Job 31–32 (Listen)

Job's Final Appeal

31   “I have made a covenant with my eyes;
    how then could I gaze at a virgin?
2   What would be my portion from God above
    and my heritage from the Almighty on high?
3   Is not calamity for the unrighteous,
    and disaster for the workers of iniquity?
4   Does not he see my ways
    and number all my steps?
5   “If I have walked with falsehood
    and my foot has hastened to deceit;
6   (Let me be weighed in a just balance,
    and let God know my integrity!)
7   if my step has turned aside from the way
    and my heart has gone after my eyes,
    and if any spot has stuck to my hands,
8   then let me sow, and another eat,
    and let what grows for me¹ be rooted out.
9   “If my heart has been enticed toward a woman,
    and I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door,
10   then let my wife grind for another,
    and let others bow down on her.
11   For that would be a heinous crime;
    that would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges;
12   for that would be a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon,
    and it would burn to the root all my increase.
13   “If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant,
    when they brought a complaint against me,
14   what then shall I do when God rises up?
    When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him?
15   Did not he who made me in the womb make him?
    And did not one fashion us in the womb?
16   “If I have withheld anything that the poor desired,
    or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
17   or have eaten my morsel alone,
    and the fatherless has not eaten of it
18   (for from my youth the fatherless² grew up with me as with a father,
    and from my mother's womb I guided the widow³),
19   if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
    or the needy without covering,
20   if his body has not blessed me,⁴
    and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21   if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,
    because I saw my help in the gate,
22   then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,
    and let my arm be broken from its socket.
23   For I was in terror of calamity from God,
    and I could not have faced his majesty.
24   “If I have made gold my trust
    or called fine gold my confidence,
25   if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant
    or because my hand had found much,
26   if I have looked at the sun⁵ when it shone,
    or the moon moving in splendor,
27   and my heart has been secretly enticed,
    and my mouth has kissed my hand,
28   this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
    for I would have been false to God above.
29   “If I have rejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me,
    or exulted when evil overtook him
30   (I have not let my mouth sin
    by asking for his life with a curse),
31   if the men of my tent have not said,
    ‘Who is there that has not been filled with his meat?’
32   (the sojourner has not lodged in the street;
    I have opened my doors to the traveler),
33   if I have concealed my transgressions as others do⁶
    by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
34   because I stood in great fear of the multitude,
    and the contempt of families terrified me,
    so that I kept silence, and did not go out of doors—
35   Oh, that I had one to hear me!
    (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!)
    Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary!
36   Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;
    I would bind it on me as a crown;
37   I would give him an account of all my steps;
    like a prince I would approach him.
38   “If my land has cried out against me
    and its furrows have wept together,
39   if I have eaten its yield without payment
    and made its owners breathe their last,
40   let thorns grow instead of wheat,
    and foul weeds instead of barley.”

The words of Job are ended.

Elihu Rebukes Job's Three Friends

32 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God. 3 He burned with anger also at Job's three friends because they had found no answer, although they had declared Job to be in the wrong. 4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he. 5 And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, he burned with anger.

6 And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said:

  “I am young in years,
    and you are aged;
  therefore I was timid and afraid
    to declare my opinion to you.
7   I said, ‘Let days speak,
    and many years teach wisdom.’
8   But it is the spirit in man,
    the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand.
9   It is not the old⁷ who are wise,
    nor the aged who understand what is right.
10   Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;
    let me also declare my opinion.’
11   “Behold, I waited for your words,
    I listened for your wise sayings,
    while you searched out what to say.
12   I gave you my attention,
    and, behold, there was none among you who refuted Job
    or who answered his words.
13   Beware lest you say, ‘We have found wisdom;
    God may vanquish him, not a man.’
14   He has not directed his words against me,
    and I will not answer him with your speeches.
15   “They are dismayed; they answer no more;
    they have not a word to say.
16   And shall I wait, because they do not speak,
    because they stand there, and answer no more?
17   I also will answer with my share;
    I also will declare my opinion.
18   For I am full of words;
    the spirit within me constrains me.
19   Behold, my belly is like wine that has no vent;
    like new wineskins ready to burst.
20   I must speak, that I may find relief;
    I must open my lips and answer.
21   I will not show partiality to any man
    or use flattery toward any person.
22   For I do not know how to flatter,
    else my Maker would soon take me away.

(ESV)

Psalm 57 (Listen)

Let Your Glory Be over All the Earth

To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam¹ of David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave.

57   Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
    for in you my soul takes refuge;
  in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
    till the storms of destruction pass by.
2   I cry out to God Most High,
    to God who fulfills his purpose for me.
3   He will send from heaven and save me;
    he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah
  God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!
4   My soul is in the midst of lions;
    I lie down amid fiery beasts—
  the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows,
    whose tongues are sharp swords.
5   Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
    Let your glory be over all the earth!
6   They set a net for my steps;
    my soul was bowed down.
  They dug a pit in my way,
    but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah
7   My heart is steadfast, O God,
    my heart is steadfast!
  I will sing and make melody!
8     Awake, my glory!²
  Awake, O harp and lyre!
    I will awake the dawn!
9   I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
    I will sing praises to you among the nations.
10   For your steadfast love is great to the heavens,
    your faithfulness to the clouds.
11   Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
    Let your glory be over all the earth!

(ESV)

Luke 21 (Listen)

The Widow's Offering

21 Jesus¹ looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.^{Greek two lepta; a lepton was a Jewish bronze or copper coin worth about 1/128 of a denarius (which was a day's wage for a laborer)">2}3 And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. 4 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple

5 And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, 6 “As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” 7 And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” 8 And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. 9 And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”

Jesus Foretells Wars and Persecution

10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. 12 But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. 13 This will be your opportunity to bear witness. 14 Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers³ and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. 17 You will be hated by all for my name's sake. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your lives.

Jesus Foretells Destruction of Jerusalem

20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, 22 for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. 23 Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

The Coming of the Son of Man

25 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

29 And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. 31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Watch Yourselves

34 “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

37 And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet. 38 And early in the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him.

(ESV)