Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
9 Be gracious to me, Lord, for (A)I am in distress;
My (B)eye is wasted away from grief, (C)my soul and my body too.
10 For my life is spent with (D)sorrow
And my years with sighing;
My (E)strength has failed because of my guilt,
And (F)my [a]body has wasted away.
11 Because of all my adversaries, I have become a (G)disgrace,
Especially to my (H)neighbors,
And an object of dread to my acquaintances;
Those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I am (I)forgotten like a dead person, out of mind;
I am like a broken vessel.
13 For I have heard the [b](J)slander of many,
(K)Terror is on every side;
While they (L)took counsel together against me,
They (M)schemed to take away my life.
Job Is Sure He Will Be Vindicated
13 “(A)Be silent before me so that I may speak;
Then let come upon me what may.
14 Why should I take my flesh in my teeth,
And (B)put my life in my [a]hands?
15 (C)Though He slay me,
I will [b]hope in Him.
Nevertheless I (D)will argue my ways [c]before Him.
16 This also will be my (E)salvation,
For (F)a godless person cannot come before His presence.
17 Listen carefully to my speech,
And let my declaration fill your ears.
18 Behold now, I have (G)prepared my case;
I know that (H)I will be vindicated.
19 (I)Who could contend with me?
For then I would be silent and (J)die.
To Live Is Christ
21 For to me, (A)to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 [a]But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean (B)fruitful labor for me; and I do not know [b]which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the (C)desire to depart and (D)be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sakes. 25 (E)Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy [c]in the faith, 26 so that your (F)pride in Christ Jesus may be abundant because of me by my coming to you again.
27 Only conduct yourselves in a manner (G)worthy of the (H)gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear about you that you are (I)standing firm in (J)one spirit, with one [d]mind (K)striving together for the faith of the gospel; 28 and in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a (L)sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and this too, from God. 29 For to you (M)it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to (N)suffer on His behalf, 30 experiencing the same (O)conflict which (P)you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
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