Thursday, 10 July

1.   "Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook, Or snare his tongue with a line which you lower? 2.   Can you put a reed through his nose, Or pierce his jaw with a hook? 3.   Will he make many supplications to you? Will he speak softly to you? 4.   Will he make a covenant with you? Will you take him as a servant forever? 5.   Will you play with him as with a bird, Or will you leash him for your maidens? 6.   Will your companions make a banquet of him? Will they apportion him among the merchants? 7.   Can you fill his skin with harpoons, Or his head with fishing spears? 8.   Lay your hand on him; Remember the battle––Never do it again! 9.   Indeed, any hope of overcoming him is false; Shall one not be overwhelmed at the sight of him? 10.   No one is so fierce that he would dare stir him up. Who then is able to stand against Me? 11.   Who has preceded Me, that I should pay him ? Everything under heaven is Mine. 12.   "I will not conceal his limbs, His mighty power, or his graceful proportions. 13.   Who can remove his outer coat? Who can approach him with a double bridle? 14.   Who can open the doors of his face, With his terrible teeth all around? 15.   His rows of scales are his pride, Shut up tightly as with a seal; 16.   One is so near another That no air can come between them; 17.   They are joined one to another, They stick together and cannot be parted. 18.   His sneezings flash forth light, And his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. 19.   Out of his mouth go burning lights; Sparks of fire shoot out. 20.   Smoke goes out of his nostrils, As from a boiling pot and burning rushes. 21.   His breath kindles coals, And a flame goes out of his mouth. 22.   Strength dwells in his neck, And sorrow dances before him. 23.   The folds of his flesh are joined together; They are firm on him and cannot be moved. 24.   His heart is as hard as stone, Even as hard as the lower millstone . 25.   When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid; Because of his crashings they are beside themselves. 26.   Though the sword reaches him, it cannot avail; Nor does spear, dart, or javelin. 27.   He regards iron as straw, And bronze as rotten wood. 28.   The arrow cannot make him flee; Slingstones become like stubble to him. 29.   Darts are regarded as straw; He laughs at the threat of javelins. 30.   His undersides are like sharp potsherds; He spreads pointed marks in the mire. 31.   He makes the deep boil like a pot; He makes the sea like a pot of ointment. 32.   He leaves a shining wake behind him; One would think the deep had white hair. 33.   On earth there is nothing like him, Which is made without fear. 34.   He beholds every high thing ; He is king over all the children of pride."

1.   Then Job answered the LORD and said: 2.   "I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. 3.   You asked , ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 4.   Listen, please, and let me speak; You said , ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’ 5.   "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. 6.   Therefore I abhor myself , And repent in dust and ashes." 7.   And so it was, after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has . 8.   "Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has ." 9.   So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the LORD commanded them; for the LORD had accepted Job. 10.   And the LORD restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. 11.   Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been his acquaintances before, came to him and ate food with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversity that the LORD had brought upon him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and each a ring of gold. 12.   Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. 13.   He also had seven sons and three daughters. 14.   And he called the name of the first Jemimah, the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren–Happuch. 15.   In all the land were found no women so beautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. 16.   After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations. 17.   So Job died, old and full of days.

1.   Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2.   "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: 3.   "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth." 4.   And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. 5.   Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; 6.   not with eyeservice, as men–pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7.   with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, 8.   knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. 9.   And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him. 10.   Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11.   Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12.   For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places . 13.   Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14.   Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15.   and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16.   above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17.   And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18.   praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints–– 19.   and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20.   for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. 21.   But that you also may know my affairs and how I am doing, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make all things known to you; 22.   whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know our affairs, and that he may comfort your hearts. 23.   Peace to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24.   Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.