Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
To the director, Jeduthun.[a] A song of David.
39 I said, “I will be careful about what I say.
I will not let my tongue cause me to sin.
I will keep my mouth closed[b]
when I am around wicked people.”
2 So I didn’t say anything.
I didn’t even say anything good,
but I became even more upset.
3 I was very angry,
and the more I thought about it, the angrier I became.
So I said something.
4 Lord, tell me, what will happen to me now?
Tell me, how long will I live?
Let me know how short my life really is.
5 You gave me only a short life.
Compared to you, my whole life is nothing.
The life of every human is like a cloud that quickly disappears. Selah
6 Our life is like an image in a mirror.[c]
We rush through life collecting things,
but we don’t know who will get them after we die.
7 So, Lord, what hope do I have?
You are my hope!
8 Save me from the bad things I did.
Don’t let me be treated like a fool.
9 I will not open my mouth.
I will not say anything.
You did what should have been done.
10 But please stop punishing me.
You will destroy me if you do not stop.
11 You punish people for doing wrong to teach them the right way to live.
As a moth destroys cloth, you destroy what people love.
Yes, our lives are like a small cloud that quickly disappears. Selah
Elihu Adds to the Argument
32 Then Job’s three friends gave up trying to answer him, because he was so sure that he was innocent. 2 But there was a young man there named Elihu son of Barakel. He was a descendant of a man named Buz. Elihu was from the family of Ram. He became very angry because Job kept saying he was innocent—that he was right and God was wrong. 3 Elihu was also angry with Job’s three friends because they could not answer him, and yet they still considered him guilty of doing wrong. 4 Elihu was the youngest one there, so he had waited until everyone finished talking. 5 But when he saw that Job’s three friends had nothing more to say, his anger forced him to speak. 6 So here’s what Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said:
“I am only a young man, and you are all older.
That is why I was afraid to tell you what I think.
7 I thought to myself, ‘Older people should speak first.
They have lived many years, so they have learned many things.’
8 But it is the spirit in people, the breath from God All-Powerful,
that makes them understand.
9 Old men are not the only wise people.
They are not the only ones who understand what is right.
10 “So please listen to me,
and I will tell you what I think.
11 I waited patiently while you men talked.
I listened to the answers you gave as you searched for the right words.
12 I listened carefully to what you said.
Not one of you proved Job wrong.
Not one of you answered his arguments.
13 You men cannot say that you have found wisdom.
The answer to Job’s arguments must come from God, not people.
14 Job was arguing with you, not me,
so I will not use your arguments to answer him.
15 “Job, these men lost the argument.
They don’t have anything more to say.
They don’t have any more answers.
16 I waited for them to answer you.
But now they are quiet.
They stand there with nothing more to say.
17 So now I will give you my answer.
Yes, I will tell you what I think.
18 I have so much to say
that I cannot hold it in.
19 I feel like a jar of wine that has never been opened.
I am like a new wineskin ready to burst.
20 I must speak so that I will feel better.
I must answer your arguments.
21 I will treat you the same as I would treat anyone else.
I will not praise you to win your favor.
22 I cannot treat one person better than another.
If I did, God my Maker would punish me!
The Rich Man and Lazarus
19 Jesus said, “There was a rich man who always dressed in the finest clothes. He was so rich that he was able to enjoy all the best things every day. 20 There was also a very poor man named Lazarus. Lazarus’ body was covered with sores. He was often put by the rich man’s gate. 21 Lazarus wanted only to eat the scraps of food left on the floor under the rich man’s table. And the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “Later, Lazarus died. The angels took him and placed him in the arms of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 He was sent to the place of death[a] and was in great pain. He saw Abraham far away with Lazarus in his arms. 24 He called, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to me so that he can dip his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am suffering in this fire!’
25 “But Abraham said, ‘My child, remember when you lived? You had all the good things in life. But Lazarus had nothing but problems. Now he is comforted here, and you are suffering. 26 Also, there is a big pit between you and us. No one can cross over to help you, and no one can come here from there.’
27 “The rich man said, ‘Then please, father Abraham, send Lazarus to my father’s house on earth. 28 I have five brothers. He could warn my brothers so that they will not come to this place of pain.’
29 “But Abraham said, ‘They have the Law of Moses and the writings of the prophets to read; let them learn from that.’
30 “The rich man said, ‘No, father Abraham! But if someone came to them from the dead, then they would decide to change their lives.’
31 “But Abraham said to him, ‘If your brothers won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen to someone who comes back from the dead.’”
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International