Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, November 24th, 2024
the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

New Century Version

Job 33

1 "Now, Job, listen to my words.
    Pay attention to everything I say.
2 I open my mouth
    and am ready to speak.
3 My words come from an honest heart,
    and I am sincere in saying what I know.
4 The Spirit of God created me,
    and the breath of the Almighty gave me life.
5 Answer me if you can;
    get yourself ready and stand before me.
6 I am just like you before God;
    I too am made out of clay.
7 Don't be afraid of me;
    I will not be hard on you.

8 "But I heard what you have said;
    I heard every word.
9 You said, ‘I am pure and without sin;
    I am innocent and free from guilt.
10 But God has found fault with me;
    he considers me his enemy.
11 He locks my feet in chains
    and closely watches everywhere I go.'

12 "But I tell you, you are not right in saying this,
    because God is greater than we are.
13 Why do you accuse God
    of not answering anyone?
14 God does speak—sometimes one way and sometimes another—
    even though people may not understand it.
15 He speaks in a dream or a vision of the night
    when people are in a deep sleep,
    lying on their beds.
16 He speaks in their ears
    and frightens them with warnings
17 to turn them away from doing wrong
    and to keep them from being proud.
18 God does this to save people from death,
    to keep them from dying.
19 People may be corrected while in bed in great pain;
    they may have continual pain in their very bones.
20 They may be in such pain that they even hate food,
    even the very best meal.
21 Their body becomes so thin there is almost nothing left of it,
    and their bones that were hidden now stick out.
22 They are near death,
    and their life is almost over.

23 "But there may be an angel to speak for him,
    one out of a thousand, who will tell him what to do.
24 The angel will beg for mercy and say:
    ‘Save him from death.
    I have found a way to pay for his life.'
25 Then his body is made new like a child's.
    It will return to the way it was when he was young.
26 That person will pray to God, and God will listen to him.
    He will see God's face and will shout with happiness.
    And God will set things right for him again.
27 Then he will say to others,
    ‘I sinned and twisted what was right,
    but I did not receive the punishment I should have received.
28 God bought my life back from death,
    and I will continue to enjoy life.'

29 "God does all these things to a person
    two or even three times
30 so he won't die as punishment for his sins
    and so he may still enjoy life.

31 "Job, pay attention and listen to me;
    be quiet, and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me;
    speak up, because I want to prove you right.
33 But if you have nothing to say, then listen to me;
    be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom."

 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile