Job 35:3

For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.’

Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them; for the deeds of his hands will be paid back to him.

and behold, joy and gladness, killing cattle and killing sheep, eating meat and drinking wine: “Let’s eat and drink, for tomorrow we will die.”

‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you don’t see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and you don’t notice?’ “Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and oppress all your laborers.

For we don’t desire to have you uninformed, brothers, concerning our affliction which happened to us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life.

Pharaoh said, “Who is Yahweh, that I should listen to his voice to let Israel go? I don’t know Yahweh, and moreover I will not let Israel go.”

This is the portion of a wicked man from God, the heritage appointed to him by God.”

I will wash my hands in innocence, so I will go about your altar, Yahweh,

If I cherished sin in my heart, the Lord wouldn’t have listened.

I will tell my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” ’

Though I were righteous, yet I wouldn’t answer him. I would make supplication to my judge.

Yet you have not called on me, Jacob; but you have been weary of me, Israel.

“Come,” say they, “I will get wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow will be as today, great beyond measure.”

choosing rather to share ill treatment with God’s people than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time,

All the elders of that city which is nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley.

Although you know that I am not wicked, there is no one who can deliver out of your hand.

Consider my affliction and my travail. Forgive all my sins.

Also delight yourself in Yahweh, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

It will happen at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are settled on their dregs, who say in their heart, “Yahweh will not do good, neither will he do evil.”

For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life?

He came to Ephesus, and he left them there; but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.

Or else what will they do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead aren’t raised at all, why then are they baptized for the dead?

For it is better, if it is God’s will, that you suffer for doing well than for doing evil.

Esau said, “Behold, I am about to die. What good is the birthright to me?”

Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew. He ate and drank, rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his birthright.

Let heavier work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it. Don’t let them pay any attention to lying words.”

Moses said to Yahweh, “Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why haven’t I found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me?

Then his wife said to him, “Do you still maintain your integrity? Renounce God, and die.”

Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?

If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face, and cheer up;’

yet you will plunge me in the ditch. My own clothes will abhor me.

If I am wicked, woe to me. If I am righteous, I still will not lift up my head, being filled with disgrace, and conscious of my affliction.

Surely then you will lift up your face without spot; Yes, you will be steadfast, and will not fear:

What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, if we pray to him?’

that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, That they are led out to the day of wrath?

who said to God, ‘Depart from us;’ and, ‘What can the Almighty do for us?’

Therefore I am terrified at his presence. When I consider, I am afraid of him.

Will he delight himself in the Almighty, and call on God at all times?

For what is the portion from God above, and the heritage from the Almighty on high?

Take heed, don’t regard iniquity; for you have chosen this rather than affliction.

How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart every day? How long shall my enemy triumph over me?

He who has clean hands and a pure heart; who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, and has not sworn deceitfully.

Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.

so that men shall say, “Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous. Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth.”

Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence,

Fill their faces with confusion, that they may seek your name, Yahweh.

There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.

Rejoice, young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

They prepare the table. They set the watch. They eat. They drink. Rise up, you princes, oil the shield!

Therefore speak to them, and tell them, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Every man of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart, and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and comes to the prophet; I Yahweh will answer him therein according to the multitude of his idols;

When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his room toward Jerusalem) and he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before.

“Yet even now,” says Yahweh, “turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”

You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God;’ and ‘What profit is it that we have followed his instructions, and that we have walked mournfully before Yahweh of Armies?

“Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward.

yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

And in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine rules made by men.’ ”

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

saying, ‘These last have spent one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat!’

But they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits his own self?

But he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.

Then what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the profit of circumcision?

I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh, for as you presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to wickedness upon wickedness, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness for sanctification.

If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith also is in vain.

If I fought with animals at Ephesus for human purposes, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, then “let’s eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Brothers, speaking of human terms, though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been confirmed, no one makes it void or adds to it.

If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn’t bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man’s religion is worthless.

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Lament, mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to gloom.

But these, as unreasoning creatures, born natural animals to be taken and destroyed, speaking evil in matters about which they are ignorant, will in their destroying surely be destroyed,

But these speak evil of whatever things they don’t know. They are destroyed in these things that they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason.

saying, “What you see, write in a book and send to the seven assemblies: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”