2 Thessalonians 1

Salutation
1:1 From Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 1:2 Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

Thanksgiving
1:3 We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith flourishes more and more and the love of each one of you all for one another is ever greater. 1:4 As a result we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions you are enduring.

Encouragement in Persecution
1:5 This is evidence of God’s righteous judgment, to make you worthy of the kingdom of God, for which in fact you are suffering. 1:6 For it is right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 1:7 and to you who are being afflicted to give rest together with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. 1:8 With flaming fire he will mete out punishment on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 1:9 They will undergo the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength, 1:10 when he comes to be glorified among his saints and admired on that day among all who have believed – and you did in fact believe our testimony. 1:11 And in this regard we pray for you always, that our God will make you worthy of his calling and fulfill by his power your every desire for goodness and every work of faith,

1:12 that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Job 13

Job Pleads His Cause to God
13:1 “Indeed, my eyes have seen all this,
my ears have heard and understood it.

13:2 What you know, I know also;
I am not inferior to you!

13:3 But I wish to speak to the Almighty,
and I desire to argue my case with God.

13:4 But you, however, are inventors of lies;
all of you are worthless physicians!

13:5 If only you would keep completely silent!
For you, that would be wisdom.

13:6 “Listen now to my argument,
and be attentive to my lips’ contentions.

13:7 Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf?
Will you speak deceitfully for him?

13:8 Will you show him partiality?
Will you argue the case for God?

13:9 Would it turn out well if he would examine you?
Or as one deceives a man would you deceive him?

13:10 He would certainly rebuke you
if you secretly showed partiality!

13:11 Would not his splendor terrify you
and the fear he inspires fall on you?

13:12 Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
your defenses are defenses of clay.

13:13 “Refrain from talking with me so that I may speak;
then let come to me what may.

13:14 Why do I put myself in peril,
and take my life in my hands?

13:15 Even if he slays me, I will hope in him;
I will surely defend my ways to his face!

13:16 Moreover, this will become my deliverance,
for no godless person would come before him.

13:17 Listen carefully to my words;
let your ears be attentive to my explanation.

13:18 See now, I have prepared my case;
I know that I am right.

13:19 Who will contend with me?
If anyone can, I will be silent and die.

13:20 Only in two things spare me, O God,
and then I will not hide from your face:

13:21 Remove your hand far from me
and stop making me afraid with your terror.

13:22 Then call, and I will answer,
or I will speak, and you respond to me.

13:23 How many are my iniquities and sins?
Show me my transgression and my sin.

13:24 Why do you hide your face
and regard me as your enemy?

13:25 Do you wish to torment a windblown leaf
and chase after dry chaff?

13:26 For you write down bitter things against me
and cause me to inherit the sins of my youth.

13:27 And you put my feet in the stocks
and you watch all my movements;
you put marks on the soles of my feet.

13:28 So I waste away like something rotten,
like a garment eaten by moths.

Scripture quoted from The NET Bible®, New English Translation, Copyright (c) 1996 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C., reprinted with permission from Bible.org. For further study, see articles on Bible.org and the NETBible study environment at NETBible.org.

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