Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was ^[a]Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and turned away from evil.

2 Again it came to pass on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah, that Satan came also among them to present himself before Jehovah. ² And Jehovah said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered Jehovah, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. ³ And Jehovah said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? ^[a]for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil: and he still holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, ^[b]to destroy him without cause. ⁴ And Satan answered Jehovah, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. ⁵ But put forth thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will renounce thee to thy face. ⁶ And Jehovah said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thy hand; only spare his life.

⁷ So Satan went forth from the presence of Jehovah, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. ⁸ And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself therewith; and he sat among the ashes. ⁹ Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still hold fast thine integrity? renounce God, and die. ¹⁰ But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the ^[c]foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Protestation of integrity, and prayer for protection.

A Psalm of David.

1 God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, ² hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in ^[a]his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the ^[b]worlds; ³ who being the effulgence of his glory, and ^[c]the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; ⁴ having become by so much better than the angels, as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they.

⁵ For not unto angels did he subject ^[a]the world to come, whereof we speak. ⁶ But one hath somewhere testified, saying,

For in that he subjected all things unto him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we see not yet all things subjected to him. ⁹ But we behold him who hath been made ^[e]a little lower than the angels, even Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for every man. ¹⁰ For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, ^[f]in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the ^[g]author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. ¹¹ For both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, ¹² saying,

² And there came unto him Pharisees, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? trying him. ³ And he answered and said unto them, ^[a]What did Moses command you? ⁴ And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. ⁵ But Jesus said unto them, For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. ⁶ But from the beginning of the creation, Male and female made he them. ⁷ For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, ^[b]and shall cleave to his wife; ⁸ and the two shall become one flesh: so that they are no more two, but one flesh. ⁹ What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. ¹⁰ And in the house the disciples asked him again of this matter. ¹¹ And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her: ¹² and if she herself shall put away her husband, and marry another, she committeth adultery.

¹³ And they were bringing unto him little children, that he should touch them: and the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ But when Jesus saw it, he was moved with indignation, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me; forbid them not: for ^[c]to such belongeth the kingdom of God. ¹⁵ Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in no wise enter therein. ¹⁶ And he took them in his arms, and blessed them, laying his hands upon them.