Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
VI. The Divine Speeches (38:1-42:6)
The Lord’s First Speech[a]
38 Then the Lord answered[b] Job out of the whirlwind:[c]
2 “Who is this[d] who darkens counsel[e]
with words without knowledge?
3 Get ready for a difficult task[f] like a man;
I will question you
and you will inform me.
God’s questions to Job
4 “Where were you
when I laid the foundation[g] of the earth?
Tell me,[h] if you possess understanding.
5 Who set its measurements—if[i] you know—
or who stretched a measuring line across it?
6 On what[j] were its bases[k] set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
7 when the morning stars[l] sang[m] in chorus,[n]
and all the sons of God[o] shouted for joy?
8 “Who shut up[p] the sea with doors
when it burst forth,[q] coming out of the womb,
9 when I made[r] the storm clouds its garment,
and thick darkness its swaddling band,[s]
10 when I prescribed[t] its limits,
and set in place[u] its bolts and doors,
11 when I said, ‘To here you may come[v]
and no farther,[w]
here your proud waves will be confined’?[x]
23 [a] Some traveled on[b] the sea in ships,
and carried cargo over the vast waters.[c]
24 They witnessed the acts of the Lord,
his amazing feats on the deep water.
25 He gave the order for a windstorm,[d]
and it stirred up the waves of the sea.[e]
26 They[f] reached up to the sky,
then dropped into the depths.
The sailors’ strength[g] left them[h] because the danger was so great.[i]
27 They swayed[j] and staggered like drunks,
and all their skill proved ineffective.[k]
28 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
29 He calmed the storm,[l]
and the waves[m] grew silent.
30 The sailors[n] rejoiced because the waves[o] grew quiet,
and he led them to the harbor[p] they desired.
31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people.[q]
32 Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people.
Let them praise him in the place where the leaders preside.[r]
God’s Suffering Servants
6 Now because we are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.[a] 2 For he says, “I heard you at the acceptable time, and in the day of salvation I helped you.”[b] Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation! 3 We do not give anyone[c] an occasion for taking an offense in anything,[d] so that no fault may be found with our ministry. 4 But as God’s servants,[e] we have commended ourselves in every way,[f] with great endurance, in persecutions,[g] in difficulties, in distresses, 5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots,[h] in troubles,[i] in sleepless nights, in hunger, 6 by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by benevolence, by the Holy Spirit,[j] by genuine[k] love, 7 by truthful[l] teaching,[m] by the power of God, with weapons of righteousness both for the right hand and for the left,[n] 8 through glory and dishonor, through slander and praise; regarded as impostors,[o] and yet true; 9 as unknown, and yet well-known; as dying and yet—see!—we continue to live; as those who are scourged[p] and yet not executed; 10 as sorrowful, but always rejoicing, as poor, but making many rich, as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
11 We have spoken freely to you,[q] Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide to you. 12 Our affection for you is not restricted,[r] but you are restricted in your affections for us. 13 Now as a fair exchange—I speak as to my[s] children—open wide your hearts to us[t] also.
Stilling of a Storm
35 On that day, when evening came, Jesus[a] said to his disciples, “Let’s go across to the other side of the lake.”[b] 36 So[c] after leaving the crowd, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat,[d] and other boats were with him. 37 Now[e] a great windstorm[f] developed and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was nearly swamped. 38 But[g] he was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. They woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are about to die?” 39 So[h] he got up and rebuked[i] the wind, and said to the sea,[j] “Be quiet! Calm down!” Then[k] the wind stopped, and it was dead calm. 40 And he said to them, “Why are you cowardly? Do you still not have faith?” 41 They were overwhelmed by fear and said to one another, “Who then is this?[l] Even the wind and sea obey him!”[m]
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.