NKJV Bible in 365 Days
May
Wrestling with Suffering and the Silence of God — May 1
Job 4-7
Job 4
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: 365N 121.1
2 “ If one attempts a word with you, will you become weary? But who can withhold himself from speaking? 365N 121.2
3 Surely you have instructed many, And you have strengthened weak hands. 365N 121.3
4 Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, And you have strengthened the [a] feeble knees; 365N 121.4
5 But now it comes upon you, and you are weary; It touches you, and you are troubled. 365N 121.5
6 Is not your reverence your confidence? And the integrity of your ways your hope? 365N 121.6
7 “Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off? 365N 121.7
8 Even as I have seen, Those who plow iniquity And sow trouble reap the same. 365N 121.8
9 By the blast of God they perish, And by the breath of His anger they are consumed. 365N 121.9
10 The roaring of the lion, The voice of the fierce lion, And the teeth of the young lions are broken. 365N 121.10
11 The old lion perishes for lack of prey, And the cubs of the lioness are scattered. 365N 121.11
12 “Now a word was secretly brought to me, And my ear received a whisper of it. 365N 121.12
13 In disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falls on men, 365N 121.13
14 Fear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones shake. 365N 121.14
15 Then a spirit passed before my face; The hair on my body stood up. 365N 121.15
16 It stood still, But I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; There was silence; Then I heard a voice saying: 365N 121.16
17 ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker? 365N 121.17
18 If He puts no trust in His servants, If He charges His angels with error, 365N 121.18
19 How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed before a moth? 365N 121.19
20 They are broken in pieces from morning till evening; They perish forever, with no one regarding. 365N 121.20
21 Does not their own excellence go away? They die, even without wisdom.’ 365N 121.21
Job 5
1 “Call out now; Is there anyone who will answer you? And to which of the holy ones will you turn? 365N 121.22
2 For wrath kills a foolish man, And envy slays a simple one. 365N 121.23
3 I have seen the foolish taking root, But suddenly I cursed his dwelling place. 365N 121.24
4 His sons are far from safety, They are crushed in the gate, And there is no deliverer. 365N 121.25
5 Because the hungry eat up his harvest, [a] Taking it even from the thorns, [b] And a snare snatches their [c] substance. 365N 121.26
6 For affliction does not come from the dust, Nor does trouble spring from the ground; 365N 121.27
7 Yet man is born to [d] trouble, As the sparks fly upward. 365N 121.28
8 “But as for me, I would seek God, And to God I would commit my cause— 365N 121.29
9 Who does great things, and unsearchable, Marvelous things without number. 365N 121.30
10 He gives rain on the earth, And sends waters on the fields. 365N 121.31
11 He sets on high those who are lowly, And those who mourn are lifted to safety. 365N 121.32
12 He frustrates the devices of the crafty, So that their hands cannot carry out their plans. 365N 121.33
13 He catches the wise in their own craftiness, And the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them. 365N 121.34
14 They meet with darkness in the daytime, And grope at noontime as in the night. 365N 121.35
15 But He saves the needy from the sword, From the mouth of the mighty, And from their hand. 365N 121.36
16 So the poor have hope, And injustice shuts her mouth. 365N 121.37
17 “Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. 365N 121.38
18 For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole. 365N 121.39
19 He shall deliver you in six troubles, Yes, in seven no evil shall touch you. 365N 121.40
20 In famine He shall redeem you from death, And in war from the [e] power of the sword. 365N 121.41
21 You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, And you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes. 365N 121.42
22 You shall laugh at destruction and famine, And you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth. 365N 121.43
23 For you shall have a covenant with the stones of the field, And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you. 365N 121.44
24 You shall know that your tent is in peace; You shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss. 365N 121.45
25 You shall also know that your descendants shall be many, And your offspring like the grass of the earth. 365N 121.46
26 You shall come to the grave at a full age, As a sheaf of grain ripens in its season. 365N 121.47
27 Behold, this we have searched out; It is true. Hear it, and know for yourself.” 365N 121.48
Job 6
1 Then Job answered and said: 365N 121.49
2 “Oh, that my grief were fully weighed, And my calamity laid with it on the scales! 365N 121.50
3 For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea— Therefore my words have been rash. 365N 121.51
