Job 1-3:26 (Contemporary English Version)
Job 1
Job and His Family
1Many years ago, a man named Job lived in the land of Uz. [a] He was a truly good person, who respected God and refused to do evil. 2Job had seven sons and three daughters. 3He owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred pair of oxen, five hundred donkeys, and a large number of servants. He was the richest person in the East. 4Job's sons took turns having feasts in their homes, and they always invited their three sisters to join in the eating and drinking. 5After each feast, Job would send for his children and perform a ceremony, as a way of asking God to forgive them of any wrongs they may have done. He would get up early the next morning and offer a sacrifice for each of them, just in case they had sinned or silently cursed God.Angels, the LORD, and Satan
6One day, when the angels [b] had gathered around the LORD, and Satan [c] was there with them, 7the LORD asked, "Satan, where have you been?" Satan replied, "I have been going all over the earth." 8Then the LORD asked, "What do you think of my servant Job? No one on earth is like him--he is a truly good person, who respects me and refuses to do evil."9"Why shouldn't he respect you?" Satan remarked. 10"You are like a wall protecting not only him, but his entire family and all his property. You make him successful in whatever he does, and his flocks and herds are everywhere. 11Try taking away everything he owns, and he will curse you to your face."
12The LORD replied, "All right, Satan, do what you want with anything that belongs to him, but don't harm Job."
Then Satan left.
Job Loses Everything
13Job's sons and daughters were having a feast in the home of his oldest son, 14when someone rushed up to Job and said, "While your servants were plowing with your oxen, and your donkeys were nearby eating grass, 15a gang of Sabeans [d] attacked and stole the oxen and donkeys! Your other servants were killed, and I was the only one who escaped to tell you." 16That servant was still speaking, when a second one came running up and saying, "God sent down a fire that killed your sheep and your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you." 17Before that servant finished speaking, a third one raced up and said, "Three gangs of Chaldeans [e] attacked and stole your camels! All of your other servants were killed, and I am the only one who escaped to tell you." 18That servant was still speaking, when a fourth one dashed up and said, "Your children were having a feast and drinking wine at the home of your oldest son, 19when suddenly a windstorm from the desert blew the house down, crushing all of your children. I am the only one who escaped to tell you."20When Job heard this, he tore his clothes and shaved his head because of his great sorrow. He knelt on the ground, then worshiped God 21and said:
"We bring nothing at birth;
we take nothing
with us at death.
The LORD alone gives and takes.
Praise the name of the LORD!"
22In spite of everything, Job did not sin or accuse God of doing wrong.
Job 2
Job Loses His Health
1When the angels [f] gathered around the LORD again, Satan [g] was there with them, 2and the LORD asked, "Satan, where have you been?" Satan replied, "I have been going all over the earth." 3Then the LORD asked, "What do you think of my servant Job? No one on earth is like him--he is a truly good person, who respects me and refuses to do evil. And he hasn't changed, even though you persuaded me to destroy him for no reason."4Satan answered, "There's no pain like your own. [h] People will do anything to stay alive. 5Try striking Job's own body with pain, and he will curse you to your face." 6"All right!" the LORD replied. "Make Job suffer as much as you want, but just don't kill him." 7Satan left and caused painful sores to break out all over Job's body--from head to toe.
8Then Job sat on the ash-heap to show his sorrow. And while he was scraping his sores with a broken piece of pottery, 9his wife asked, "Why do you still trust God? Why don't you curse him and die?"
10Job replied, "Don't talk like a fool! If we accept blessings from God, we must accept trouble as well." In all that happened, Job never once said anything against God.
Job's Three Friends
11Eliphaz from Teman, Bildad from Shuah, and Zophar from Naamah [i] were three of Job's friends, and they heard about his troubles. So they agreed to visit Job and comfort him. 12When they came near enough to see Job, they could hardly recognize him. And in their great sorrow, they tore their clothes, then sprinkled dust on their heads and cried bitterly. 13For seven days and nights, they sat silently on the ground beside him, because they realized what terrible pain he was in.Job 3
Job's First Speech
Blot Out the Day of My Birth
1Finally, Job cursed the day of his birth2by saying to God:
3Blot out the day of my birth
and the night when my parents
created a son.
4Forget about that day,
cover it with darkness,
5and send thick, gloomy shadows
to fill it with dread.
