Job’s Friends Are No Help

Then Job responded,

(A)Oh if only my grief were actually weighed
And laid in the balances together with my disaster!
For then it would be (B)heavier than the sand of the seas;
For that reason my words have been rash.
For the (C)arrows of the Almighty are within me,
[a]My spirit drinks their (D)poison;
The (E)terrors of God line up against me.
Does the (F)wild donkey bray over his grass,
Or does the ox low over his feed?
Can something tasteless be eaten without salt,
Or is there any taste in the [b]juice of an alkanet plant?
My soul (G)refuses to touch them;
They are like loathsome food to me.

“Oh, that my request might come to pass,
And that God would grant my hope!
Oh, that God would (H)decide to crush me,
That He would let loose His hand and cut me off!
10 But it is still my comfort,
And I rejoice in unsparing pain,
That I (I)have not [c]denied the words of the Holy One.
11 What is my strength, that I should wait?
And what is my end, that I should [d](J)endure?
12 Is my strength the strength of stones,
Or is my flesh bronze?
13 Is it that my (K)help is not within me,
And that a (L)good outcome is driven away from me?

14 “For the (M)despairing man there should be kindness from his friend;
So that he does not (N)abandon the [e]fear of the Almighty.
15 My brothers have acted (O)deceitfully like a [f]wadi,
Like the torrents of [g]wadis which drain away,
16 Which are darkened because of ice,
And into which the snow [h]melts.
17 When (P)they dry up, they vanish;
When it is hot, they disappear from their place.
18 The [i]paths of their course wind along,
They go up into wasteland and perish.
19 The caravans of (Q)Tema looked,
The travelers of (R)Sheba hoped for them.
20 They (S)were put to shame, for they had trusted,
They came there and were humiliated.
21 Indeed, you have now become such,
(T)You see terrors and are afraid.
22 Have I said, ‘Give me something,’
Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth,’
23 Or, ‘Save me from the hand of the enemy,’
Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the tyrants’?

24 “Teach me, and (U)I will be silent;
And show me how I have done wrong.
25 How painful are honest words!
But what does your argument prove?
26 Do you intend to rebuke my words,
When the (V)words of one in despair belong to the wind?
27 You would even (W)cast lots for (X)the orphans,
And (Y)barter over your friend.
28 Now please look at me,
And see if I am (Z)lying to your face.
29 Please turn away, let there be no injustice;
Turn away, (AA)my righteousness is still in it.
30 Is there injustice on my tongue?
Does (AB)my palate not discern disasters?

Footnotes

  1. Job 6:4 Lit Whose poison my spirit drinks
  2. Job 6:6 Heb hallamuth, meaning uncertain
  3. Job 6:10 Lit hidden
  4. Job 6:11 Lit prolong my soul
  5. Job 6:14 Or reverence for
  6. Job 6:15 I.e., dry stream bed(s), except in the rainy season
  7. Job 6:15 I.e., dry stream bed(s), except in the rainy season
  8. Job 6:16 Lit hides itself
  9. Job 6:18 Or caravans turn from their course, they go up into the waste and perish

The Word of Faith Brings Salvation

10 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have (A)a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about (B)God’s righteousness and (C)seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For (D)Christ is the [a]end of the Law for righteousness to (E)everyone who believes.

For Moses writes of the righteousness that is [b]based on the Law, that the person who performs [c]them (F)will live by [d]them. But (G)the righteousness [e]based on faith speaks as follows: “(H)Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will go up into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), or ‘Who will descend into the (I)abyss?’ (that is, to (J)bring Christ up from the dead).” But what does it say? “(K)The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, [f]that (L)if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and (M)believe in your heart that (N)God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, [g]resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, [h]resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “(O)Whoever believes in Him will not be [i]put to shame.” 12 For (P)there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is (Q)Lord of (R)all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for “(S)Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

14 How then are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed? How are they to believe in Him (T)whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without (U)a preacher? 15 But how are they to preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written: “(V)How beautiful are the feet of those who [j](W)bring good news of good things!”

16 However, they (X)did not all heed the [k]good news; for Isaiah says, “(Y)Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So faith comes from (Z)hearing, and hearing by (AA)the word [l]of Christ.

18 But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? On the contrary:

(AB)Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
And their words to the ends of the [m]world.”

19 But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says,

(AC)I will (AD)make you jealous with those who are not a nation,
With a foolish nation I will anger you.”

20 And Isaiah is very bold and says,

(AE)I was found by those who did not seek Me,
I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me.”

21 But as for Israel, He says, “(AF)I have spread out My hands all day long to a disobedient and obstinate people.”

Footnotes

  1. Romans 10:4 Or goal
  2. Romans 10:5 Lit out of, from
  3. Romans 10:5 I.e., the statutes of the Law
  4. Romans 10:5 I.e., the statutes of the Law
  5. Romans 10:6 Lit out of, from
  6. Romans 10:9 Or because
  7. Romans 10:10 Lit to righteousness
  8. Romans 10:10 Lit to salvation
  9. Romans 10:11 Or disappointed
  10. Romans 10:15 Or preach the gospel
  11. Romans 10:16 Or gospel
  12. Romans 10:17 Or concerning Christ
  13. Romans 10:18 Or inhabited earth

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