Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty. New Living Translation Though I am innocent, my own mouth would pronounce me guilty. Though I am blameless, it would prove me wicked. English Standard Version Though I am in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; though I am blameless, he would prove me perverse. Berean Standard Bible Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty. King James Bible If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. New King James Version Though I were righteous, my own mouth would condemn me; Though I were blameless, it would prove me perverse. New American Standard Bible “Though I am righteous, my mouth will condemn me; Though I am guiltless, He will declare me guilty. NASB 1995 “Though I am righteous, my mouth will condemn me; Though I am guiltless, He will declare me guilty. NASB 1977 “Though I am righteous, my mouth will condemn me; Though I am guiltless, He will declare me guilty. Legacy Standard Bible Though I am righteous, my mouth will condemn me; Though I am blameless, He will declare me perverse. Amplified Bible “Though I am innocent and in the right, my own mouth would pronounce me guilty; Though I am blameless, He would denounce me as guilty. Christian Standard Bible Even if I were in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, my mouth would declare me guilty. Holman Christian Standard Bible Even if I were in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, my mouth would declare me guilty. American Standard Version Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me: Though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse. Contemporary English Version Even if I were innocent, God would prove me wrong. English Revised Version Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me: though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse. GOD'S WORD® Translation If I am righteous, my own mouth would condemn me. It would declare that I am corrupt even if I am a man of integrity. Good News Translation I am innocent and faithful, but my words sound guilty, and everything I say seems to condemn me. International Standard Version Though I'm in the right, my own mouth will condemn me; though I'm blameless, he'll pronounce me as guilty. Majority Standard Bible Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty. NET Bible Although I am innocent, my mouth would condemn me; although I am blameless, it would declare me perverse. New Heart English Bible Though I am righteous, my own mouth shall condemn me. Though I am blameless, it shall prove me perverse. Webster's Bible Translation If I justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, that also will prove me perverse. World English Bible Though I am righteous, my own mouth will condemn me. Though I am blameless, it will prove me perverse. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionIf I am righteous, my mouth declares me wicked; [If] I am perfect, it declares me perverse. Young's Literal Translation If I be righteous, Mine mouth doth declare me wicked, Perfect I am! -- it declareth me perverse. Smith's Literal Translation If I shall be just, my mouth shall condemn me: I am blameless, and he will declare me perverse. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleIf I would justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I would shew myself innocent, he shall prove me wicked. Catholic Public Domain Version If I wanted to justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me; if I would reveal my innocence, he would prove me depraved. New American Bible Though I were right, my own mouth might condemn me; were I innocent, it might put me in the wrong. New Revised Standard Version Though I am innocent, my own mouth would condemn me; though I am blameless, he would prove me perverse. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleIf I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me; though I say I am pure, he shall also prove me perverse. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated If I shall claim innocence, my mouth will condemn me. I am perfect and I am perverted OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me; Though I be innocent, He shall prove me perverse. Brenton Septuagint Translation For though I should seem righteous, my mouth will be profane: and though I should seem blameless, I shall be proved perverse. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Job: How Can I Argue with God?…19If it is a matter of strength, He is indeed mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him? 20Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty. 21Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.… Cross References Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Isaiah 64:6 Each of us has become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind. Psalm 143:2 Do not bring Your servant into judgment, for no one alive is righteous before You. 1 John 1:8-10 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. / If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. / If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us. Ecclesiastes 7:20 Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins. Romans 3:10-12 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one. / There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. / All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” James 3:2 We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to control his whole body. Proverbs 20:9 Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am cleansed from my sin”? 1 Corinthians 4:4 My conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who judges me. Luke 18:19 “Why do you call Me good?” Jesus replied. “No one is good except God alone. Romans 7:18-19 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. / For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do. Philippians 3:9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith. Matthew 12:37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” Psalm 130:3 If You, O LORD, kept track of iniquities, then who, O Lord, could stand? Romans 2:1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on another. For on whatever grounds you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Treasury of Scripture If I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. justify Job 9:2 I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? Job 4:17 Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker? Job 32:1,2 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes… mine Job 15:5,6 For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty… Job 34:35 Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom. Job 35:16 Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge. I am perfect Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. Philippians 3:12-15 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus… it shall Job 33:8-13 Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying, … Proverbs 17:20 He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief. 1 Timothy 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. Jump to Previous Blameless Condemn Declare Declareth Evil Guiltless Guilty Innocent Justify Mouth Perfect Perverse Pronounce Prove Right Righteous Sinner Wicked WrongJump to Next Blameless Condemn Declare Declareth Evil Guiltless Guilty Innocent Justify Mouth Perfect Perverse Pronounce Prove Right Righteous Sinner Wicked WrongJob 9 1. Job acknowledges God's justice22. Man's innocence is not to be condemned by afflictions Even if I were righteous In the context of the Book of Job, Job is responding to his friends who have accused him of wrongdoing as the cause of his suffering. The term "righteous" here refers to being morally upright and in right standing with God. Job acknowledges that even if he were truly righteous, it would not necessarily change his situation. This reflects the biblical theme that human righteousness is insufficient before God’s perfect holiness (Isaiah 64:6). Job’s statement foreshadows the New Testament teaching that righteousness comes through faith in Christ, not through human effort (Romans 3:22). my mouth would condemn me if I were blameless it would declare me guilty Persons / Places / Events 1. JobA man described as blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil. He is the central figure in the Book of Job, known for his immense suffering and his quest to understand the reasons behind it. 2. God The sovereign Creator who allows Job's faith to be tested by Satan. Job's discourse in chapter 9 is directed towards understanding God's justice and power. 3. Satan The adversary who challenges Job's integrity, suggesting that Job is faithful only because of his prosperity and protection from God. 4. Job's Friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, who visit Job to comfort him but end up arguing that his suffering must be due to some hidden sin. 5. The Heavenly Court The setting in the early chapters of Job where God and Satan discuss Job's faithfulness, setting the stage for the trials Job faces. Teaching Points The Limitations of Human RighteousnessJob acknowledges that even if he were righteous, his own words could betray him. This highlights the limitations of human righteousness and the need for divine grace. The Nature of Self-Condemnation Job's statement reflects the human tendency to self-condemn, reminding believers to rely on God's judgment rather than their own flawed self-assessment. The Importance of Humility Recognizing our inability to justify ourselves before God should lead to humility and a deeper reliance on His mercy and grace. The Role of Faith in Suffering Job's struggle with understanding his suffering encourages believers to maintain faith even when God's ways are beyond comprehension. The Need for a Mediator Job's predicament points to the need for a mediator between God and man, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who advocates on our behalf.Verse 20. - If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me. Since he could not wholly justify himself. "All men have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Job has already admitted the utterance of "rash words" (Job 6:3), and, at least hypothetically, that he "has sinned" (Job 7:20), and needs "pardon" for his "transgression" (Job 7:24). Job, if he tried to "justify himself," would have to acknowledge such shortcomings, such imperfections, such sins - at any rate, of infirmity - as would make his attempted justification a real self-condemnation. If I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse; rather, even were I perfect it (i.e. my mouth) would prove me perverse; i.e. supposing I were actually perfect, and tried to prove it, my speech would be so hesitating and confused, that I should only seem to be perverse. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Even ifאִם־ (’im-) Conjunction Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not I were righteous, אֶ֭צְדָּק (’eṣ·dāq) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular Strong's 6663: To be just or righteous my mouth פִּ֣י (pî) Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to would condemn me; יַרְשִׁיעֵ֑נִי (yar·šî·‘ê·nî) Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular Strong's 7561: To be, wrong, to disturb, violate if I אָ֝֗נִי (’ā·nî) Pronoun - first person common singular Strong's 589: I were blameless, תָּֽם־ (tām-) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 8535: Complete, pious, gentle, dear it would declare me guilty. וַֽיַּעְקְשֵֽׁנִי׃ (way·ya‘·qə·šê·nî) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular Strong's 6140: To knot, distort, to pervert Links Job 9:20 NIVJob 9:20 NLT Job 9:20 ESV Job 9:20 NASB Job 9:20 KJV Job 9:20 BibleApps.com Job 9:20 Biblia Paralela Job 9:20 Chinese Bible Job 9:20 French Bible Job 9:20 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Job 9:20 Though I am righteous my own mouth (Jb) |
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