Job 17; Job 18; Job 19; Acts 10:1-23

Job 17

1 My spirit is broken, my days extinguished, the grave, mine.

2 Surely mockers are with me, and my eye looks on their rebellion.

3 Take my guarantee. Who else is willing to make an agreement?

4 You've closed their mind to insight; therefore, you won't be exalted.

5 He denounces his friends for gain, and his children's eyes fail.

6 He makes me a popular proverb; I'm like spit in people's faces.

7 My eye is weak from grief; my limbs like a shadow—all of them.

8 Those who do the right thing are amazed at this; the guiltless become troubled about the godless.

9 The innocent clings to his way; the one whose hands are clean grows stronger.

10 But you can bring all of them again, and I won't find a wise one among you.

11 My days have passed; my goals are destroyed, my heart's desires.

12 They turn night into day; light is near because of the darkness.

13 If I hope for the underworld as my dwelling, lay out my bed in darkness,

14 I've called corruption "my father," the worm, "my mother and sister."

15 Where then is my hope? My hope—who can see it?

16 Will they go down with me to the underworld; will we descend together to the dust?

Job 18

1 Bildad from Shuah answered:

2 How long? Would you all stop talking. Try to understand and then we can speak.

3 Why are we considered beasts, ignorant in your sight?

4 To you who tear yourself in rage— will earth be forsaken for your sake, a rock be dislodged from its place?

5 To be sure, the light of the wicked goes out; the blaze of their fire doesn't shine.

6 The light in their tent becomes dark, and their lamp above doesn't shine.

7 Their strong strides slow down; their plans trip themselves.

8 They are caught by their feet in a net; they walk on mesh.

9 A trap grabs them by the heel; a snare tightens on them.

10 A rope is hidden on the ground for them; a trap for them along the path.

11 Terrors round about scare them; they follow their steps.

12 Their offspring hunger; calamity is ready for their spouses.

13 It eats some of their skin. Death's firstborn consumes their limbs.

14 They are snatched from the safety of their tent; it parades them before the king of terrors.

15 Nothing they own remains in their tent; sulfur is scattered over their home.

16 Their roots dry out below; their branches wither above.

17 The memory of them will perish from the earth; they will achieve no recognition abroad.

18 They are thrust from light into darkness, banished from the world.

19 They have no offspring or descendants among their people, no survivor in their dwelling place.

20 Their successors are appalled at what happens to them; their predecessors pull their hair.

21 These are surely the dwelling places of the evil; this is the place of the one who doesn't know God.

Job 19

1 Then Job responded:

2 How long will you harass me and crush me with words?

3 These ten times you've humiliated me; shamelessly you insult me.

4 Have I really gone astray? If so, my error remains hidden inside me.

5 If you look down on me and use my disgrace to criticize me,

6 know then that God has wronged me and enclosed his net over me.

7 If I cry "Violence!" I'm not answered; I shout—but there is no justice.

8 He walled up my path so I can't pass and put darkness on my trail,

9 stripped my honor from me, removed the crown from my head,

10 tore me down completely so that I'll die, and uprooted my hope like a tree.

11 His anger burns against me; he considers me his enemy.

12 His troops come as one and construct their siege ramp against me; they camp around my tent.

13 He has distanced my family from me; my acquaintances are also alienated from me. those who know me have forgotten me. I'm a foreigner in their sight.

14 My visitors have ceased;

15 My guests and female servants think me a stranger;

16 I call my servant, and he doesn't answer; I myself must beg him.

17 My breath stinks to my wife; I am odious to my children.

18 Even the young despise me; I get up, and they rail against me.

19 All my closest friends despise me; the ones I have loved turn against me.

20 My bones cling to my skin and flesh; I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.

21 Pity me. Pity me. You're my friends. God's hand has truly struck me.

22 Why do you pursue me like God does, always hungry for my flesh?

23 Oh, that my words were written down, inscribed on a scroll

24 with an iron instrument and lead, forever engraved on stone.

25 But I know that my redeemer is alive and afterward he'll rise upon the dust.

26 After my skin has been torn apart this way— then from my flesh I'll see God,

27 whom I'll see myself— my eyes see, and not a stranger's. I am utterly dejected.

28 You say, "How will we pursue him so that the root of the matter can be found in him?"

29 You ought to fear the sword yourselves, for wrath brings punishment by the sword. You should know that there is judgment.

Acts 10:1-23

1 There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion in the Italian Company.

2 He and his whole household were pious, Gentile God-worshippers. He gave generously to those in need among the Jewish people and prayed to God constantly.

3 One day at nearly three o'clock in the afternoon, he clearly saw an angel from God in a vision. The angel came to him and said, "Cornelius!"

4 Startled, he stared at the angel and replied, "What is it, Lord?" The angel said, "Your prayers and your compassionate acts are like a memorial offering to God.

5 Send messengers to Joppa at once and summon a certain Simon, the one known as Peter.

6 He is a guest of Simon the tanner, whose house is near the seacoast."

7 When the angel who was speaking to him had gone, Cornelius summoned two of his household servants along with a pious soldier from his personal staff.

8 He explained everything to them, then sent them to Joppa.

9 At noon on the following day, as their journey brought them close to the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.

10 He became hungry and wanted to eat. While others were preparing the meal, he had a visionary experience.

11 He saw heaven opened up and something like a large linen sheet being lowered to the earth by its four corners.

12 Inside the sheet were all kinds of four-legged animals, reptiles, and wild birds.

13 A voice told him, "Get up, Peter! Kill and eat!"

14 Peter exclaimed, "Absolutely not, Lord! I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."

15 The voice spoke a second time, "Never consider unclean what God has made pure."

16 This happened three times, then the object was suddenly pulled back into heaven.

17 Peter was bewildered about the meaning of the vision. Just then, the messengers sent by Cornelius discovered the whereabouts of Simon's house and arrived at the gate.

18 Calling out, they inquired whether the Simon known as Peter was a guest there.

19 While Peter was brooding over the vision, the Spirit interrupted him, "Look! Three people are looking for you.

20 Go downstairs. Don't ask questions; just go with them because I have sent them."

21 So Peter went downstairs and told them, "I'm the one you are looking for. Why have you come?"

22 They replied, "We've come on behalf of Cornelius, a centurion and righteous man, a God-worshipper who is well-respected by all Jewish people. A holy angel directed him to summon you to his house and to hear what you have to say."

23 Peter invited them into the house as his guests. The next day he got up and went with them, together with some of the believers from Joppa.