| Common English Bible w/ Apocrypha (CEBA) |
New International Version (NIV) |
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1 Job responded:
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1 Then Job replied:
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2 I know for certain that this is so; and how can anyone be innocent before God?
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2 "Indeed, I know that this is true. But how can a mortal be righteous before God?
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3 If one wants to contend with him, he won't answer one in a thousand.
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3 Though one wished to dispute with him, he could not answer him one time out of a thousand.
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4 He is wise and powerful; who can resist him and prosper?
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4 His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?
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5 Who removes mountains, and they are unaware; who overthrows them in anger? and its pillars shudder?
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5 He moves mountains without their knowing it and overturns them in his anger.
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6 Who shakes the earth from its place,
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6 He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble.
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7 Who commands the sun, and it does not rise, even seals up the stars;
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7 He speaks to the sun and it does not shine; he seals off the light of the stars.
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8 stretched out the heavens alone and trod on the waves of the Sea;
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8 He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.
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9 made the Bear and Orion, Pleiades and the southern constellations;
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9 He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
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10 does great and unsearchable things, wonders beyond number?
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10 He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.
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11 If God goes by me, I can't see him; he glides past, and I can't perceive him.
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11 When he passes me, I cannot see him; when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.
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12 If he seizes, who can bring back? Who can say to him, "What are you doing?"
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12 If he snatches away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, 'What are you doing?'
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13 God won't retract his anger; the helpers of Rahab bow beneath him.
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13 God does not restrain his anger; even the cohorts of Rahab cowered at his feet.
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14 Yet I myself will answer him; I'll choose my words in a contest with him.
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14 "How then can I dispute with him? How can I find words to argue with him?
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15 Even if I'm innocent, I can't answer; I must plead for justice.
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15 Though I were innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my Judge for mercy.
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16 If I were to call and he answered me, I couldn't believe that he heard my voice.
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16 Even if I summoned him and he responded, I do not believe he would give me a hearing.
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17 Who bruises me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds for no reason?
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17 He would crush me with a storm and multiply my wounds for no reason.
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18 He doesn't let me catch my breath, for he fills me with bitterness.
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18 He would not let me regain my breath but would overwhelm me with misery.
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19 If the issue is strength—behold power! If justice—who calls God to meet me?
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19 If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty! And if it is a matter of justice, who will summon him ?
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20 If I'm innocent, my mouth condemns me; I have integrity; but God declares me perverse.
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20 Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.
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21 I'm blameless, yet don't know myself; I reject my life.
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21 "Although I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.
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22 It's all the same; therefore, I say God destroys the blameless and the sinners.
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22 It is all the same; that is why I say, 'He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.'
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23 If calamity suddenly kills, he mocks at the slaying of innocents.
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23 When a scourge brings sudden death, he mocks the despair of the innocent.
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24 The earth is handed over to the wicked; he covers the faces of its judges. If not God, then who does?
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24 When a land falls into the hands of the wicked, he blindfolds its judges. If it is not he, then who is it?
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25 My days are swifter than a runner; they flee and don't experience good.
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25 "My days are swifter than a runner; they fly away without a glimpse of joy.
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26 They sweep by like ships made of reeds, as an eagle swoops on prey.
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26 They skim past like boats of papyrus, like eagles swooping down on their prey.
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27 If I say, "I'll forget my lament, put on a different face so I can smile,"
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27 If I say, 'I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression, and smile,'
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28 I'm still afraid of all my suffering; I know that you won't declare me innocent.
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28 I still dread all my sufferings, for I know you will not hold me innocent.
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29 I myself am thought guilty; why have I tried so hard in vain?
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29 Since I am already found guilty, why should I struggle in vain?
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30 If I wash myself with snow, purify my hands with soap,
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30 Even if I washed myself with soap and my hands with washing soda,
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31 then you'll hurl me into a slimy pit so that my clothes detest me.
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31 you would plunge me into a slime pit so that even my clothes would detest me.
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32 God is not a man like me—someone I could answer— so that we could come together in court.
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32 "He is not a man like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court.
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33 Oh, that there were a mediator between us; he would lay his hand on both of us,
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33 If only there were someone to arbitrate between us, to lay his hand upon us both,
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34 remove his rod from me, so his fury wouldn't frighten me.
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34 someone to remove God's rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more.
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35 Then I would speak—unafraid— for I'm not that way.
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35 Then I would speak up without fear of him, but as it now stands with me, I cannot.
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| Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible (Common English Bible w/ Apocrypha) |
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |
