Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Job Answers the Lord
42 Then Job answered the Lord:
2 “I know that you can do all things.
No plan of yours can be ruined.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that made my purpose unclear by saying things that are not true?’
Surely I talked about things I did not understand.
I spoke of things too wonderful for me to know.
4 You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak.
I will ask you questions.
And you must answer me.’
5 My ears had heard of you before.
But now my eyes have seen you.
6 So now I hate myself.
I will change my heart and life and sit in the dust and ashes.”
10 After Job had prayed for his friends, God gave him success again. God gave Job twice as much as he had owned before. 11 Job’s brothers and sisters came to his house. Everyone who had known him before came to his house. And they all ate with him there. They comforted Job and spoke kindly to him. They made him feel better about the trouble the Lord had brought on him. And each one gave Job a piece of silver and a gold ring.
12 The Lord blessed the last part of Job’s life even more than the first part. Job had 14,000 sheep and 6,000 camels. He had 1,000 pairs of oxen and 1,000 female donkeys. 13 Job also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 He named the first daughter Jemimah. The second daughter he named Keziah. And his third daughter he named Keren-Happuch. 15 There were no other women in all the land as beautiful as Job’s daughters. And their father Job gave them land to own along with their brothers.
16 After this, Job lived 140 years. He lived to see his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. 17 Then Job died. He was old and had lived many years.
Praise God Who Judges and Saves
David’s song from the time he acted crazy so Abimelech would send him away. And David did leave.
34 I will praise the Lord at all times.
His praise is always on my lips.
2 My whole being praises the Lord.
The poor will hear and be glad.
3 Tell the greatness of the Lord with me.
Let us praise his name together.
4 I asked the Lord for help, and he answered me.
He saved me from all that I feared.
5 Those who go to him for help are happy.
They are never disgraced.
6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him.
The Lord saved him from all his troubles.
7 The Lord saves those who fear him.
His angel camps around them.
8 Examine and see how good the Lord is.
Happy is the person who trusts the Lord.
19 People who do what is right may have many problems.
But the Lord will solve them all.
20 He will protect their very bones.
Not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil will kill the wicked people.
Those who hate good people will be judged guilty.
22 But the Lord saves his servants’ lives.
No one who trusts him will be judged guilty.
23 Also, when one of the other priests died, he could not continue being a priest. So there were many priests. 24 But Jesus lives forever. He will never stop serving as priest. 25 So he is always able to save those who come to God through him. He can do this, because he always lives, ready to help those who come before God.
26 So Jesus is the kind of high priest that we need. He is holy; he has no sin in him. He is pure and not influenced by sinners. And he is raised above the heavens. 27 He is not like the other priests. They had to offer sacrifices every day, first for their own sins, and then for the sins of the people. But Christ does not need to do that. He offered his sacrifice only once and for all time. Christ offered himself! 28 The law chooses high priests who are men with all their weaknesses. But the word of God’s oath came later than the law. It made God’s Son to be the high priest. And that Son has been made perfect forever.
Jesus Heals a Blind Man
46 Then they came to the town of Jericho. As Jesus was leaving there with his followers and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting by the road. 47 He heard that Jesus from Nazareth was walking by. The blind man cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, please help me!”
48 Many people scolded the blind man and told him to be quiet. But he shouted more and more, “Son of David, please help me!”
49 Jesus stopped and said, “Tell the man to come here.”
So they called the blind man. They said, “Cheer up! Get to your feet. Jesus is calling you.” 50 The blind man stood up quickly. He left his coat there and went to Jesus.
51 Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man answered, “Teacher, I want to see again.”
52 Jesus said, “Go. You are healed because you believed.” At once the man was able to see again, and he followed Jesus on the road.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.