Today our passages are Job 16:1–19:29; 1 Corinthians 16:1-24; Psalm 40:1-10; and Proverbs 22:1. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Steet, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below.
Job 16-19:29 (Contemporary English Version)
Job 16
Job's Reply to Eliphaz
I Have Often Heard This
1Job said:
2I have often heard this,
and it offers no comfort.
3So why don't you keep quiet?
What's bothering you?
4If I were in your place,
it would be easy to criticize
or to give advice.
5But I would offer hope
and comfort instead.
6If I speak, or if I don't,
I hurt all the same.
My torment continues.
7God has worn me down
and destroyed my family;
8my shriveled up skin proves
that I am his prisoner.
9God is my hateful enemy,
glaring at me
and attacking
with his sharp teeth.
10Everyone is against me;
they sneer and slap my face.
11And God is the one
who handed me over
to this merciless mob.
Everything Was Going Well
12Everything was going well,
until God grabbed my neck
and shook me to pieces.
God set me up as the target
13for his arrows,
and without showing mercy,
he slashed my stomach open,
spilling out my insides.
14God never stops attacking,
15and so, in my sorrow
I dress in sackcloth [a]
and sit in the dust.
16My face is red with tears,
and dark shadows
circle my eyes,
17though I am not violent,
and my prayers are sincere.
18If I should die,
I beg the earth
not to cover
my cry for justice.
19Even now, God in heaven
is both my witness
and my protector.
20My friends have rejected me,
but God is the one I beg [b]
21to show that I am right,
just as a friend should.
22Because in only a few years,
I will be dead and gone.
Job 17
Job Complains to God
My Hopes Have Died
1My hopes have died,
my time is up,
and the grave is ready.
2All I can see are angry
crowds,
making fun of me.
3If you, LORD, don't help,
who will pay the price
for my release?
4My friends won't really
listen,
all because of you,
and so you must be the one
to prove them wrong.
5They have condemned me,
just to benefit themselves;
now blind their children.
6You, God, are the reason
I am insulted and spit on.
7I am almost blind with grief;
my body is a mere shadow.
8People who are truly good
would feel so alarmed,
that they would become angry
at my worthless friends.
9They would do the right thing
and because they did,
they would grow stronger. [c]
10But none of my friends
show any sense.
11My life is drawing to an end;
hope has disappeared.
12But all my friends can do
is offer empty hopes. [d]
13I could tell the world below
to prepare me a bed.
14Then I could greet the grave
as my father
and say to the worms,
"Hello, mother and sisters!"
15But what kind of hope is
that?
16Will it keep me company
in the world of the dead?
Job 18
Bildad's Second Speech
How Long Will You Talk?
1Bildad from Shuah [e] said: 2How long will you talk?
Be sensible! Let us speak.
3Or do you think that we
are dumb animals?
4You cut yourself in anger.
Will that shake the earth
or even move the rocks?
5The lamps of sinful people
soon are snuffed out,
6leaving their tents dark.
7Their powerful legs become
weak,
and they stumble on schemes
of their own doing.
8Before they know it,
9they are trapped
in a net,
10hidden along the path.
11Terror strikes and pursues
from every side.
12Starving, they run,
only to meet disaster,
13then afterwards to be eaten
alive
by death itself.
14Those sinners are dragged
from the safety of their tents
to die a gruesome death.
15Then their tents and
possessions
are burned to ashes,
16and they are left like trees,
dried up from the roots.
17They are gone and forgotten,
18thrown far from the light
into a world of darkness,
19without any children
to carry on their name.
20Everyone, from east to west,
is overwhelmed with horror.
21Such is the fate of sinners
and their families
who don't know God.
Job 19
Job's Reply to Bildad
How Long Will You Torture Me?
1Job said:
2How long will you torture me
with your words?
3Isn't ten times enough
for you to accuse me?
Aren't you ashamed?
4Even if I have sinned,
you haven't been harmed.
5You boast of your goodness,
claiming I am suffering
because I am guilty.
6But God is the one at fault
for finding fault with me.
7Though I pray to be rescued
from this torment,
no whisper of justice
answers me.
8God has me trapped
with a wall of darkness
9and stripped of respect.
10God rips me apart,
uproots my hopes,
11and attacks with fierce
anger,
as though I were his enemy.
12His entire army advances,
then surrounds my tent.
I Am Forgotten
13God has turned relatives
and friends against me,
14and I am forgotten.
15My guests and my servants
consider me a stranger,
16and when I call my servants,
they pay no attention.
17My breath disgusts my wife;
everyone in my family
turns away.
18Young children can't stand
me,
and when I come near,
they make fun.
19My best friends and loved
ones
have turned from me.
20I am skin and bones--
just barely alive.
21My friends, I beg you for
pity!
God has made me his target.
22Hasn't he already done
enough?
Why do you join the attack?
23I wish that my words
could be written down
24or chiseled into rock.
25I know that my Savior [f]
lives, and at the end
he will stand on this earth.
26My flesh may be destroyed,
yet from this body
I will see God. [g]
27Yes, I will see him for myself,
and I long for that moment.
