Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Prayer for Protection against Oppressors.
A Prayer of David.
17 Hear a (A)just cause, O Lord, (B)give heed to my cry;
(C)Give ear to my prayer, which is not from (D)deceitful lips.
2 Let (E)my [a]judgment come forth from Your presence;
Let Your eyes look with (F)equity.
3 You have (G)tried my heart;
You have visited me by night;
You have (H)tested me and (I)You find [b]nothing;
I have (J)purposed that my mouth will not transgress.
4 As for the deeds of men, (K)by the word of Your lips
I have kept from the (L)paths of the violent.
5 My (M)steps have held fast to Your [c]paths.
My (N)feet have not slipped.
6 I have (O)called upon You, for You will answer me, O God;
(P)Incline Your ear to me, hear my speech.
7 (Q)Wondrously show Your lovingkindness,
O (R)Savior of those who take refuge [d]at Your right hand
From those who rise up against them.
8 Keep me as [e]the (S)apple of the eye;
Hide me (T)in the shadow of Your wings
9 From the (U)wicked who despoil me,
My (V)deadly enemies who surround me.
10 They have (W)closed their [f]unfeeling heart,
With their mouth they (X)speak proudly.
11 They have now (Y)surrounded us in our steps;
They set their eyes (Z)to cast us down to the ground.
12 He is (AA)like a lion that is eager to tear,
And as a young lion (AB)lurking in hiding places.
13 (AC)Arise, O Lord, confront him, (AD)bring him low;
(AE)Deliver my soul from the wicked with (AF)Your sword,
14 From men with (AG)Your hand, O Lord,
From men [g]of the world, (AH)whose portion is in this life,
And whose belly You (AI)fill with Your treasure;
They are satisfied with children,
And leave their abundance to their babes.
15 As for me, I shall (AJ)behold Your face in righteousness;
(AK)I will be satisfied [h]with Your (AL)likeness when I awake.
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. 2 (F)Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 3 (G)His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was (H)the greatest of all the [a]men of the east. 4 His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering (I)burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “(J)Perhaps my sons have sinned and (K)cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.
6 (L)Now there was a day when the (M)sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and [b]Satan also came among them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “(N)From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” 8 The Lord said to Satan, “Have you [c]considered (O)My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, (P)a blameless and upright man, [d]fearing God and turning away from evil.” 9 Then (Q)Satan answered the [e]Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 (R)Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? (S)You have blessed the work of his hands, and his (T)possessions have increased in the land. 11 (U)But put forth Your hand now and (V)touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.” 12 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your [f]power, only do not put forth your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord.
Satan Allowed to Test Job
13 Now on the day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the [g]donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and [h]the (W)Sabeans [i]attacked and took them. They also [j]slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and [k]I alone have escaped to tell you.” 16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “(X)The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 17 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The (Y)Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and [l]slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 18 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
20 Then Job arose and (Z)tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 He said,
“(AA)Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked I shall return there.
The (AB)Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
22 (AC)Through all this Job did not sin nor did he [m]blame God.
34 “(A)Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; 35 for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. 36 But (B)keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to (C)stand before the Son of Man.”
37 Now [a]during the day He was (D)teaching in the temple, but [b](E)at evening He would go out and spend the night on [c](F)the mount that is called [d]Olivet. 38 And all the people would get up (G)early in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him.
Preparing the Passover
22 (H)Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the (I)Passover, was approaching. 2 The chief priests and the scribes (J)were seeking how they might put Him to death; for they were afraid of the people.
3 (K)And (L)Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, [e]belonging to the number of the twelve. 4 And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and (M)officers how he might betray Him to them. 5 They were glad and agreed to give him money. 6 So he consented, and began seeking a good opportunity to betray Him to them [f]apart from the crowd.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.