Job Chapter 9 (NIV)

KJV ESV NIV NASB NLT

undefined JobThen Job replied:

undefined “Indeed, I know that this is true.But how can a mortal be righteous before God?

undefined Though one wished to dispute with him,he could not answer him one time out of a thousand.

undefined His wisdom is profound, his power is vast.Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?

undefined He moves mountains without their knowing itand overturns them in his anger.

undefined He shakes the earth from its placeand makes its pillars tremble.

undefined He speaks to the sun and it does not shine;he seals off the light of the stars.

undefined He alone stretches out the heavensand treads on the waves of the sea.

undefined He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion,the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.

undefined He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,miracles that cannot be counted.

undefined When he passes me, I cannot see him;when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.

undefined If he snatches away, who can stop him?Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’

undefined God does not restrain his anger;even the cohorts of Rahab cowered at his feet.

undefined “How then can I dispute with him?How can I find words to argue with him?

undefined Though I were innocent, I could not answer him;I could only plead with my Judge for mercy.

undefined Even if I summoned him and he responded,I do not believe he would give me a hearing.

undefined He would crush me with a stormand multiply my wounds for no reason.

undefined He would not let me regain my breathbut would overwhelm me with misery.

undefined If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!And if it is a matter of justice, who will summon him?

undefined Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me;if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.

undefined “Although I am blameless,I have no concern for myself;I despise my own life.

undefined It is all the same; that is why I say,‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’

undefined When a scourge brings sudden death,he mocks the despair of the innocent.

undefined When a land falls into the hands of the wicked,he blindfolds its judges.If it is not he, then who is it?

undefined “My days are swifter than a runner;they fly away without a glimpse of joy.

undefined They skim past like boats of papyrus,like eagles swooping down on their prey.

undefined If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,I will change my expression, and smile,’

undefined I still dread all my sufferings,for I know you will not hold me innocent.

undefined Since I am already found guilty,why should I struggle in vain?

undefined Even if I washed myself with soapand my hands with washing soda,

undefined you would plunge me into a slime pitso that even my clothes would detest me.

undefined “He is not a man like me that I might answer him,that we might confront each other in court.

undefined If only there were someone to arbitrate between us,to lay his hand upon us both,

undefined someone to remove God’s rod from me,so that his terror would frighten me no more.

undefined Then I would speak up without fear of him,but as it now stands with me, I cannot.

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