Chapter 224 of 257

Psalm 119:54 Your statutes have been my songs

Each one should give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or from compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Your statutes have been my songs

in the house of my sojourning.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, so that he will forgive us our sins and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

For whoever does the will of God, this person is my brother and sister and mother.”

If anyone wants to do his will, he will know about my teaching, whether it is from God or I am speaking from myself.

And this is the confidence that we have before him: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, 16 because everything that is in the world—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the arrogance of material possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and its desire, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.

Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world!

Jesus said to them, “My food is that I do the will of the one who sent me and complete his work.

‘I delight to do your will, O my God,

and your law is deep within me.’ ”

Come now, you rich people, weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming upon you! 2 Your wealth has rotted, and your clothing has become moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have become corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you, and it will consume your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in the last days. 4 Behold, the wages that were held back by you from the workers who reap your fields cry out, and the cries of the reapers have come to the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived self-indulgently on the earth and have lived luxuriously. You have fattened your hearts in the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned, you have murdered the righteous person; he does not resist you.

Behold, the wages that were held back by you from the workers who reap your fields cry out, and the cries of the reapers have come to the ears of the Lord of hosts.

My brothers, if anyone among you should wander away from the truth and someone turns him back, 20 he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from the error of his way will save that person’s soul from death, and will cover over a great number of sins.

Behold, the wages that were held back by you from the workers who reap your fields cry out, and the cries of the reapers have come to the ears of the Lord of hosts.

Elijah was a human being with the same nature as us, and he prayed fervently for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the earth produced its fruit.

Behold, the wages that were held back by you from the workers who reap your fields cry out, and the cries of the reapers have come to the ears of the Lord of hosts.

You have condemned, you have murdered the righteous person; he does not resist you.

Behold, the wages that were held back by you from the workers who reap your fields cry out, and the cries of the reapers have come to the ears of the Lord of hosts.

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man—the master of the house—who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 And after coming to an agreement with the workers for a denarius per day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace. 4 And to those people he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will give you whatever is right.’ 5 So they went. Going out again about the sixth and ninth hour he did the same thing. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing there and said to them, ‘Why are you standing here the whole day unemployed?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go also into the vineyard.’ 8 And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last up to the first.’ 9 And when the ones hired about the eleventh hour came, they received a denarius apiece. 10 And when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, and they also received a denarius apiece. 11 And when they received it, they began to complain against the master of the house, 12 saying, ‘These last people worked one hour and you made them equal to us who have endured the burden of the day and the burning heat!’ 13 But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am not doing you wrong. Did you not come to an agreement with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go! But I want to give to this last person the same as I gave to you also. 15 Is it not permitted for me to do whatever I want with what is mine? Or is your eye evil because I am generous?’ 16 Thus the last will be first and the first last.”

“You shall not exploit a hired worker, who is needy and poor, from among your fellow men or from among your aliens who are in your land and in your towns. 15 On his day you shall give his wage, and the sun shall not go down, because he is poor and his life depends on it; do this so that he does not cry out against you to Yahweh, and you incur guilt.

“ ‘You shall not exploit your neighbor, and you shall not rob him; a hired worker’s wage you shall not withhold overnight until morning.

Woe to the one who builds his house without righteousness,

and his upper rooms without justice.

His fellow countryman, he works for nothing,

and he does not give to him his wages.

You have condemned, you have murdered the righteous person; he does not resist you.

But you have dishonored the poor! Are not the rich exploiting you and they themselves dragging you into the courts?

“If a matter is too difficult for you, for example disputes between blood and blood, between legal claim and legal claim and between assault and assault and between matters of discernment in your towns, then you shall get up and you shall go to the place that Yahweh your God will choose; 9 then you shall go to the priests and the Levites and to the judge who will be in office in those days, and you shall enquire, and they shall announce to you the verdict.

10 “And you shall carry out exactly the decision that they announced to you from that place that Yahweh will choose, and you shall diligently observe according to all that they instruct you. 11 And so according to the instruction of the law that they teach you and according to the decisions that they say to you, you shall do; you shall not turn from the word that they tell you to the right or to the left. 12 And the man who treats with contempt so as not to listen to the priest who is standing to minister on behalf of Yahweh your God or to the judge, that man shall die; so you shall purge the evil from Israel. 13 And all the people will hear and will be afraid, and they will not behave presumptuously again.

And you will select from all the people men of ability, fearers of God, trustworthy men, haters of dishonest gain, and you will appoint such men over them as commanders of thousands, commanders of hundreds, commanders of fifties, and commanders of tens.

