Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
A Davidic instruction.[a]
The Blessings of Forgiveness
32 How blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
2 How blessed is the person against whom the Lord does not charge iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent about my sin,[b]
my body[c] wasted away
by my groaning all day long.
4 For your hand was heavy upon me day and night;
my strength was exhausted
as in a summer drought.
5 My sin I acknowledged to you;
my iniquity I did not hide.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave the guilt of my sin!
6 Therefore every godly person should pray to you at such a time.[d]
Surely a flood of great waters will not reach him.
7 You are my hiding place;
you will deliver me from trouble
and surround me with shouts of deliverance.
Eliphaz Challenges Job to Repent
21 “Get to know God, and you’ll be at peace with him,
and then prosperity will come to you.
22 Accept what he has to teach you,
and treasure his words in your heart.
23 “If you return to the Almighty you’ll be restored,
as you remove iniquity from your household.[a]
24 Bury your gold nuggets in the dust,
and your source of gold[b] among the stones in a streambed,
25 and then the Almighty will be your gold
and your refined silver.
26 “Then you’ll take delight in the Almighty;
and will turn your face toward God.
27 You’ll entreat him and he’ll listen to you
as you fulfill your vows.
28 When you make a decision on something,
it will be established for you,
and light will brighten[c] your way.
29 “For when they’re humbled, you may respond;[d]
‘It’s their pride!’
but he delivers the humble.
30 He’ll even deliver the guilty,
who will be delivered through your innocence.”[e]
Job Responds to Eliphaz
23 Job’s response was to say:
2 “I’m still complaining bitterly today;
my hand is heavy because of groaning.
3 If only I knew where to find him,
I would visit him where he has taken his seat.
4 I would lay out my case before him;
and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I know how he would answer me;
I understand what he’ll tell me.
6 “Would he use his great power to fight me?
No, he’ll pay attention to me.
7 In that place, the upright can reason with him;
and I’ll be acquitted once and for all by my judge.”
Job Justifies His Innocence
8 “Look! If I go east,[f] he isn’t there!
If I go to the west,[g] I don’t perceive him.
9 If he’s working in the north,[h] I can’t observe him;[i]
If he turns south,[j] I can’t see him.[k]
10 Because he knows the road on which I travel,
when he had tested me, I’ll come out like gold.
11 My feet stay where his footsteps lead;
I kept on his pathway and haven’t turned aside.
12 I haven’t wandered away from the commands that he has spoken;[l]
I’ve treasured what he has said[m] more than my own meals.”
Job Stands Petrified Before God
13 “But he is One—who can change him?
He does whatever he wants to do.
14 He’ll complete what he has planned for me;
he has many things in mind for me!
15 That’s why I’m terrified at his presence!
When I think about it, I’m afraid of him.
16 God has caused me to faint;[n]
the Almighty makes me terrified!
17 Nevertheless, I haven’t been silenced because of the darkness,
even when thick darkness obscures my vision.”[o]
Greetings
1 From:[a] Simeon[b] Peter, a servant[c] and apostle of Jesus, the Messiah.[d]
To: Those who have received faith that is as valuable as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus the Messiah.[e]
2 May grace and peace be yours in abundance through full knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord!
We are Called to Holy Living
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the full knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence. 4 Through these he has given us his precious and wonderful promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, seeing that you have escaped the corruption that is in the world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, you must make every effort to supplement your faith with moral character, your moral character with knowledge, 6 your knowledge with self-control, your self-control with endurance, your endurance with godliness, 7 your godliness with brotherly kindness, and your brotherly kindness with love. 8 For if you possess these qualities, and if they continue to increase among you, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in attaining a full knowledge of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah.[f] 9 For the person who lacks these qualities is blind and shortsighted, and has forgotten the cleansing that he has received from his past sins.
10 So then, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election certain, for if you keep on doing this you will never fail. 11 For in this way you will be generously granted entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Messiah.[g]
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