Bible Reading Plan

¹ "But now, Job, listen^(a) to my words;
     pay attention to everything I say.^(b)
2 I am about to open my mouth;
     my words are on the tip of my tongue.
³ My words come from an upright heart;^(c)
     my lips sincerely speak what I know.^(d)
4 The Spirit^(e) of God has made me;^(f)
     the breath of the Almighty^(g) gives me life.^(h)
5 Answer me⁽ⁱ⁾ then, if you can;
     stand up^(j) and argue your case before me.^(k)
6 I am the same as you in God's sight;^(l)
     I too am a piece of clay.^(m)
7 No fear of me should alarm you,
     nor should my hand be heavy on you.⁽ⁿ⁾

⁸ "But you have said in my hearing—
     I heard the very words—
⁹ ‘I am pure,^(o) I have done no wrong;^(p)
     I am clean and free from sin.^(q)
10 Yet God has found fault with me;
     he considers me his enemy.^(r)
11 He fastens my feet in shackles;^(s)
     he keeps close watch on all my paths.'^(t)

¹² "But I tell you, in this you are not right,
     for God is greater than any mortal.^(u)
13 Why do you complain to him^(v)
     that he responds to no one's words^[a]?^(w)
14 For God does speak^(x)—now one way, now another^(y)—
     though no one perceives it.^(z)
15 In a dream,^(aa) in a vision^(ab) of the night,^(ac)
     when deep sleep^(ad) falls on people
     as they slumber in their beds,
¹⁶ he may speak^(ae) in their ears
     and terrify them^(af) with warnings,^(ag)
17 to turn them from wrongdoing
     and keep them from pride,^(ah)
18 to preserve them from the pit,^(ai)
     their lives from perishing by the sword.^[b](aj)

¹⁹ "Or someone may be chastened^(ak) on a bed of pain^(al)
     with constant distress in their bones,^(am)
20 so that their body finds food^(an) repulsive
     and their soul loathes the choicest meal.^(ao)
21 Their flesh wastes away to nothing,
     and their bones,^(ap) once hidden, now stick out.^(aq)
22 They draw near to the pit,^(ar)
     and their life to the messengers of death.^[c](as)
23 Yet if there is an angel at their side,
     a messenger,^(at) one out of a thousand,
     sent to tell them how to be upright,^(au)
24 and he is gracious to that person and says to God,
     ‘Spare them from going down to the pit;^(av)
     I have found a ransom for them^(aw)—
²⁵ let their flesh be renewed^(ax) like a child's;
     let them be restored as in the days of their youth'^(ay)—
²⁶ then that person can pray to God and find favor with him,^(az)
     they will see God's face and shout for joy;^(ba)
     he will restore them to full well-being.^(bb)
27 And they will go to others and say,
     ‘I have sinned,^(bc) I have perverted what is right,^(bd)
     but I did not get what I deserved.^(be)
28 God has delivered^(bf) me from going down to the pit,^(bg)
     and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.'^(bh)

²⁹ "God does all these things to a person^(bi)—
     twice, even three times^(bj)—
³⁰ to turn them back^(bk) from the pit,^(bl)
     that the light of life^(bm) may shine on them.^(bn)

³¹ "Pay attention, Job, and listen^(bo) to me;^(bp)
     be silent,^(bq) and I will speak.
³² If you have anything to say, answer me;^(br)
     speak up, for I want to vindicate you.^(bs)
33 But if not, then listen to me;^(bt)
     be silent,^(bu) and I will teach you wisdom.^(bv)"

⁵ "Job says, ‘I am innocent,^(e)
     but God denies me justice.^(f)
6 Although I am right,
     I am considered a liar;^(g)
although I am guiltless,^(h)
     his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.'^(i)
7 Is there anyone like Job,
     who drinks scorn like water?^(j)
8 He keeps company with evildoers;
     he associates with the wicked.^(k)
9 For he says, ‘There is no profit
     in trying to please God.'^(l)