“ ‘You shall not do injustice in judgment; you shall not show partiality to the powerless; you shall not give preference to the powerful; you shall judge your fellow citizen with justice.

If a malicious witness gets up to accuse anyone to testify against him falsely, 17 then the two men to whom the legal dispute pertains shall stand before Yahweh, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days. 18 Then judges shall make a thorough inquiry, and if it turns out that the witness is a false witness and he testified falsely against his brother, 19 then you shall do to him as he meant to do to his brother, and so you shall purge the evil from your midst. 20 And the rest shall hear and shall fear, and they shall not continue to do such a thing again as this evil thing in your midst. 21 You must show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”

He who walks in righteousness

and speaks uprightness,

who rejects the gain of extortion,

who refuses a bribe,

who stops up his ears from hearing bloodshed

and shuts his eyes from seeing evil.

Its rulers judge for a bribe;

its priests teach for a price;

its prophets practice divination for money.

But they lean on Yahweh, saying,

“Is not Yahweh in our midst?

Disaster will not come upon us.”

Their hands are upon evil, to do it well;

the official and the judge ask for the bribe,

and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul;

and they weave it together.

For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are numerous, you foes of the righteous, those who take a bribe, and those who push aside the poor ones in the gate!

Hate evil and love good and establish justice in the gate; perhaps Yahweh, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

You desire and do not have; you murder and are filled with envy, and are not able to obtain; you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.

because every animal of the forest is mine,

the cattle on a thousand hills.

Wealth gained from haste will dwindle,

but he who gathers little by little will increase it.

A slack hand causes poverty,

but the hand of the diligent enriches.

Do not tire in order to become rich;

out of your understanding, may you desist.

But seek first his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Your gold and silver have become corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you, and it will consume your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in the last days. 4 Behold, the wages that were held back by you from the workers who reap your fields cry out, and the cries of the reapers have come to the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived self-indulgently on the earth and have lived luxuriously. You have fattened your hearts in the day of slaughter.

Your gold and silver have become corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you, and it will consume your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in the last days.

Behold, this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you. For I am not seeking your possessions, but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

But if someone does not provide for his own relatives, and especially the members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Then you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and when I returned I would have gotten back what was mine with interest!

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and consuming insect destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor consuming insect destroy and where thieves do not break in or steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. Therefore if your eye is sincere, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be dark. Therefore if the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

24 “No one is able to serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You are not able to serve God and money.

25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, what you will eat, and not for your body, what you will wear. Is your life not more than food and your body more than clothing? 26 Consider the birds of the sky, that they do not sow or reap or gather produce into barns, and your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more than they are? 27 And who among you, by being anxious, is able to add one hour to his life span? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe the lilies of the field, how they grow: they do not toil or spin, 29 but I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory was dressed like one of these. 30 But if God dresses the grass of the field in this way, although it is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not do so much more for you, you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?,’ 32 for the pagans seek after all these things. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow, because tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Behold, the wages that were held back by you from the workers who reap your fields cry out, and the cries of the reapers have come to the ears of the Lord of hosts.

In this case, moreover, it is sought in stewards that one be found faithful.

You have lived self-indulgently on the earth and have lived luxuriously. You have fattened your hearts in the day of slaughter.

And he said to them, “Watch out and guard yourselves from all greediness, because not even when someone has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be proud and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of riches, but in God, who provides us all things richly for enjoyment,

“Now a certain man was rich, and dressed in purple cloth and fine linen, feasting sumptuously every day. 20 And a certain poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, lay at his gate, 21 and was longing to be filled with what fell from the table of the rich man. But even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 Now it happened that the poor man died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s side. And the rich man also died and was buried. 23 And in Hades he lifted up his eyes as he was in torment and saw Abraham from a distance, and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he could dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am suffering pain in this flame!’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you received your good things during your life, and Lazarus likewise bad things. But now he is comforted here, but you are suffering pain. 26 And in addition to all these things, a great chasm has been established between us and you, so that those who want to cross over from here to you are not able to do so, nor can they cross over from there to us.’ 27 So he said, ‘Then I ask you, father, that you send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, so that he could warn them, in order that they also should not come to this place of torment!’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they must listen to them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent!’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone rises from the dead.’ ”

Come now, you rich people, weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming upon you!

Your wealth has rotted, and your clothing has become moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have become corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you, and it will consume your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in the last days.

Your wealth has rotted, and your clothing has become moth-eaten.

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be proud and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of riches, but in God, who provides us all things richly for enjoyment,

But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your life is demanded from you, and the things which you have prepared—whose will they be?’

Your gold and silver have become corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you, and it will consume your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in the last days.

For the love of money is a root of all evil, by which some, because they desire it, have gone astray from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains.

Do not trust in extortion,

and do not put vain confidence in robbery.

If wealth increases,

do not set your heart on it.

A reputation is to be chosen rather than great riches;

favor is better than silver and gold.

Your gold and silver have become corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you, and it will consume your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in the last days.

You have lived self-indulgently on the earth and have lived luxuriously. You have fattened your hearts in the day of slaughter.

Brothers, do not complain against one another, in order that you may not be judged. Behold, the judge stands before the doors!

Your gold and silver have become corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you, and it will consume your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in the last days.

Behold, the wages that were held back by you from the workers who reap your fields cry out, and the cries of the reapers have come to the ears of the Lord of hosts.

And he said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground.

Behold, the wages that were held back by you from the workers who reap your fields cry out, and the cries of the reapers have come to the ears of the Lord of hosts.

And I saw a great white throne and the one who was seated on it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled, and a place was not found for them. 12 And I saw the dead—the great and the small—standing before the throne, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and each one was judged according to their deeds. 14 And Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

But why do you judge your brother? Or also, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me,

and every tongue will praise God.”

12 So each one of us will give an account concerning himself.

Therefore indeed we have as our ambition, whether at home in the body or absent from the body, to be acceptable to him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, in order that each one may receive back the things through the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

And I, brothers, was not able to speak to you as to spiritual people, but as to fleshly people, as to infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, for you were not yet able to eat it. But now you are still not able, 3 for you are still fleshly. For where there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and do you not live like unregenerate people? 4 For whenever anyone says, “I am with Paul,” and another, “I am with Apollos,” are you not merely human?

5 Therefore, what is Apollos and what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, and to each as the Lord gave. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing it to grow. 7 So then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who is causing it to grow. 8 Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one, but each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But each one must direct his attention to how he is building upon it. 11 For no one is able to lay another foundation than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, grass, straw, 13 the work of each one will become evident. For the day will reveal it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the work of each one, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work that he has built upon it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but so as through fire.

Your gold and silver have become corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you, and it will consume your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in the last days.

You also be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the coming of the Lord is near. 9 Brothers, do not complain against one another, in order that you may not be judged. Behold, the judge stands before the doors!

making the most of the time because the days are evil.

It is necessary for us to do the deeds of the one who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work!

My brothers, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with partiality. 2 For if someone enters into your assembly in fine clothing with a gold ring on his finger, and a poor person in filthy clothing also enters, 3 and you look favorably on the one wearing the fine clothing and you say, “Be seated here in a good place,” and to the poor person you say, “You stand or be seated there by my footstool,” 4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my dear brothers! Did not God choose the poor of the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor! Are not the rich exploiting you and they themselves dragging you into the courts?

Listen, my dear brothers! Did not God choose the poor of the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be proud and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of riches, but in God, who provides us all things richly for enjoyment,

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

He who lends to Yahweh is he who is kind to the poor,

and his benefits he will repay to him.

Therefore be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the soil, being patient concerning it until it receives the early and late rains. 8 You also be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the coming of the Lord is near. 9 Brothers, do not complain against one another, in order that you may not be judged. Behold, the judge stands before the doors! 10 Brothers, take as an example of perseverance and endurance the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider blessed those who have endured. You have heard about the patient endurance of Job, and you saw the outcome from the Lord, that the Lord is compassionate and merciful. 12 Now above all, my brothers, do not swear either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your yes be yes and your no, no, in order that you may not fall under judgment.

James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the dispersion. Greetings!

2 Consider it all joy, my brothers, whenever you encounter various trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.

5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask for it from God, who gives to all without reservation and not reproaching, and it will be given to him.

looking forward to the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

I have said these things to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have affliction, but have courage! I have conquered the world.”

strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith and saying, “Through many persecutions it is necessary for us to enter into the kingdom of God.”

Brothers, take as an example of perseverance and endurance the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Behold, we consider blessed those who have endured. You have heard about the patient endurance of Job, and you saw the outcome from the Lord, that the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

Therefore be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the soil, being patient concerning it until it receives the early and late rains.

And let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give up.

By itself the soil produces a crop: first the grass, then the head of grain, then the full grain in the head. 29 But when the crop permits, he sends in the sickle right away, because the harvest has come.”

You also be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the coming of the Lord is near.

Now the parable means this: the seed is the word of God,

For thus says Yahweh

to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem,

“Break up for yourselves prepared virgin soil,

and you must not sow among thornbushes.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self control. Against such things there is no law.

You also be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the coming of the Lord is near.

