1 A gain there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan (the adversary and the accuser) came also among them to present himself before the Lord.

Again there was a day when the sons of God came to show themselves before the Lord. And Satan came with them also to show himself before the Lord.

2 A nd the Lord said to Satan, From where do you come? And Satan (the adversary and the accuser) answered the Lord, From going to and fro on the earth and from walking up and down on it.

The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From traveling around the earth and walking around on it.”

3 A nd the Lord said to Satan, Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and abstains from and shuns all evil ? And still he holds fast his integrity, although you moved Me against him to destroy him without cause.

The Lord said to Satan, “Have you thought about My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth. He is without blame, a man who is right and good. He fears God and turns away from sin. He still holds to his good ways, even when I allowed you to go against him, and to destroy him for no reason.”

4 T hen Satan answered the Lord, Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has will he give for his life.

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

5 B ut put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse and renounce You to Your face.

Put out Your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse You to Your face.”

6 A nd the Lord said to Satan, Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.

So the Lord said to Satan, “See, he is in your power. Only do not kill him.”

7 S o Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with loathsome and painful sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.

Then Satan went out from the Lord. And he made very bad sores come on Job from the bottom of his foot to the top of his head.

8 A nd he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself, and he sat among the ashes.

Job took a piece of a broken pot to try to cut off the sores while he sat among the ashes.

9 T hen his wife said to him, Do you still hold fast your blameless uprightness? Renounce God and die!

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

10 B ut he said to her, You speak as one of the impious and foolish women would speak. What? Shall we accept good at the hand of God and shall we not accept misfortune and what is of a bad nature? In all this, Job did not sin with his lips.

But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Should we receive good from God and not receive trouble?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. Job’s Friends Come to Him

11 N ow when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came each one from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, for they had made an appointment together to come to condole with him and to comfort him.

Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this trouble that had come upon him, they came each from his own place. They were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They agreed to meet together to come to share Job’s sorrow and comfort him.

12 A nd when they looked from afar off and saw him beyond recognition, they lifted up their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe, and they cast dust over their heads toward the heavens.

And when they looked up from far away and saw how different he looked, they cried in loud voices. They tore their clothing and threw dust over their heads toward the sky.

13 S o they sat down with on the ground for seven days and seven nights, and none spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief and pain were very great.

Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very bad.