JOB 23

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Job Replies: Where Is God?  23:1 Then Job answered and said:
2

“Today also my complaint is bitter;

my hand is heavy on account of my groaning. 3

Oh, that I knew where I might find him,

that I might come even to his seat! 4

I would lay my case before him

and fill my mouth with arguments. 5

I would know what he would answer me

and understand what he would say to me. 6

Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?

No; he would pay attention to me. 7

There an upright man could argue with him,

and I would be acquitted forever by my judge.
8

“Behold, I go forward, but he is not there,

and backward, but I do not perceive him; 9

on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him;

he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him. 10

But he knows the way that I take;

when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold. 11

My foot has held fast to his steps;

I have kept his way and have not turned aside. 12

I have not departed from the commandment of his lips;

I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food. 13

But he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back?

What he desires, that he does. 14

For he will complete what he appoints for me,

and many such things are in his mind. 15

Therefore I am terrified at his presence;

when I consider, I am in dread of him. 16

God has made my heart faint;

the Almighty has terrified me; 17

yet I am not silenced because of the darkness,

nor because thick darkness covers my face.

JOB 24

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24:1

“Why are not times of judgment kept by the Almighty,

and why do those who know him never see his days? 2

Some move landmarks;

they seize flocks and pasture them. 3

They drive away the donkey of the fatherless;

they take the widow’s ox for a pledge. 4

They thrust the poor off the road;

the poor of the earth all hide themselves. 5

Behold, like wild donkeys in the desert

the poor go out to their toil, seeking game;

the wasteland yields food for their children. 6

They gather their fodder in the field,

and they glean the vineyard of the wicked man. 7

They lie all night naked, without clothing,

and have no covering in the cold. 8

They are wet with the rain of the mountains

and cling to the rock for lack of shelter. 9

(There are those who snatch the fatherless child from the breast,

and they take a pledge against the poor.) 10

They go about naked, without clothing;

hungry, they carry the sheaves; 11

among the olive rows of the wicked they make oil;

they tread the winepresses, but suffer thirst. 12

From out of the city the dying groan,

and the soul of the wounded cries for help;

yet God charges no one with wrong.
13

“There are those who rebel against the light,

who are not acquainted with its ways,

and do not stay in its paths. 14

The murderer rises before it is light,

that he may kill the poor and needy,

and in the night he is like a thief. 15

The eye of the adulterer also waits for the twilight,

saying, ‘No eye will see me’;

and he veils his face. 16

In the dark they dig through houses;

by day they shut themselves up;

they do not know the light. 17

For deep darkness is morning to all of them;

for they are friends with the terrors of deep darkness.
18

“You say, ‘Swift are they on the face of the waters;

their portion is cursed in the land;

no treader turns toward their vineyards. 19

Drought and heat snatch away the snow waters;

so does Sheol those who have sinned. 20

The womb forgets them;

the worm finds them sweet;

they are no longer remembered,

so wickedness is broken like a tree.’
21

“They wrong the barren, childless woman,

and do no good to the widow. 22

Yet God prolongs the life of the mighty by his power;

they rise up when they despair of life. 23

He gives them security, and they are supported,

and his eyes are upon their ways. 24

They are exalted a little while, and then are gone;

they are brought low and gathered up like all others;

they are cut off like the heads of grain. 25

If it is not so, who will prove me a liar

and show that there is nothing in what I say?”

PROVERBS 13

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13:1

A wise son hears his father’s instruction,

but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke. 2

From the fruit of his mouth a man eats what is good,

but the desire of the treacherous is for violence. 3

Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life;

he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. 4

The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,

while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied. 5

The righteous hates falsehood,

but the wicked brings shame and disgrace. 6

Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless,

but sin overthrows the wicked. 7

One pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;

another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth. 8

The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth,

but a poor man hears no threat. 9

The light of the righteous rejoices,

but the lamp of the wicked will be put out. 10

By insolence comes nothing but strife,

but with those who take advice is wisdom. 11

Wealth gained hastily will dwindle,

but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. 12

Hope deferred makes the heart sick,

but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life. 13

Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself,

but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded. 14

The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,

that one may turn away from the snares of death. 15

Good sense wins favor,

but the way of the treacherous is their ruin. 16

Every prudent man acts with knowledge,

but a fool flaunts his folly. 17

A wicked messenger falls into trouble,

but a faithful envoy brings healing. 18

Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction,

but whoever heeds reproof is honored. 19

A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul,

but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools. 20

Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,

but the companion of fools will suffer harm. 21

Disaster pursues sinners,

but the righteous are rewarded with good. 22

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,

but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous. 23

The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food,

but it is swept away through injustice. 24

Whoever spares the rod hates his son,

but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him. 25

The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,

but the belly of the wicked suffers want.

LUKE 21

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The Widow’s Offering  21:1 Jesus 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. 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 Temple5 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 Persecution10 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 brothers 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 Jerusalem20 “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 Man25 “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 Tree29 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 Yourselves34 “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.