For I desire to see you, in order that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, in order to strengthen you,

Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we determined to be left behind in Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for God in the gospel of Christ, in order to strengthen and to encourage you about your faith, 3 so that no one would be shaken by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are appointed for this,

night and day praying beyond all measure that we may see your face and complete what is lacking in your faith?

11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and to abound in love for one another and for all, just as also we do for you, 13 so that your hearts may be established blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Blessed is that slave whom his master will find so doing when he comes back.

Brothers, do not complain against one another, in order that you may not be judged. Behold, the judge stands before the doors!

Brothers, take as an example of perseverance and endurance the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

because theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are you

when they insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things against you, lying on account of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.

And indeed, all those who want to live in a godly manner in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

“Behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to repay each one according to what his deeds are!

For whatever was written beforehand was written for our instruction, in order that through patient endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures we may have hope.

Behold, we consider blessed those who have endured. You have heard about the patient endurance of Job, and you saw the outcome from the Lord, that the Lord is compassionate and merciful. 12 Now above all, my brothers, do not swear either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your yes be yes and your no, no, in order that you may not fall under judgment.

Behold, we consider blessed those who have endured. You have heard about the patient endurance of Job, and you saw the outcome from the Lord, that the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

It is necessary to boast; it is not profitable, but I will proceed to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or outside the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven, 3 and I know this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows—4 that he was caught up to paradise and heard words not to be spoken, which it is not permitted for a person to speak. 5 On behalf of such a person I will boast, but on behalf of myself I will not boast, except in my weaknesses. 6 For if I want to boast, I will not be foolish, because I will be telling the truth, but I am refraining, so that no one can credit to me more than what he sees in me or hears anything from me, 7 even because of the extraordinary degree of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan, in order that it would torment me so that I would not exalt myself. 8 Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would depart from me. 9 And he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, because the power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore rather I will boast most gladly in my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may reside in me. 10 Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in calamities, in persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

So Yahweh asked Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? Indeed, there is no one like him on the earth—a blameless man and upright and God-fearing and turning away from evil. And still he persists in his blamelessness even though you incited me against him to destroy him for nothing.”

And then after Yahweh spoke these words to Job, Yahweh said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath has been kindled against you and against the two of your friends, for you have not spoken to me what is right as my servant Job has.

Then his wife said to him, “Are you still persisting in your blamelessness? Curse God and die.”

Look, though he kill me, I will hope in him;

however, I will defend my ways before him.

And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I say to you that with difficulty a rich person will enter into the kingdom of heaven! 24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich person into the kingdom of God.” 25 So when the disciples heard this, they were extremely amazed, saying, “Then who can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With human beings this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Then Job answered Yahweh and said,

2 “I know that you can do all things,

and any scheme from you will not be thwarted.

3 ‘Who is this darkening counsel without knowledge?’

Therefore I uttered, but I did not understand;

things too wonderful for me, but I did not know.

4 ‘Hear and I will speak;

I will question you, then inform me.’

5 By the ear’s hearing I heard of you,

but now my eye has seen you.

6 Therefore I despise myself

and repent in dust and ashes.”

So Yahweh said to Satan, “Look, all that belongs to him is in your power. Only do not stretch out your hand against him.” So Satan went out from Yahweh’s presence.

So Yahweh said to Satan, “All right, he is in your power. Only spare his life.”

But he knows the way that I take;

he tests me—I shall come out like gold.

even because of the extraordinary degree of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan, in order that it would torment me so that I would not exalt myself. 8 Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would depart from me. 9 And he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, because the power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore rather I will boast most gladly in my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may reside in me.

Therefore, because we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is not able to sympathize with our weaknesses, but who has been tempted in all things in the same way, without sin. 16 Therefore let us approach with confidence to the throne of grace, in order that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Now above all, my brothers, do not swear either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your yes be yes and your no, no, in order that you may not fall under judgment.

Then he said, “Naked I came out from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return there. Yahweh gives, and Yahweh takes. Let Yahweh’s name be blessed.” 22 In all this, Job did not sin and did not charge God with wrongdoing.

Afterward Job opened his mouth and cursed his day. 2 Thus Job spoke up and said,

3 “Let the day perish on which I was born,

and the night that said, ‘A man-child is conceived.’

4 Let that day become darkness;

may God not seek it from above,

nor may daylight shine on it.

5 Let darkness and deep shadow claim it;

let clouds settle on it;

let them terrify it with the blackness of day.

6 Let darkness seize that night;

let it not rejoice among the days of the year;

let it not enter among the number of the months.

7 Look, let that night become barren;

let a joyful song not enter it.

8 Let those who curse the day curse it,

those who are skilled at rousing Leviathan.

