Bible in a Year – read today’s “Bible in a Year” excerpt

This page updates daily, based on the Whole Bible Canonically in a Year Bible reading plan.

reading plan entry for June 11

Job 33 ()

[1] “However, Job, please hear my speech,
and listen to all my words.
[2] See now, I have opened my mouth.
My tongue has spoken in my mouth.
[3] My words will utter the uprightness of my heart.
That which my lips know they will speak sincerely.
[4] The Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
[5] If you can, answer me.
Set your words in order before me, and stand up.
[6] Behold, I am toward God even as you are.
I am also formed out of the clay.
[7] Behold, my terror will not make you afraid,
neither will my pressure be heavy on you.

[8] “Surely you have spoken in my hearing,
I have heard the voice of your words, saying,
[9] ‘I am clean, without disobedience.
I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me.
[10] Behold, he finds occasions against me.
He counts me for his enemy.
[11] He puts my feet in the stocks.
He marks all my paths.’

[12] “Behold, I will answer you. In this you are not just,
for God is greater than man.
[13] Why do you strive against him,
because he doesn’t give account of any of his matters?
[14] For God speaks once,
yes twice, though man pays no attention.
[15] In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on men,
in slumbering on the bed,
[16] then he opens the ears of men,
and seals their instruction,
[17] that he may withdraw man from his purpose,
and hide pride from man.
[18] He keeps back his soul from the pit,
and his life from perishing by the sword.

[19] “He is chastened also with pain on his bed,
with continual strife in his bones,
[20] so that his life abhors bread,
and his soul dainty food.
[21] His flesh is so consumed away that it can’t be seen.
His bones that were not seen stick out.
[22] Yes, his soul draws near to the pit,
and his life to the destroyers.

[23] “If there is beside him an angel,
an interpreter, one among a thousand,
to show to man what is right for him,
[24] then God is gracious to him, and says,
‘Deliver him from going down to the pit,
I have found a ransom.’
[25] His flesh will be fresher than a child’s.
He returns to the days of his youth.
[26] He prays to God, and he is favorable to him,
so that he sees his face with joy.
He restores to man his righteousness.
[27] He sings before men, and says,
‘I have sinned, and perverted that which was right,
and it didn’t profit me.
[28] He has redeemed my soul from going into the pit.
My life will see the light.’

[29] “Behold, God does all these things,
twice, yes three times, with a man,
[30] to bring back his soul from the pit,
that he may be enlightened with the light of the living.
[31] Mark well, Job, and listen to me.
Hold your peace, and I will speak.
[32] If you have anything to say, answer me.
Speak, for I desire to justify you.
[33] If not, listen to me.
Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.”

Job 34 ()

[1] Moreover Elihu answered,
[2] “Hear my words, you wise men.
Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.
[3] For the ear tries words,
as the palate tastes food.
[4] Let us choose for us that which is right.
Let us know among ourselves what is good.
[5] For Job has said, ‘I am righteous,
God has taken away my right.
[6] Notwithstanding my right I am considered a liar.
My wound is incurable, though I am without disobedience.’
[7] What man is like Job,
who drinks scorn like water,
[8] who goes in company with the workers of iniquity,
and walks with wicked men?
[9] For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing
that he should delight himself with God.’

[10] “Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding:
far be it from God, that he should do wickedness,
from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
[11] For the work of a man he will render to him,
and cause every man to find according to his ways.
[12] Yes surely, God will not do wickedly,
neither will the Almighty pervert justice.
[13] Who put him in charge of the earth?
Or who has appointed him over the whole world?
[14] If he set his heart on himself,
if he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath,
[15] all flesh would perish together,
and man would turn again to dust.

[16] “If now you have understanding, hear this.
Listen to the voice of my words.
[17] Should even one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
[18] who says to a king, ‘Vile!’
or to nobles, ‘Wicked!’?
[19] He doesn’t respect the persons of princes,
nor respect the rich more than the poor,
for they all are the work of his hands.
[20] In a moment they die, even at midnight.
The people are shaken and pass away.
The mighty are taken away without a hand.

[21] “For his eyes are on the ways of a man.
He sees all his goings.
[22] There is no darkness, nor thick gloom,
where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
[23] For he doesn’t need to consider a man further,
that he should go before God in judgment.
[24] He breaks mighty men in pieces in ways past finding out,
and sets others in their place.
[25] Therefore he takes knowledge of their works.
He overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
[26] He strikes them as wicked men
in the open sight of others;
[27] because they turned away from following him,
and wouldn’t pay attention to any of his ways,
[28] so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him.
He heard the cry of the afflicted.
[29] When he gives quietness, who then can condemn?
When he hides his face, who then can see him?
He is over a nation or a man alike,
[30] that the godless man may not reign,
that there be no one to ensnare the people.

[31] “For has any said to God,
‘I am guilty, but I will not offend any more.
[32] Teach me that which I don’t see.
If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?
[33] Shall his recompense be as you desire, that you refuse it?
For you must choose, and not I.
Therefore speak what you know.
[34] Men of understanding will tell me,
yes, every wise man who hears me:
[35] ‘Job speaks without knowledge.
His words are without wisdom.’
[36] I wish that Job were tried to the end,
because of his answering like wicked men.
[37] For he adds rebellion to his sin.
He claps his hands among us,
and multiplies his words against God.”

