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Psalm 79

1  O God, the heathen have come into your heritage; ♦︎
   your holy temple have they defiled
      and made Jerusalem a heap of stones.
2  The dead bodies of your servants they have given
      to be food for the birds of the air, ♦︎
   and the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the field.
3  Their blood have they shed like water
      on every side of Jerusalem, ♦︎
   and there was no one to bury them.
4  We have become the taunt of our neighbours, ♦︎
   the scorn and derision of those that are round about us.
5  Lord, how long will you be angry, for ever? ♦︎
   How long will your jealous fury blaze like fire?
6  Pour out your wrath upon the nations that have not known you, ♦︎
   and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon your name.
7  For they have devoured Jacob ♦︎
   and laid waste his dwelling place.
8  Remember not against us our former sins; ♦︎
   let your compassion make haste to meet us,
      for we are brought very low.
9  Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; ♦︎
   deliver us, and wipe away our sins for your name’s sake.
10  Why should the heathen say, ♦︎
   ‘Where is now their God?’
11  Let vengeance for your servants’ blood that is shed ♦︎
   be known among the nations in our sight.
12  Let the sorrowful sighing of the prisoners come before you, ♦︎
   and by your mighty arm
      preserve those who are condemned to die.
13  May the taunts with which our neighbours taunted you, Lord, ♦︎
   return sevenfold into their bosom.
14  But we that are your people and the sheep of your pasture
      will give you thanks for ever, ♦︎
   and tell of your praise from generation to generation.

Psalm 80

1  Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, ♦︎
   you that led Joseph like a flock;
2  Shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim, ♦︎
   before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.
3  Stir up your mighty strength ♦︎
   and come to our salvation.
4  Turn us again, O God; ♦︎
   show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
5  O Lord God of hosts, ♦︎
   how long will you be angry at your people’s prayer?
6  You feed them with the bread of tears; ♦︎
   you give them abundance of tears to drink.
7  You have made us the derision of our neighbours, ♦︎
   and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
8  Turn us again, O God of hosts; ♦︎
   show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
9  You brought a vine out of Egypt; ♦︎
   you drove out the nations and planted it.
10  You made room around it, ♦︎
   and when it had taken root, it filled the land.
11  The hills were covered with its shadow ♦︎
   and the cedars of God by its boughs.
12  It stretched out its branches to the Sea ♦︎
   and its tendrils to the River.
13  Why then have you broken down its wall, ♦︎
   so that all who pass by pluck off its grapes?
14  The wild boar out of the wood tears it off, ♦︎
   and all the insects of the field devour it.
15  Turn again, O God of hosts, ♦︎
   look down from heaven and behold;
16  Cherish this vine which your right hand has planted, ♦︎
   and the branch that you made so strong for yourself.
17  Let those who burnt it with fire, who cut it down, ♦︎
   perish at the rebuke of your countenance.
18  Let your hand be upon the man at your right hand, ♦︎
   the son of man you made so strong for yourself.
19  And so will we not go back from you; ♦︎
   give us life, and we shall call upon your name.
20  Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts; ♦︎
   show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

Eliphaz Speaks: Job’s Wickedness Is Great

22Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:
² ‘Can a mortal be of use to God?
   Can even the wisest be of service to him?
³ Is it any pleasure to the Almighty^* if you are righteous,
   or is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless?
⁴ Is it for your piety that he reproves you,
   and enters into judgement with you?
²¹ ‘Agree with God,^* and be at peace;
   in this way good will come to you.
²² Receive instruction from his mouth,
   and lay up his words in your heart.
²³ If you return to the Almighty,^* you will be restored,
   if you remove unrighteousness from your tents,
²⁴ if you treat gold like dust,
   and gold of Ophir like the stones of the torrent-bed,
²⁵ and if the Almighty^* is your gold
   and your precious silver,
²⁶ then you will delight in the Almighty,^*
   and lift up your face to God.
²⁷ You will pray to him, and he will hear you,
   and you will pay your vows.
²⁸ You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you,
   and light will shine on your ways.
²⁹ When others are humiliated, you say it is pride;
   for he saves the humble.
³⁰ He will deliver even those who are guilty;
   they will escape because of the cleanness of your hands.’^*

Job Replies: My Complaint Is Bitter

23Then Job answered:
² ‘Today also my complaint is bitter;^*
   his^* hand is heavy despite my groaning.
³ O that I knew where I might find him,
   that I might come even to his dwelling!
⁴ I would lay my case before him,
   and fill my mouth with arguments.
⁵ I would learn what he would answer me,
   and understand what he would say to me.
⁶ Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?
   No; but he would give heed to me.
⁷ There an upright person could reason with him,
   and I should be acquitted for ever by my judge.

Bildad Speaks: How Can a Mortal Be Righteous Before God?

25Then Bildad the Shuhite answered:
² ‘Dominion and fear are with God;^*
   he makes peace in his high heaven.
³ Is there any number to his armies?
   Upon whom does his light not arise?
⁴ How then can a mortal be righteous before God?
   How can one born of woman be pure?
⁵ If even the moon is not bright
   and the stars are not pure in his sight,
⁶ how much less a mortal, who is a maggot,
   and a human being, who is a worm!’

44 The next sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.^{* 45}But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy; and blaspheming, they contradicted what was spoken by Paul. ⁴⁶Then both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, ‘It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you. Since you reject it and judge yourselves to be unworthy of eternal life, we are now turning to the Gentiles. ⁴⁷For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,
“I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles,
   so that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.” ’

48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and praised the word of the Lord; and as many as had been destined for eternal life became believers. ⁴⁹Thus the word of the Lord spread throughout the region. ⁵⁰But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their region. ⁵¹So they shook the dust off their feet in protest against them, and went to Iconium. ⁵²And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.