6Erase that night from the calendar
and conceal it with darkness.
7Don't let children be created
or joyful shouts be heard
ever again in that night.
8Let those with magic powers [j] place a curse on that day.
9Darken its morning stars
and remove all hope of light,
10because it let me be born
into a world of trouble.
Why Didn't I Die at Birth?
11Why didn't I die at birth? 12Why was I accepted [k] and allowed to nurseat my mother's breast?
13Now I would be at peace
in the silent world below
14with kings and their advisors
whose palaces lie in ruins,
15and with rulers once rich
with silver and gold.
16I wish I had been born dead
and then buried,
never to see
the light of day.
17In the world of the dead,
the wicked and the weary rest
without a worry.
18Everyone is there--
19where captives and slaves
are free at last.
Why Does God Let Me Live?
20Why does God let me live when life is miserableand so bitter?
21I keep longing for death
more than I would seek
a valuable treasure.
22Nothing could make me happier
than to be in the grave.
23Why do I go on living
when God has me surrounded,
and I can't see the road?
24Moaning and groaning
are my food and drink,
25and my worst fears
have all come true.
26I have no peace or rest--
only troubles and worries.
Footnotes:
- Job 1:1 Uz: The exact location of this place is unknown, though it was possibly somewhere in northwest Arabia.
- Job 1:6 angels: See the note at 15.8.
- Job 1:6 Satan: Hebrew "the accuser."
- Job 1:15 Sabeans: Perhaps the people of Sheba in what is now southwest Arabia (see Isaiah 60.6).
- Job 1:17 Chaldeans: People from the region of Babylonia, northeast of Palestine.
- Job 2:1 angels: See the note at 15.8.
- Job 2:1 Satan: See the note at 1.6.
- Job 2:4 There's no pain like your own: The Hebrew text has "Skin for skin," which was probably a popular saying.
- Job 2:11 Teman. . . Shuah. . . Naamah: Teman was a place in northern Edom; Shuah may have been a town on the Euphrates River or else further south, near the towns of Dedan and Sheba; Naamah may have been located on the road between Beirut and Damascus, though its exact location is unknown.
- Job 3:8 those with magic powers: The Hebrew text has "those who can place a curse on the day and rouse up Leviathan," which was some kind of sea monster. God's victory over this monster sometimes stood for God's power over all creation and sometimes for his defeat of his enemies (see Isaiah 27.1). In Job 41.1, Leviathan is either a sea monster or a crocodile with almost supernatural powers.
- Job 3:12 Why was I accepted: The Hebrew text has "Why were there knees to receive me," which may refer either to Job's mother or to his father, who would have placed Job on his knees to show that he had accepted him as his child.
1 Corinthians 14:1-17 (Contemporary English Version)
1 Corinthians 14
Speaking Unknown Languages and Prophesying
1Love should be your guide. Be eager to have the gifts that come from the Holy Spirit, especially the gift of prophecy. 2If you speak languages that others don't know, God will understand what you are saying, though no one else will know what you mean. You will be talking about mysteries that only the Spirit understands. 3But when you prophesy, you will be understood, and others will be helped. They will be encouraged and made to feel better. 4By speaking languages that others don't know, you help only yourself. But by prophesying you help everyone in the church. 5I am glad for you to speak unknown languages, although I had rather for you to prophesy. In fact, prophesying does much more good than speaking unknown languages, unless someone can help the church by explaining what you mean.6My friends, what good would it do, if I came and spoke unknown languages to you and didn't explain what I meant? How would I help you, unless I told you what God had shown me or gave you some knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 7If all musical instruments sounded alike, how would you know the difference between a flute and a harp? 8If a bugle call isn't clear, how would you know to get ready for battle?
9That's how it is when you speak unknown languages. If no one can understand what you are talking about, you will only be talking to the wind. 10There are many different languages in this world, and all of them make sense. 11But if I don't understand the language that someone is using, we will be like foreigners to each other. 12If you really want spiritual gifts, choose the ones that will be most helpful to the church.
13When we speak languages that others don't know, we should pray for the power to explain what we mean. 14For example, if I use an unknown language in my prayers, my spirit prays but my mind is useless. 15Then what should I do? There are times when I should pray with my spirit, and times when I should pray with my mind. Sometimes I should sing with my spirit, and at other times I should sing with my mind.
16Suppose some strangers are in your worship service, when you are praising God with your spirit. If they don't understand you, how will they know to say, "Amen"? 17You may be worshiping God in a wonderful way, but no one else will be helped.
Psalm 37:12-29 (Contemporary English Version)
12Merciless people make plots
against good people
and snarl like animals,
13but the Lord laughs and knows
their time is coming soon.
14The wicked kill with swords
and shoot arrows
to murder
the poor and the needy
and all who do right.
15But they will be killed
by their own swords,
and their arrows
will be broken.
16It is better to live right
and be poor
than to be sinful and rich.
17The wicked will lose all
of their power,
but the LORD gives strength
to everyone who is good.
18Those who obey the LORD
are daily in his care,
and what he has given them
will be theirs forever.
19They won't be in trouble
when times are bad,
and they will have plenty
when food is scarce.
20Wicked people are enemies
of the LORD
and will vanish like smoke
from a field on fire.
21An evil person borrows
and never pays back;
a good person is generous
and never stops giving.
22Everyone the LORD blesses
will receive the land;
everyone the LORD curses
will be destroyed.
23If you do what the LORD wants,
he will make certain
each step you take is sure.
24The LORD will hold your hand,
and if you stumble,
you still won't fall.
25As long as I can remember,
good people have never
been left helpless,
and their children have never
gone begging for food.
26They gladly give and lend,
and their children
turn out good.
27If you stop sinning
and start doing right,
you will keep living
and be secure forever.
28The LORD loves justice,
and he won't ever desert
his faithful people.
He always protects them,
but destroys the children
of the wicked.
29God's people will own the land
and live here forever.
against good people
and snarl like animals,
13but the Lord laughs and knows
their time is coming soon.
14The wicked kill with swords
and shoot arrows
to murder
the poor and the needy
and all who do right.
15But they will be killed
by their own swords,
and their arrows
will be broken.
16It is better to live right
and be poor
than to be sinful and rich.
17The wicked will lose all
of their power,
but the LORD gives strength
to everyone who is good.
18Those who obey the LORD
are daily in his care,
and what he has given them
will be theirs forever.
19They won't be in trouble
when times are bad,
and they will have plenty
when food is scarce.
20Wicked people are enemies
of the LORD
and will vanish like smoke
from a field on fire.
21An evil person borrows
and never pays back;
a good person is generous
and never stops giving.
22Everyone the LORD blesses
will receive the land;
everyone the LORD curses
will be destroyed.
23If you do what the LORD wants,
he will make certain
each step you take is sure.
24The LORD will hold your hand,
and if you stumble,
you still won't fall.
25As long as I can remember,
good people have never
been left helpless,
and their children have never
gone begging for food.
26They gladly give and lend,
and their children
turn out good.
27If you stop sinning
and start doing right,
you will keep living
and be secure forever.
28The LORD loves justice,
and he won't ever desert
his faithful people.
He always protects them,
but destroys the children
of the wicked.
29God's people will own the land
and live here forever.
Proverbs 21:25-26 (Contemporary English Version)
25If you want too much
and are too lazy to work,
it could be fatal.
26But people who obey God
are always generous.
Verse of the Day
Every day, you are kind, and at night you give me a song as my prayer to you, the living LORD God.” - Psalm 42:8
Thought for the Day
A Joke for Today
Harold and Al were on a small chartered airplane when the pilot suddenly had a heart attack.
and are too lazy to work,
it could be fatal.
26But people who obey God
are always generous.
Verse of the Day
Every day, you are kind, and at night you give me a song as my prayer to you, the living LORD God.” - Psalm 42:8
Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.
Thought for the Day
American novelist, Robert Stone wrote, “It's easy to create a country, all you have to do is to think of a name for it.”
A Joke for Today
Harold and Al were on a small chartered airplane when the pilot suddenly had a heart attack.
"Don't Panic," cried Harold heroically. "I'll land this baby!"
Seizing the controls he headed for the runway at LaGuardia Airport, and began wrestling the diving plane to the ground. Just as the wheels touched the ground, Al screamed, "Red lights!! Right in front of you!"
Immediately Harold threw the engine in reverse and jammed on the breaks, bringing the plane to a violent stop just inches from the edge of the lights.
"Brother!" he puffed, wiping his brow. "That sure was a short runway!"
"Yeah," agreed Al, looking side to side, "but look how WIDE it is."
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