Job 35 ()

[1] Moreover Elihu answered,
[2] “Do you think this to be your right,
or do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s,’
[3] that you ask, ‘What advantage will it be to you?
What profit will I have, more than if I had sinned?’
[4] I will answer you,
and your companions with you.
[5] Look to the skies, and see.
See the skies, which are higher than you.
[6] If you have sinned, what effect do you have against him?
If your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
[7] If you are righteous, what do you give him?
Or what does he receive from your hand?
[8] Your wickedness may hurt a man as you are,
and your righteousness may profit a son of man.

[9] “By reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out.
They cry for help by reason of the arm of the mighty.
[10] But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,
who gives songs in the night,
[11] who teaches us more than the animals of the earth,
and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’
[12] There they cry, but no one answers,
because of the pride of evil men.
[13] Surely God will not hear an empty cry,
neither will the Almighty regard it.
[14] How much less when you say you don’t see him.
The cause is before him, and you wait for him!
[15] But now, because he has not visited in his anger,
neither does he greatly regard arrogance,
[16] therefore Job opens his mouth with empty talk,
and he multiplies words without knowledge.”

Job 36 ()

[1] Elihu also continued, and said,
[2] “Bear with me a little, and I will show you;
for I still have something to say on God’s behalf.
[3] I will get my knowledge from afar,
and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
[4] For truly my words are not false.
One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

[5] “Behold, God is mighty, and doesn’t despise anyone.
He is mighty in strength of understanding.
[6] He doesn’t preserve the life of the wicked,
but gives justice to the afflicted.
[7] He doesn’t withdraw his eyes from the righteous,
but with kings on the throne,
he sets them forever, and they are exalted.
[8] If they are bound in fetters,
and are taken in the cords of afflictions,
[9] then he shows them their work,
and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
[10] He also opens their ears to instruction,
and commands that they return from iniquity.
[11] If they listen and serve him,
they will spend their days in prosperity,
and their years in pleasures.
[12] But if they don’t listen, they will perish by the sword;
they will die without knowledge.

[13] “But those who are godless in heart lay up anger.
They don’t cry for help when he binds them.
[14] They die in youth.
Their life perishes among the unclean.
[15] He delivers the afflicted by their affliction,
and opens their ear in oppression.
[16] Yes, he would have allured you out of distress,
into a wide place, where there is no restriction.
That which is set on your table would be full of fatness.

[17] “But you are full of the judgment of the wicked.
Judgment and justice take hold of you.
[18] Don’t let riches entice you to wrath,
neither let the great size of a bribe turn you aside.
[19] Would your wealth sustain you in distress,
or all the might of your strength?
[20] Don’t desire the night,
when people are cut off in their place.
[21] Take heed, don’t regard iniquity;
for you have chosen this rather than affliction.
[22] Behold, God is exalted in his power.
Who is a teacher like him?
[23] Who has prescribed his way for him?
Or who can say, ‘You have committed unrighteousness’?

[24] “Remember that you magnify his work,
about which men have sung.
[25] All men have looked on it.
Man sees it afar off.
[26] Behold, God is great, and we don’t know him.
The number of his years is unsearchable.
[27] For he draws up the drops of water,
which distill in rain from his vapor,
[28] which the skies pour down
and which drop on man abundantly.
[29] Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds
and the thunderings of his pavilion?
[30] Behold, he spreads his light around him.
He covers the bottom of the sea.
[31] For by these he judges the people.
He gives food in abundance.
[32] He covers his hands with the lightning,
and commands it to strike the mark.
[33] Its noise tells about him,
and the livestock also, concerning the storm that comes up.

Job 37 ()

[1] “Yes, at this my heart trembles,
and is moved out of its place.
[2] Hear, oh, hear the noise of his voice,
the sound that goes out of his mouth.
[3] He sends it out under the whole sky,
and his lightning to the ends of the earth.
[4] After it a voice roars.
He thunders with the voice of his majesty.
He doesn’t hold back anything when his voice is heard.
[5] God thunders marvelously with his voice.
He does great things, which we can’t comprehend.
[6] For he says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’
likewise to the shower of rain,
and to the showers of his mighty rain.
[7] He seals up the hand of every man,
that all men whom he has made may know it.
[8] Then the animals take cover,
and remain in their dens.
[9] Out of its room comes the storm,
and cold out of the north.
[10] By the breath of God, ice is given,
and the width of the waters is frozen.
[11] Yes, he loads the thick cloud with moisture.
He spreads abroad the cloud of his lightning.
[12] It is turned around by his guidance,
that they may do whatever he commands them
on the surface of the habitable world,
[13] whether it is for correction, or for his land,
or for loving kindness, that he causes it to come.

[14] “Listen to this, Job.
Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.
[15] Do you know how God controls them,
and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine?
[16] Do you know the workings of the clouds,
the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge?
[17] You whose clothing is warm
when the earth is still by reason of the south wind?
[18] Can you, with him, spread out the sky,
which is strong as a cast metal mirror?
[19] Teach us what we will tell him,
for we can’t make our case by reason of darkness.
[20] Will it be told him that I would speak?
Or should a man wish that he were swallowed up?

[21] Now men don’t see the light which is bright in the skies,
but the wind passes, and clears them.
[22] Out of the north comes golden splendor.
With God is awesome majesty.
[23] We can’t reach the Almighty.
He is exalted in power.
In justice and great righteousness, he will not oppress.
[24] Therefore men revere him.
He doesn’t regard any who are wise of heart.”