is no justice.
8 He has blocked my way, so I cannot get by.
He has brought darkness on my paths.
9 He has stripped me of my honor,
and he has taken the crown off my head.
10 He tears me down on every side, until I am gone.
He uproots my hope like a tree.
11 His anger burns against me,
and he regards me as his enemy.
12 Together his troops advance against me.
They build a siege ramp against me.
They camp all around my tent.
13 He has distanced my brothers far from me,
and those who know me treat me like a stranger.
14 My relatives stay away.
Even my close friends have forgotten me.
15 Even my houseguests and my female servants treat me like a stranger.
They look upon me as a foreigner.
16 I summon my servant, but he does not answer,
even though I beg him to be gracious to me.
17 My breath keeps my wife away from me,
and I am repulsive to my mother’s children.
18 Even young boys reject me.
When I get up, they speak against me.
19 My closest confidants shun me,
and those I love have turned against me.
20 I am nothing but skin and bones.
I have escaped with the skin of my teeth.
21 Have mercy on me.
Have mercy on me, you friends of mine,
because the hand of God has struck me.
22 Why do you pursue me the way God does?
Will you never get enough of my flesh?
23 Oh how I wish that my words were written down.
Oh how I wish that they were inscribed in bronze,[i]
24 that they would be engraved in rock forever
with an iron tool and letters filled with lead.
25 As for me, I know that my Redeemer[j] lives,
and that at the end of time[k] he will stand over the dust.
26 Then, even after my skin has been destroyed,
nevertheless, in my own flesh I will see God.[l]
27 I myself will see him.
My own eyes will see him, and not as a stranger.
My emotions are in turmoil[m] within me.
28 If you say, “What can we do to pursue him?”
and “He is the root of his own problems,”
29 then you should fear the edge of the sword for yourselves!
For wrath brings the punishment of the sword,
so that you will know that there is judgment.
Plans for a Collection and Travel Plans
16 Now concerning the collection for the saints, do as I directed the churches in Galatia to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to set something aside in keeping with whatever he gains, saving it up at home, so that when I come, no collections will need to be carried out. 3 When I arrive, those whom you approve will be provided with letters, and I will send these representatives to deliver your gracious gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it is appropriate for me to go also, they will go with me.
5 I will come to you when I have passed through Macedonia, for I am going to go through Macedonia. 6 Perhaps I will have an extended stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may send me on my way, wherever I go. 7 For I do not wish to see you now in passing. I hope to stay with you for a while, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will stay on in Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 because a door has opened for me, a great opportunity for action, and there are many adversaries.
10 But if Timothy comes, make sure he has no reason to be afraid while he is with you, for he does the work of the Lord, as I do. 11 Therefore let no one despise him. But send him on his way in peace so that he may come to me, because I am expecting him, and so are the brothers with me.[a]
12 Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. It was not at all his desire to go now, but he will when he has an opportunity.
Closing Messages
13 Keep alert. Stand firm in the faith. Demonstrate manly courage. Be strong. 14 Let everything you do be done in love.
15 Brothers, you know Stephanas and his household. You know that they are the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they volunteered for service to the saints. 16 I urge that you also submit to them and to everyone who joins in and works hard. 17 I am glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus came, because they supplied what was lacking on your part, 18 and they refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such people.
19 The churches in the province of Asia[b] greet you. Aquila and Priscilla[c] greet you warmly in the Lord, together with the church that meets in their house. 20 All the brothers greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21 This greeting is written by me, Paul, with my own hand. 22 If anyone does not love the Lord—let him be under a curse![d] Marana tha![e] 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ[f] be with you. 24 My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.[g]
Psalm 40
I Desire to Do Your Will
(Psalm 40:13-17 parallels Psalm 70)
Heading
For the choir director. By David. A psalm.
Messiah’s Prayer of Thanks
1 I waited and waited for the Lord.
Then he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 Then he pulled me up from the deadly quicksand,
from the mud and muck.
He made my feet stand on a rock to keep my steps from slipping.
3 Then he put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear.
They will trust in the Lord.
4 How blessed is everyone who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud
or to those who turn aside to falsehood.
5 Many are the wonders you have done, O Lord my God.
No one can explain to you all your thoughts for us.[a]
If I try to speak and tell about them,
they are too many to count.
Messiah’s Willing Sacrifice
6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire.
Ears you have opened for me.[b]
You did not ask for burnt offerings and sin offerings.
7 Then I said, “Here I am, I have come.
The book written on a scroll tells about me.
8 My God, I take pleasure in doing your will.
Your law[c] is in my heart.”
Messiah’s Preaching of Good News
9 I preach righteousness in the great assembly.
Indeed, I do not hold back my lips, O Lord, as you know.
10 I do not conceal your righteousness deep in my heart.
I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.
I do not hide your mercy and your truth from the great assembly.
Wise and Foolish Behaviors
22 A good name is worth more than great wealth.
Respect is worth more than silver and gold.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.