Through the Bible – Day 176

₁Many years ago, a man named Job lived in the land of Uz. He was a truly good person, who respected God and refused to do evil.

₂Job had seven sons and three daughters. ₃He owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred pair of oxen, five hundred donkeys, and a large number of servants. He was the richest person in the East.

₄Job's sons took turns having feasts in their homes, and they always invited their three sisters to join in the eating and drinking. ₅After each feast, Job would send for his children and perform a ceremony, as a way of asking God to forgive them for any wrongs they might have done. He would get up early the next morning and offer a sacrifice for each of them, just in case they had sinned or silently cursed God.

₆One day, when the angels had gathered around the LORD, and Satan was there with them, ₇the LORD asked, “Satan, where have you been?”

Satan replied, “I have been going all over the earth.”

₈Then the LORD asked, “What do you think of my servant Job? No one on earth is like him—he is a truly good person, who respects me and refuses to do evil.”

₉“Why shouldn't he respect you?” Satan remarked. ₁₀“You are like a wall protecting not only him, but his entire family and all his property. You make him successful in whatever he does, and his flocks and herds are everywhere. ₁₁Try taking away everything he owns, and he will curse you to your face.”

₁₂The LORD replied, “All right, Satan, do what you want with anything that belongs to him, but don't harm Job.”

Then Satan left.

₁₃Job's sons and daughters were having a feast in the home of his eldest son, ₁₄when someone rushed up to Job and said, “While your servants were ploughing with your oxen, and your donkeys were nearby eating grass, ₁₅a gang of Sabeans attacked and stole the oxen and donkeys! Your other servants were killed, and I was the only one who escaped to tell you.”

₁₆That servant was still speaking, when a second one came running up and saying, “God sent down a fire that killed your sheep and your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

₁₇Before that servant finished speaking, a third one raced up and said, “Three gangs of Chaldeans attacked and stole your camels! All your other servants were killed, and I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

₁₈That servant was still speaking, when a fourth one dashed up and said, “Your children were having a feast and drinking wine at the home of your eldest son, ₁₉when suddenly a storm from the desert blew the house down, crushing all your children. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

₂₀When Job heard this, he tore his clothes and shaved his head because of his great sorrow. He knelt on the ground, then worshipped God ₂₁and said:

₂₂In spite of everything, Job did not sin or accuse God of doing wrong.

₁When the angels gathered around the LORD again, Satan was there with them, ₂and the LORD asked, “Satan, where have you been?”

Satan replied, “I have been going all over the earth.”

₃Then the LORD asked, “What do you think of my servant Job? No one on earth is like him—he is a truly good person, who respects me and refuses to do evil. And he hasn't changed, even though you persuaded me to destroy him for no reason.”

₄Satan answered, “There's no pain like your own. People will do anything to stay alive. ₅Try striking Job's own body with pain, and he will curse you to your face.”

₆“All right!” the LORD replied. “Make Job suffer as much as you want, but just don't kill him.” ₇Satan left and caused painful sores to break out all over Job's body—from head to toe.

₈Then Job sat on the ash heap to show his sorrow. And while he was scraping his sores with a broken piece of pottery, ₉his wife asked, “Why do you still trust God? Why don't you curse him and die?”

₁₀Job replied, “Don't talk like a fool! If we accept blessings from God, we must accept trouble as well.” In all that happened, Job never once said anything against God.

₁₁Eliphaz from Teman, Bildad from Shuah, and Zophar from Naamah were three of Job's friends, and they heard about his troubles. So they agreed to visit Job and comfort him. ₁₂When they came near enough to see Job, they could hardly recognize him. And in their great sorrow, they tore their clothes, then sprinkled dust on their heads and cried bitterly. ₁₃For seven days and nights, they sat silently on the ground beside him, because they realized what terrible pain he was in.

_1-2Saul approved the stoning of Stephen. Some faithful followers of the Lord buried Stephen and mourned very much for him.

At that time the church in Jerusalem suffered terribly. All the Lord's followers, except the apostles, were scattered everywhere in Judea and Samaria. ₃Saul started making a lot of trouble for the church. He went from house to house, arresting men and women and putting them in jail.

₄The Lord's followers who had been scattered went from place to place, telling the good news. ₅Philip went to the city of Samaria and told the people about Christ. ₆They crowded around Philip because they were eager to hear what he was saying and to see him perform miracles. ₇Many people with evil spirits were healed, and the spirits went out of them with a shout. A lot of crippled and lame people were also healed. ₈Everyone in that city was very glad because of what was happening.

₉For some time a man named Simon had lived in the city of Samaria and had amazed the people. He practised witchcraft and claimed to be somebody great. ₁₀Everyone, rich and poor, crowded around him. They said, “This man is the power of God called ‘The Great Power’.”

₁₁For a long time, Simon had used witchcraft to amaze the people, and they kept crowding around him. ₁₂But when they believed what Philip was saying about God's kingdom and about the name of Jesus Christ, they were all baptized. ₁₃Even Simon believed and was baptized. He stayed close to Philip, because he marvelled at all the miracles and wonders.

₁₄The apostles in Jerusalem heard that some people in Samaria had accepted God's message, and they sent Peter and John. ₁₅When the two apostles arrived, they prayed that the people would be given the Holy Spirit. ₁₆Before this, the Holy Spirit had not been given to anyone in Samaria, though some of them had been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ₁₇Peter and John then placed their hands on everyone who had faith in the Lord, and they were given the Holy Spirit.

₁₈Simon noticed that the Spirit was given only when the apostles placed their hands on the people. So he brought money ₁₉and said to Peter and John, “Let me have this power too! Then anyone I place my hands on will also be given the Holy Spirit.”

₂₀Peter said to him, “You and your money will both end up in hell if you think you can buy God's gift! ₂₁You don't have any part in this, and God sees that your heart isn't right. ₂₂Get rid of these evil thoughts and ask God to forgive you. ₂₃I can see that you are jealous and bound by your evil ways.”

₂₄Simon said, “Please pray to the Lord, so that what you said won't happen to me.”

₂₅After Peter and John had preached about the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem. On their way they told the good news in many villages of Samaria.