28My friends, you think up ways
to blame and torment me,
saying
I brought it on myself.
29But watch out for the
judgment,
when God will punish you!
Footnotes:
- Job 16:15 sackcloth: A rough, dark-colored cloth made from goat hair and used to make grain sacks. It was worn in times of trouble or sorrow.
- Job 16:20 My friends. . . beg: Or "God is my friend, and he is the one I beg."
- Job 17:9 stronger: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verses 8,9.
- Job 17:12 hopes: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 12.
- Job 18:1 Shuah: See the note at 2.11.
- Job 19:25 Savior: Or "Defender."
- Job 19:26 God: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verses 25,26.
1 Corinthians 16:1-24 (Contemporary English Version)
1 Corinthians 16
A Collection for God's People
1When you collect money for God's people, I want you to do exactly what I told the churches in Galatia to do. 2That is, each Sunday each of you must put aside part of what you have earned. If you do this, you won't have to take up a collection when I come. 3Choose some followers to take the money to Jerusalem. I will send them on with the money and with letters which show that you approve of them. 4If you think I should go along, they can go with me.Paul's Travel Plans
5After I have gone through Macedonia, I hope to see you 6and visit with you for a while. I may even stay all winter, so that you can help me on my way to wherever I will be going next. 7If the Lord lets me, I would rather come later for a longer visit than to stop off now for only a short visit. 8I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, 9because there is a wonderful opportunity for me to do some work here. But there are also many people who are against me.
10When Timothy arrives, give
him a friendly welcome. He is doing the Lord's work, just as I am. 11Don't let anyone mistreat him. I am
looking for him to return to me together with the other followers. So when he
leaves, send him off with your blessings.
12I have tried hard to get our
friend Apollos to visit you with the other followers. He doesn't want to come
just now, but he will come when he can.
Personal Concerns and Greetings
13Keep alert. Be firm in your faith. Stay brave and strong. 14Show love in everything you do.
15You know that Stephanas and
his family were the first in Achaia to have faith in the Lord. They have done
all they can for God's people. My friends, I ask you 16to obey leaders like them and to do the same for all
others who work hard with you.
17I was glad to see Stephanas
and Fortunatus and Achaicus. Having them here was like having you. 18They made me feel much better, just as
they made you feel better. You should appreciate people like them.
19Greetings from the churches
in Asia.
Aquila and Priscilla, together with the church that meets in their house,
send greetings in the name of the Lord.
20All of the Lord's followers
send their greetings.
Give each other a warm greeting.
21I am signing this letter
myself: PAUL.
22I pray that God will put a
curse on everyone who doesn't love the Lord. And may the Lord come soon.
23I pray that the Lord Jesus
will be kind to you.
24I love everyone who belongs
to Christ Jesus.
Psalm 40:1-10 (Contemporary English Version)
Psalm 40
(A psalm by David for the music leader.)
A Prayer for Help
1I patiently waited, LORD,
for you to hear my prayer.
You listened 2and pulled me
from a lonely pit
full of mud and mire.
You let me stand on a rock
with my feet firm,
3and you gave me a new song,
a song of praise to you.
Many will see this,
and they will honor
and trust
you, the LORD God.
4You bless all of those
who trust you, LORD,
and refuse to worship idols
or follow false gods.
5You, LORD God, have done
many wonderful things,
and you have planned
marvelous things for us.
No one is like you!
I would never be able to tell
all you have done.
6Sacrifices and offerings
are not what please you;
gifts and payment for sin
are not what you demand.
But you made me willing
to listen and obey.
7And so, I said, "I am here
to do what is written
about me in the book,
where it says,
8'I enjoy pleasing you.
Your Law is in my heart.' "
9When your people worshiped,
you know I told them,
"Our LORD always helps!"
10When all your people met,
I did not keep silent.
I said, "Our LORD is kind.
He is faithful and caring,
and he saves us."
Proverbs 22:1 (Contemporary English Version)
Proverbs 22
The Value of a Good Reputation
1A good reputation and respect
are worth much more
than silver and gold.
“You give peace of mind to all who love your Law. Nothing can make them
fall.” - Psalm
119:165
Today's passage is from the Contemporary
English Version.
Thought for the Day
British novelist, Martin Amis worte, “What is the only provocation that could bring about the use of nuclear weapons? Nuclear weapons. What is the priority target for nuclear weapons? Nuclear weapons. What is the only established defense against nuclear weapons? Nuclear weapons. How do we prevent the use of nuclear weapons? By threatening the use of nuclear weapons. And we can't get rid of nuclear weapons, because of nuclear weapons. The intransigence, it seems, is a function of the weapons themselves.”
A Joke for Today
A climber fell off a cliff, and as he tumbled down, he caught hold of a small branch wedged in the rock.
"HELP! IS THERE ANYBODY UP THERE?" he shouted.
A majestic voice boomed through the gorge:
"I will help you, my son, but first you must have faith in me."
"Yes, yes, I trust you!" cried the man.
"Let go of the branch," boomed the voice.
There was a long pause, and the man shouted up again, "IS THERE ANYONE ELSE UP THERE I COULD TALK TO?"
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