4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me; My spirit drinks in their poison; The terrors of God are arrayed against me. 365N 121.52
5 Does the wild donkey bray when it has grass, Or does the ox low over its fodder? 365N 121.53
6 Can flavorless food be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg? 365N 121.54
7 My soul refuses to touch them; They are as loathsome food to me. 365N 121.55
8 “Oh, that I might have my request, That God would grant me the thing that I long for! 365N 121.56
9 That it would please God to crush me, That He would loose His hand and cut me off! 365N 121.57
10 Then I would still have comfort; Though in anguish I would exult, He will not spare; For I have not concealed the words of the Holy One. 365N 121.58
11 “What strength do I have, that I should hope? And what is my end, that I should prolong my life? 365N 121.59
12 Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh bronze? 365N 121.60
13 Is my help not within me? And is success driven from me? 365N 121.61
14 “To him who is [a] afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend, Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty. 365N 121.62
15 My brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook, Like the streams of the brooks that pass away, 365N 121.63
16 Which are dark because of the ice, And into which the snow vanishes. 365N 121.64
17 When it is warm, they cease to flow; When it is hot, they vanish from their place. 365N 121.65
18 The paths of their way turn aside, They go nowhere and perish. 365N 121.66
19 The caravans of Tema look, The travelers of Sheba hope for them. 365N 121.67
20 They are disappointed [b] because they were confident; They come there and are confused. 365N 121.68
21 For now you are nothing, You see terror and are afraid. 365N 121.69
22 Did I ever say, ‘Bring something to me’? Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth’? 365N 121.70
23 Or, ‘Deliver me from the enemy’s hand’? Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of oppressors’? 365N 121.71
24 “Teach me, and I will hold my tongue; Cause me to understand wherein I have erred. 365N 121.72
25 How forceful are right words! But what does your arguing prove? 365N 121.73
26 Do you intend to rebuke my words, And the speeches of a desperate one, which are as wind? 365N 121.74
27 Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless, And you undermine your friend. 365N 121.75
28 Now therefore, be pleased to look at me; For I would never lie to your face. 365N 121.76
29 Yield now, let there be no injustice! Yes, concede, my righteousness [c] still stands! 365N 121.77
30 Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my [d] taste discern the unsavory? 365N 121.78
Job 7
1 “ Is there not a time of hard service for man on earth? Are not his days also like the days of a hired man? 365N 121.79
2 Like a servant who [a] earnestly desires the shade, And like a hired man who eagerly looks for his wages, 365N 121.80
3 So I have been allotted months of futility, And wearisome nights have been appointed to me. 365N 121.81
4 When I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I arise, And the night be ended?’ For I have had my fill of tossing till dawn. 365N 121.82
5 My flesh is caked with worms and dust, My skin is cracked and breaks out afresh. 365N 121.83
6 “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, And are spent without hope. 365N 121.84
7 Oh, remember that my life is a breath! My eye will never again see good. 365N 121.85
8 The eye of him who sees me will see me no more; While your eyes are upon me, I shall no longer be. 365N 121.86
9 As the cloud disappears and vanishes away, So he who goes down to the grave does not come up. 365N 121.87
10 He shall never return to his house, Nor shall his place know him anymore. 365N 121.88
11 “Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. 365N 121.89
12 Am I a sea, or a sea serpent, That You set a guard over me? 365N 121.90
13 When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me, My couch will ease my complaint,’ 365N 121.91
14 Then You scare me with dreams And terrify me with visions, 365N 121.92
15 So that my soul chooses strangling And death rather than [b] my body. 365N 121.93
16 I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone, For my days are but [c] a breath. 365N 121.94
17 “What is man, that You should exalt him, That You should set Your heart on him, 365N 121.95
18 That You should [d] visit him every morning, And test him every moment? 365N 121.96
19 How long? Will You not look away from me, And let me alone till I swallow my saliva? 365N 121.97
20 Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, So that I am a burden [e] to myself? 365N 121.98
21 Why then do You not pardon my transgression, And take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust, And You will seek me diligently, But I will no longer be. ” 365N 121.99