9 Let the stars of its dawn be dark;

let it hope for light but there be none,

and let it not see the eyelids of dawn

10 because it did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb,

nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.

11 “Why did I not die at birth?

Why did I not come forth from the womb and expire?

12 Why did the knees receive me

and the breasts, that I could suck?

13 For now I would lie down, and I would be at peace;

I would be asleep; then I would be at rest

14 with kings and counselors of the earth,

who rebuild ruins for themselves,

15 or with high officials who have gold,

who fill up their houses with silver.

16 Or why was I not hidden like a miscarriage,

like infants who did not see the light?

17 There the wicked cease from troubling,

and there the weary are at rest;

18 the prisoners are at ease together;

they do not hear the oppressor’s voice.

19 The small and the great are there,

and the slave is free from his masters.

20 “Why does he give light to one in misery

and life to those bitter of soul,

21 who wait for death, but it does not come,

and search for it more than for treasures,

22 who rejoice exceedingly,

and they are glad when they find the grave?

23 Why does he give light to a man whose way is hidden,

and God has fenced him in all around?

24 For my sighing comes before my bread,

and my groanings gush forth like water

25 because the dread that I feel has come upon me,

and what I feared befalls me.

26 I am not at ease, and I am not at peace,

and I do not have rest, thus turmoil has come.”

But I say to you, do not swear at all, either by heaven, because it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, because it is the footstool of his feet, or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great king. 36 And do not swear by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black. 37 But let your statement be ‘Yes, yes; no, no,’ and anything beyond these is from the evil one.

And do not swear by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black.

Consider it all joy, my brothers, whenever you encounter various trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.

5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask for it from God, who gives to all without reservation and not reproaching, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask for it in faith, without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed about. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

9 Now let the brother of humble circumstances boast in his high position, 10 but the rich person in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a flower of the grass. 11 For the sun rises with its burning heat and dries up the grass, and its flower falls off, and the beauty of its appearance is lost. So also the rich person in his pursuits will wither away.

12 Blessed is the person who endures testing, because when he is approved he will receive the crown of life that he has promised to those who love him.

And when he went out to the gateway, another female slave saw him and said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.”

Is anyone among you suffering misfortune? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the elders of the church and they should pray over him, anointing him with olive oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous person accomplishes much. 17 Elijah was a human being with the same nature as us, and he prayed fervently for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the earth produced its fruit.

19 My brothers, if anyone among you should wander away from the truth and someone turns him back, 20 he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from the error of his way will save that person’s soul from death, and will cover over a great number of sins.

Brothers, do not complain against one another, in order that you may not be judged. Behold, the judge stands before the doors!

Now above all, my brothers, do not swear either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your yes be yes and your no, no, in order that you may not fall under judgment.

Brothers, take as an example of perseverance and endurance the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Is anyone among you suffering misfortune? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praise.

in connection with which I suffer misfortune to the point of imprisonment as a criminal, but the word of God is not bound.

Brothers, do not complain against one another, in order that you may not be judged. Behold, the judge stands before the doors!

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask for it from God, who gives to all without reservation and not reproaching, and it will be given to him.

But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says,

“God opposes the proud,

but gives grace to the humble.”

Is anyone among you suffering misfortune? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praise.

But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,

who gives songs in the night,

Now about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Therefore what should I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will also sing praise with my mind.

speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and singing praise in your heart to the Lord,

And do not be drunk with wine (in which is dissipation), but be filled by the Spirit,

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another with all wisdom, with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God,

Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the elders of the church and they should pray over him, anointing him with olive oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous person accomplishes much.

And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous person accomplishes much.

Because of this, many are weak and sick among you, and quite a few have died.

Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous person accomplishes much.

Then desire, after it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is brought to completion, gives birth to death.

And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins he will be forgiven.

And likewise also, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as one ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with unexpressed groanings.

He who conceals his transgression will not prosper,

but he who confesses and forsakes will obtain mercy.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, so that he will forgive us our sins and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous person accomplishes much.

Yahweh shall open for you his rich storehouse, even the heavens, to give the rain for your land in its time and to bless all of the work of your hand, and you will lend to many nations; you will not borrow from them.

And your heavens that are over your heads shall be like bronze, and the earth that is under you shall be like iron.

Elijah was a human being with the same nature as us, and he prayed fervently for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.

It happened many days later that the word of Yahweh came to Elijah in the third year, saying, “Go, present yourself to Ahab so that I may give rain on the surface of the earth.”

“But when you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the pagans, for they think that because of their many words they will be heard.

Elijah was a human being with the same nature as us, and he prayed fervently for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.

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