Aug 25th

Seven sons and three daughters were born to him.

His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 pairs of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the sons of the east.

His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

Now it happened when the days of feasting had completed their cycle, that Job would send and set them apart as holy. And he would rise up early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.

Now it was the day that the sons of God came to stand before Yahweh, and Satan also came among them.

And Yahweh said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered Yahweh and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.”

Then Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you set your heart upon My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.”

And Satan answered Yahweh and said, “Does Job fear God without cause?

Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.

But send forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.”

Then Yahweh said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand, only do not send forth your hand toward him.” So Satan went out from the presence of Yahweh.

Now it happened that on the day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their brother, the firstborn,

a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,

and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them. They also struck down the young men with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

While this one was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the young men and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

While this one was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans set up three companies and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the young men with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

While this one was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their brother, the firstborn,

and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and touched the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped.

And he said,

Through all this Job did not sin, nor did he give offense to God.

Again it was the day that the sons of God came to stand before Yahweh, and Satan also came among them to stand himself before Yahweh.

And Yahweh said to Satan, “Where do you come from?” Then Satan answered Yahweh and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.”

And Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you set your heart upon My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity. So you incited Me against him to swallow him up in vain.”

Satan answered Yahweh and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.

However, send forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You in Your face.”

So Yahweh said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, only spare his life.”

Then Satan went out from the presence of Yahweh and struck Job with terrible boils from the sole of his foot to the top of his head.

And he took a potsherd to scrape himself while he was sitting among the ashes.

Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!”

But he said to her, “You speak as one of the wickedly foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept calamity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Then Job’s three friends heard of all this calamity that had come upon him. So they came each one from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to console him and comfort him.

Then they lifted up their eyes at a distance and did not recognize him, and they lifted up their voices and wept. And each of them tore his robe, and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky.

Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.

Afterward Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.

And Job answered and said,

For this reason I have often been prevented from coming to you;

but now, with no further place for me in these regions, and since I have had for many years a longing to come to you

whenever I go to Spain—for I hope, passing through, to see you, and to be helped on my way there by you, when I have first enjoyed your company for a while.

But now I am going to Jerusalem to serve the saints.

For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to share with the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.

Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things.

Therefore, when I have completed this and have put my seal on this fruit of theirs, I will go on by way of you to Spain.

And I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

Now I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,

that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints;

so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find rest in your company.

Now may the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Now I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea;

that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a benefactor of many, and of myself as well.

¶Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,

who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles;

also greet the church that is in their house.

Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia.

Greet Mary, who has labored much for you.

Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding to the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord.

Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.

Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus.

Greet Herodion, my kinsman.

Greet those of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord.