Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Job’s Character and Wealth

1 There was a man in the ^(A)land of Uz whose name was ^(B)Job; and that man was ^(C)blameless, upright, ^(D)fearing God and ^(E)turning away from evil.

Job Loses His Health

2 ^(A)Again, there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and ^[a]Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. ² The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” ³ The Lord said to Satan, “Have you ^[b]considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man ^[c]fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still ^(B)holds firm to his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ^[d]ruin him without cause.” ⁴ Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has, he will give for his life. ^5 (C)However, reach out with Your hand now, and ^(D)touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face!” ⁶ So the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your ^[e]power, only spare his life.”

⁷ Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with ^(E)severe boils from the sole of his foot to the top of his head. ⁸ And Job took a piece of pottery to scrape himself while ^(F)he was sitting in the ashes.

⁹ Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold firm your integrity? Curse God and die!” ¹⁰ But he said to her, “You are speaking as one of the foolish women speaks. ^(G)Shall we actually accept good from God but not accept adversity?” ^(H)Despite all this, Job did not sin with his lips.

Protestation of Integrity and Prayer for Protection.

A Psalm of David.

God’s Final Word in His Son

1 God, after He ^(A)spoke long ago to the fathers in ^(B)the prophets in many portions and ^(C)in many ways, ^2 [a](D)in these last days ^(E)has spoken to us ^[b]in His ^(F)Son, whom He appointed ^(G)heir of all things, ^(H)through whom He also made the ^[c](I)world. ^3 [d]And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact ^(J)representation of His nature, and ^[e](K)upholds all things by ^[f]the word of His power. When He had made ^(L)purification of sins, He ^(M)sat down at the right hand of the ^(N)Majesty on high, ⁴ having become so much better than the angels, to the extent that He has inherited a more excellent ^(O)name than they.

Earth Subject to Man

⁵ For He did not subject to angels ^[a](A)the world to come, about which we are speaking. ⁶ But someone has testified ^(B)somewhere, saying,

For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now ^(F)we do not yet see all things subjected to him.

Jesus Briefly Humbled

⁹ But we do see Him who was ^(G)made ^[d]for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, ^(H)because of His suffering death ^(I)crowned with glory and honor, so that ^(J)by the grace of God He might ^(K)taste death ^(L)for everyone.

¹⁰ For ^(M)it was fitting for Him, ^(N)for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to ^(O)perfect the ^[e](P)originator of their salvation through sufferings. ¹¹ For both He who ^(Q)sanctifies and those who ^(R)are ^[f]sanctified are all ^(S)from one Father; for this reason He is not ashamed to call them ^(T)brothers and sisters, ¹² saying,

² And some Pharisees came up to Jesus, testing Him, and began questioning Him whether it was lawful for a man to ^[a]divorce his wife. ³ And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?” ⁴ They said, “^(A)Moses permitted a man to write a ^[b]certificate of divorce and ^[c]send his wife away.” ⁵ But Jesus said to them, “^[d](B)Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. ⁶ But ^(C)from the beginning of creation, God ^(D)created them male and female. ^7 (E)For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother^[e], ^8 (F)and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore, what God has joined together, no person is to separate.”

¹⁰ And in the house the disciples again began questioning Him about this. ¹¹ And He *said to them, “^(G)Whoever ^[f]divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her; ¹² and ^(H)if she herself ^[g]divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery.”

Jesus Blesses Little Children

^13 (I)And they were bringing children to Him so that He would touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Allow the children to come to Me; do not ^[h]forbid them, ^(J)for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵ Truly I say to you, ^(K)whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” ¹⁶ And He ^(L)took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.