Welcome to our website where we explore the Bible! Pleasure to meet you here!
May your journey into the world of the Holy Scriptures be engaging and inspiring!
You can change reading language: uk ru
Parallel
New Living Translation
New King James Version
Job’s Third Speech: A Response to Bildad
Then Job spoke again:
Then Job spoke again:
Job: There Is No Mediator
Then Job answered and said:
Then Job answered and said:
“Yes, I know all this is true in principle.
But how can a person be declared innocent in God’s sight?
But how can a person be declared innocent in God’s sight?
“Truly I know it is so,
But how can a man be righteous before God?
But how can a man be righteous before God?
For God is so wise and so mighty.
Who has ever challenged him successfully?
Who has ever challenged him successfully?
God is wise in heart and mighty in strength.
Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?
Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?
“Without warning, he moves the mountains,
overturning them in his anger.
overturning them in his anger.
He removes the mountains, and they do not know
When He overturns them in His anger;
When He overturns them in His anger;
He shakes the earth from its place,
and its foundations tremble.
and its foundations tremble.
He shakes the earth out of its place,
And its pillars tremble;
And its pillars tremble;
If he commands it, the sun won’t rise
and the stars won’t shine.
and the stars won’t shine.
He commands the sun, and it does not rise;
He seals off the stars;
He seals off the stars;
He alone has spread out the heavens
and marches on the waves of the sea.
and marches on the waves of the sea.
He made all the stars — the Bear and Orion,
the Pleiades and the constellations of the southern sky.
the Pleiades and the constellations of the southern sky.
He does great things too marvelous to understand.
He performs countless miracles.
He performs countless miracles.
He does great things past finding out,
Yes, wonders without number.
Yes, wonders without number.
“Yet when he comes near, I cannot see him.
When he moves by, I do not see him go.
When he moves by, I do not see him go.
If He goes by me, I do not see Him;
If He moves past, I do not perceive Him;
If He moves past, I do not perceive Him;
If he snatches someone in death, who can stop him?
Who dares to ask, ‘What are you doing?’
Who dares to ask, ‘What are you doing?’
“So who am I, that I should try to answer God
or even reason with him?
or even reason with him?
“How then can I answer Him,
And choose my words to reason with Him?
And choose my words to reason with Him?
Even if I were right, I would have no defense.
I could only plead for mercy.
I could only plead for mercy.
For though I were righteous, I could not answer Him;
I would beg mercy of my Judge.
I would beg mercy of my Judge.
And even if I summoned him and he responded,
I’m not sure he would listen to me.
I’m not sure he would listen to me.
If I called and He answered me,
I would not believe that He was listening to my voice.
I would not believe that He was listening to my voice.
For he attacks me with a storm
and repeatedly wounds me without cause.
and repeatedly wounds me without cause.
For He crushes me with a tempest,
And multiplies my wounds without cause.
And multiplies my wounds without cause.
He will not let me catch my breath,
but fills me instead with bitter sorrows.
but fills me instead with bitter sorrows.
He will not allow me to catch my breath,
But fills me with bitterness.
But fills me with bitterness.
If it is a matter of strength, indeed He is strong;
And if of justice, who will appoint my day in court?
And if of justice, who will appoint my day in court?
Though I were righteous, my own mouth would condemn me;
Though I were blameless, it would prove me perverse.
Though I were blameless, it would prove me perverse.
“I am innocent,
but it makes no difference to me —
I despise my life.
but it makes no difference to me —
I despise my life.
“I am blameless, yet I do not know myself;
I despise my life.
I despise my life.
Innocent or wicked, it is all the same to God.
That’s why I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
That’s why I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
It is all one thing;
Therefore I say, ‘He destroys the blameless and the wicked.’
Therefore I say, ‘He destroys the blameless and the wicked.’
If the scourge slays suddenly,
He laughs at the plight of the innocent.
He laughs at the plight of the innocent.
The whole earth is in the hands of the wicked,
and God blinds the eyes of the judges.
If he’s not the one who does it, who is?
and God blinds the eyes of the judges.
If he’s not the one who does it, who is?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked.
He covers the faces of its judges.
If it is not He, who else could it be?
He covers the faces of its judges.
If it is not He, who else could it be?
“My life passes more swiftly than a runner.
It flees away without a glimpse of happiness.
It flees away without a glimpse of happiness.
“Now my days are swifter than a runner;
They flee away, they see no good.
They flee away, they see no good.
It disappears like a swift papyrus boat,
like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
If I decided to forget my complaints,
to put away my sad face and be cheerful,
to put away my sad face and be cheerful,
If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,
I will put off my sad face and wear a smile,’
I will put off my sad face and wear a smile,’
I would still dread all the pain,
for I know you will not find me innocent, O God.
for I know you will not find me innocent, O God.
I am afraid of all my sufferings;
I know that You will not hold me innocent.
I know that You will not hold me innocent.
Whatever happens, I will be found guilty.
So what’s the use of trying?
So what’s the use of trying?
If I am condemned,
Why then do I labor in vain?
Why then do I labor in vain?
Even if I were to wash myself with soap
and clean my hands with lye,
and clean my hands with lye,
you would plunge me into a muddy ditch,
and my own filthy clothing would hate me.
and my own filthy clothing would hate me.
“God is not a mortal like me,
so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial.
so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial.
“For He is not a man, as I am,
That I may answer Him,
And that we should go to court together.
That I may answer Him,
And that we should go to court together.
If only there were a mediator between us,
someone who could bring us together.
someone who could bring us together.
Nor is there any mediator between us,
Who may lay his hand on us both.
Who may lay his hand on us both.
The mediator could make God stop beating me,
and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment.
and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment.
Let Him take His rod away from me,
And do not let dread of Him terrify me.
And do not let dread of Him terrify me.