¹⁰ "So listen to me,^(m) you men of understanding.⁽ⁿ⁾
     Far be it from God to do evil,^(o)
     from the Almighty to do wrong.^(p)
11 He repays everyone for what they have done;^(q)
     he brings on them what their conduct deserves.^(r)
12 It is unthinkable that God would do wrong,^(s)
     that the Almighty would pervert justice.^(t)
13 Who appointed^(u) him over the earth?
     Who put him in charge of the whole world?^(v)
14 If it were his intention
     and he withdrew his spirit^[a](w) and breath,^(x)
15 all humanity would perish^(y) together
     and mankind would return to the dust.^(z)

¹⁶ "If you have understanding,^(aa) hear this;
     listen to what I say.^(ab)
17 Can someone who hates justice govern?^(ac)
     Will you condemn the just and mighty One?^(ad)
18 Is he not the One who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,'
     and to nobles,^(ae) ‘You are wicked,'^(af)
19 who shows no partiality^(ag) to princes
     and does not favor the rich over the poor,^(ah)
     for they are all the work of his hands?^(ai)
20 They die in an instant, in the middle of the night;^(aj)
     the people are shaken and they pass away;
     the mighty are removed without human hand.^(ak)

²¹ "His eyes are on the ways of mortals;^(al)
     he sees their every step.^(am)
22 There is no deep shadow,^(an) no utter darkness,^(ao)
     where evildoers can hide.^(ap)
23 God has no need to examine people further,^(aq)
     that they should come before him for judgment.^(ar)
24 Without inquiry he shatters^(as) the mighty^(at)
     and sets up others in their place.^(au)
25 Because he takes note of their deeds,^(av)
     he overthrows them in the night^(aw) and they are crushed.^(ax)
26 He punishes them for their wickedness^(ay)
     where everyone can see them,
²⁷ because they turned from following him^(az)
     and had no regard for any of his ways.^(ba)
28 They caused the cry of the poor to come before him,
     so that he heard the cry of the needy.^(bb)
29 But if he remains silent,^(bc) who can condemn him?^(bd)
     If he hides his face,^(be) who can see him?
Yet he is over individual and nation alike,^(bf)
30       to keep the godless^(bg) from ruling,^(bh)
     from laying snares for the people.^(bi)

³¹ "Suppose someone says to God,
     ‘I am guilty^(bj) but will offend no more.
³² Teach me what I cannot see;^(bk)
     if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.'^(bl)
33 Should God then reward you on your terms,
     when you refuse to repent?^(bm)
You must decide, not I;
     so tell me what you know.

³⁴ "Men of understanding declare,
     wise men who hear me say to me,
³⁵ ‘Job speaks without knowledge;^(bn)
     his words lack insight.'^(bo)
36 Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost
     for answering like a wicked man!^(bp)
37 To his sin he adds rebellion;
     scornfully he claps his hands^(bq) among us
     and multiplies his words^(br) against God."^(bs)

⁴ "I would like to reply to you
     and to your friends with you.
⁵ Look up at the heavens^(d) and see;
     gaze at the clouds so high above you.^(e)
6 If you sin, how does that affect him?
     If your sins are many, what does that do to him?^(f)
7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him,^(g)
     or what does he receive^(h) from your hand?^(i)
8 Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself,^(j)
     and your righteousness only other people.^(k)

⁹ "People cry out^(l) under a load of oppression;^(m)
     they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful.^(n)
10 But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,^(o)
     who gives songs^(p) in the night,^(q)
11 who teaches^(r) us^(s) more than he teaches^[b] the beasts of the earth
     and makes us wiser than^[c] the birds in the sky?'
¹² He does not answer^(t) when people cry out
     because of the arrogance^(u) of the wicked.^(v)
13 Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea;
     the Almighty pays no attention to it.^(w)
14 How much less, then, will he listen
     when you say that you do not see him,^(x)
that your case^(y) is before him
     and you must wait for him,^(z)
15 and further, that his anger never punishes^(aa)
     and he does not take the least notice of wickedness.^[d](ab)
16 So Job opens his mouth with empty talk;^(ac)
     without knowledge he multiplies words."^(ad)