Book Four

From Everlasting to Everlasting

A ^sPrayer of Moses, the ^tman of God.

Job’s Character and Wealth

1 There was a man in the land of ^aUz whose name was ^bJob, and that man was ^cblameless and upright, one who ^dfeared God and ^eturned away from evil. 2 There were born to him ^fseven sons and three daughters. 3 He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all ^gthe people of the east. 4 His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and ^hconsecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and ⁱoffer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and ^jcursed¹ God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.

Satan Allowed to Test Job

6 Now there was a day when ^kthe sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and ^lSatan² also came among them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From ^mgoing to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” 8 And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you ⁿconsidered my ^oservant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, ^pa blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” 9 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put ^qa hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have ^rblessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But ^sstretch out your hand and ^ttouch all that he has, and he will ^ucurse you ^vto your face.” 12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

Satan Takes Job’s Property and Children

13 Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14 and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and ^wthe Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants³ with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 16 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, ^x“The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 17 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, ^y“The Chaldeans formed ^zthree groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 18 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, ^a“Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, a great wind came across ^bthe wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

20 Then Job arose and ^ctore his ^drobe and ^eshaved his head ^fand fell on the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said, ^g“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I ^hreturn. The Lord ⁱgave, and the Lord has taken away; ^jblessed be the name of the Lord.”

22 ^kIn all this Job did not sin or charge God with ^lwrong.

A Living Stone and a Holy People

1 ^jSo put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 ^kLike newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual ^lmilk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have ^mtasted that the Lord is good.

4 As you come to him, a living stone ⁿrejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 ^oyou yourselves like living stones are being built up as ^pa spiritual house, to be ^qa holy priesthood, ^rto offer spiritual sacrifices ^sacceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:

7 So the honor is for you who ^vbelieve, but for those who ^vdo not believe,

8 and

They stumble because they disobey the word, ^yas they were destined to do.

9 But you are ^za chosen race, ^aa royal ^bpriesthood, ^ca holy nation, ^da people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you ^eout of darkness into ^fhis marvelous light. 10 ^gOnce you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

11 Beloved, I urge you ^has sojourners and exiles ⁱto abstain from the passions of the flesh, ^jwhich wage war against your soul. 12 ^kKeep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, ^lthey may see your good deeds and glorify God on ^mthe day of visitation.

Submission to Authority

13 ⁿBe subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution,² whether it be to the emperor³ as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him ^oto punish those who do evil and ^pto praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, ^qthat by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 ^rLive as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but ^sliving as servants⁴ of God. 17 ^tHonor everyone. ^uLove the brotherhood. ^vFear God. Honor the emperor.