Job: How Can I Contend with God? 1 AKJV Then Job answered and said, BSB BSB: Then Job answered:
2 AKJV I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? BSB BSB: “Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God?
3 AKJV If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. BSB BSB: If one wished to contend with God, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
4 AKJV He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who has hardened himself against him, and has prospered? BSB BSB: God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered?
5 AKJV Which removes the mountains, and they know not: which overturns them in his anger. BSB BSB: He moves mountains without their knowledge and overturns them in His anger.
6 AKJV Which shakes the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. BSB BSB: He shakes the earth from its place, so that its foundations tremble.
7 AKJV Which commands the sun, and it rises not; and seals up the stars. BSB BSB: He commands the sun not to shine; He seals off the stars.
8 AKJV Which alone spreads out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea. BSB BSB: He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.
9 AKJV Which makes Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south. BSB BSB: He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, of the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
10 AKJV Which does great things past finding out; yes, and wonders without number. BSB BSB: He does great things beyond searching out, and wonders without number.
11 AKJV See, he goes by me, and I see him not: he passes on also, but I perceive him not. BSB BSB: Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; were He to move, I would not recognize Him.
12 AKJV Behold, he takes away, who can hinder him? who will say to him, What do you? BSB BSB: If He takes away, who can stop Him? Who dares to ask Him, ‘What are You doing?’
13 AKJV If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him. BSB BSB: God does not restrain His anger; the helpers of Rahab cower beneath Him.
14 AKJV How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him? BSB BSB: How then can I answer Him or choose my arguments against Him?
15 AKJV Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge. BSB BSB: For even if I were right, I could not answer. I could only beg my Judge for mercy.
16 AKJV If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had listened to my voice. BSB BSB: If I summoned Him and He answered me, I do not believe He would listen to my voice.
17 AKJV For he breaks me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds without cause. BSB BSB: For He would crush me with a tempest and multiply my wounds without cause.
18 AKJV He will not suffer me to take my breath, but fills me with bitterness. BSB BSB: He does not let me catch my breath, but overwhelms me with bitterness.
19 AKJV If I speak of strength, see, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead? BSB BSB: If it is a matter of strength, He is indeed mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him?
20 AKJV If I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. BSB BSB: Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty.
21 AKJV Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life. BSB BSB: Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.
22 AKJV This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroys the perfect and the wicked. BSB BSB: It is all the same, and so I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
23 AKJV If the whip slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent. BSB BSB: When the scourge brings sudden death, He mocks the despair of the innocent.
24 AKJV The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covers the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he? BSB BSB: The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He blindfolds its judges. If it is not He, then who is it?
25 AKJV Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good. BSB BSB: My days are swifter than a runner; they flee without seeing good.
26 AKJV They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hastens to the prey. BSB BSB: They sweep by like boats of papyrus, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
27 AKJV If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself: BSB BSB: If I were to say, ‘I will forget my complaint and change my expression and smile,’
28 AKJV I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that you will not hold me innocent. BSB BSB: I would still dread all my sufferings; I know that You will not acquit me.
29 AKJV If I be wicked, why then labor I in vain? BSB BSB: Since I am already found guilty, why should I labor in vain?
30 AKJV If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; BSB BSB: If I should wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,
31 AKJV Yet shall you plunge me in the ditch, and my own clothes shall abhor me. BSB BSB: then You would plunge me into the pit, and even my own clothes would despise me.
32 AKJV For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. BSB BSB: For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him, that we can take each other to court.
33 AKJV Neither is there any judge between us, that might lay his hand on us both. BSB BSB: Nor is there a mediator between us, to lay his hand upon us both.
34 AKJV Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me: BSB BSB: Let Him remove His rod from me, so that His terror will no longer frighten me.
35 AKJV Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me. BSB BSB: Then I would speak without fear of Him. But as it is, I am on my own.
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