Job: How Can I Contend with God? 1 Brenton Then Job answered and said, BSB BSB: Then Job answered:
2 Brenton I know of a truth that it is so: for how shall a mortal man be just before the Lord? BSB BSB: “Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God?
3 Brenton For if he would enter into judgment with him, God would not hearken to him, so that he should answer to one of his charges of a thousand. BSB BSB: If one wished to contend with God, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
4 Brenton For he is wise in mind, and mighty, and great: who has hardened himself against him and endured? BSB BSB: God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered?
5 Brenton Who wears out the mountains, and men know it not: who overturns them in anger. BSB BSB: He moves mountains without their knowledge and overturns them in His anger.
6 Brenton Who shakes the earth under heaven from its foundations, and its pillars totter. BSB BSB: He shakes the earth from its place, so that its foundations tremble.
7 Brenton Who commands the sun, and it rises not; and he seals up the stars. BSB BSB: He commands the sun not to shine; He seals off the stars.
8 Brenton Who alone has stretched out the heavens, and walks on the sea as on firm ground. BSB BSB: He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.
9 Brenton Who makes Pleias, and Hesperus, and Arcturus, 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 Brenton Who does great and unsearchable things; glorious also and excellent things, innumerable. BSB BSB: He does great things beyond searching out, and wonders without number.
11 Brenton If ever he should go beyond me, I shall not see him: if he should pass by me, neither thus have I known it . BSB BSB: Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; were He to move, I would not recognize Him.
12 Brenton If he would take away, who shall turn him back? or who shall say to him, What hast thou done? BSB BSB: If He takes away, who can stop Him? Who dares to ask Him, ‘What are You doing?’
13 Brenton For if he has turned away his anger, the whales under heaven have stooped under him. BSB BSB: God does not restrain His anger; the helpers of Rahab cower beneath Him.
14 Brenton Oh then that he would hearken to me, or judge my cause. BSB BSB: How then can I answer Him or choose my arguments against Him?
15 Brenton For though I be righteous, he will not hearken to me: I will intreat his judgment. BSB BSB: For even if I were right, I could not answer. I could only beg my Judge for mercy.
16 Brenton And if I should call and he should not hearken, I cannot believe that he has 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 Brenton Let him not crush me with a dark storm: but he has made my bruises many without cause. BSB BSB: For He would crush me with a tempest and multiply my wounds without cause.
18 Brenton For he suffers me not to take breath, but he has filled me with bitterness. BSB BSB: He does not let me catch my breath, but overwhelms me with bitterness.
19 Brenton For indeed he is strong in power: who then shall resist his judgment? 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 Brenton For though I should seem righteous, my mouth will be profane: and though I should seem blameless, I shall be proved perverse. BSB BSB: Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty.
21 Brenton For even if I have sinned, I know it not in my soul: but my life is taken away. BSB BSB: Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.
22 Brenton Wherefore I said, Wrath slays the great and mighty man. BSB BSB: It is all the same, and so I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
23 Brenton For the worthless die, but the righteous are laughed to scorn. BSB BSB: When the scourge brings sudden death, He mocks the despair of the innocent.
24 Brenton For they are delivered into the hands of the unrighteous man : he covers the faces of the judges of the earth : but if it be not he, who is it? 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 Brenton But my life is swifter than a post: my days have fled away, and they knew it not. BSB BSB: My days are swifter than a runner; they flee without seeing good.
26 Brenton Or again, is there a trace of their path left by ships? or is there one of the flying eagle as it seeks its prey? BSB BSB: They sweep by like boats of papyrus, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
27 Brenton And if I should say, I will forget to speak, I will bow down my face and groan; BSB BSB: If I were to say, ‘I will forget my complaint and change my expression and smile,’
28 Brenton I quake in all my limbs, for I know that thou wilt not leave me alone as innocent. BSB BSB: I would still dread all my sufferings; I know that You will not acquit me.
29 Brenton But since I am ungodly, why have I not died? BSB BSB: Since I am already found guilty, why should I labor in vain?
30 Brenton For if I should wash myself with snow, and purge myself with pure hands, BSB BSB: If I should wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,
31 Brenton thou hadst thoroughly plunged me in filth, and my garment had abhorred me. BSB BSB: then You would plunge me into the pit, and even my own clothes would despise me.
32 Brenton For thou art not man like me, with whom I could contend, that we might come together to 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 Brenton Would that he our mediator were present , and a reprover, and one who should hear the cause between both. BSB BSB: Nor is there a mediator between us, to lay his hand upon us both.
34 Brenton Let him remove his rod 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 Brenton so shall I not be afraid, but I will speak: for I am not thus conscious of guilt . BSB BSB: Then I would speak without fear of Him. But as it is, I am on my own.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.