New International Version “Although I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life. New Living Translation “I am innocent, but it makes no difference to me— I despise my life. English Standard Version I am blameless; I regard not myself; I loathe my life. Berean Standard Bible Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life. Berean Literal Bible I am blameless; I do not know my soul; I despise my life. King James Bible Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life. New King James Version “I am blameless, yet I do not know myself; I despise my life. New American Standard Bible “I am guiltless; I do not take notice of myself; I reject my life. NASB 1995 “I am guiltless; I do not take notice of myself; I despise my life. NASB 1977 “I am guiltless; I do not take notice of myself; I despise my life. Legacy Standard Bible I am blameless; I do not know my soul; I reject my life. Amplified Bible “[Though] I am blameless, I do not care about myself; I despise my life. Berean Annotated Bible Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life. Christian Standard Bible Though I am blameless, I no longer care about myself; I renounce my life. Holman Christian Standard Bible Though I am blameless, I no longer care about myself; I renounce my life. American Standard Version I am perfect; I regard not myself; I despise my life. Contemporary English Version I am not guilty, but I no longer care what happens to me. English Revised Version I am perfect; I regard not myself; I despise my life. GOD'S WORD® Translation If I am a man of integrity, I have no way of knowing it. I hate my life! International Standard Version "I'm blameless; I don't know myself; I despise my life. NET Bible I am blameless. I do not know myself. I despise my life. New Heart English Bible I am blameless. I do not regard myself. I despise my life. Webster's Bible Translation Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThough I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life. World English Bible I am blameless. I don’t respect myself. I despise my life. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionI am perfect; I do not know my soul, I despise my life. Berean Literal Bible I am blameless; I do not know my soul; I despise my life. Young's Literal Translation Perfect I am! -- I know not my soul, I despise my life. Smith's Literal Translation I am blameless, I shall not know my soul: I shall despise my life. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAlthough I should be simple, even this my soul shall be ignorant of, and I shall be weary of my life. Catholic Public Domain Version And if I now became simple, my soul would be ignorant even of this, and my life would weary me. New American Bible I am innocent, but I cannot know it; I despise my life. New Revised Standard Version I am blameless; I do not know myself; I loathe my life. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThough I am pure, yet I would not know my soul; I would despise my life. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated I am perfect and I do not know my soul. I have despised my life. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917I am innocent--I regard not myself, I despise my life. Brenton Septuagint Translation For even if I have sinned, I know it not in my soul: but my life is taken away. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context Job: How Can I Argue with God?…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. 22It is all the same, and so I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’… Cross References Though I am blameless, Job 27:5-6 I will never say that you are right; I will maintain my integrity until I die. / I will cling to my righteousness and never let go. As long as I live, my conscience will not accuse me. Psalm 26:1 Of David. Vindicate me, O LORD! For I have walked with integrity; I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. Psalm 7:8 The LORD judges the peoples; vindicate me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and integrity. I have no concern for myself; Acts 20:24 But I consider my life of no value to me, if only I may finish my course and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus—the ministry of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. Esther 4:16 “Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day, and I and my maidens will fast as you do. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish!” Philippians 1:20-21 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have complete boldness so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. / For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. I despise my own life. Job 7:16 I loathe my life! I would not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath. Ecclesiastes 2:17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind. Jeremiah 20:14-18 Cursed be the day I was born! May the day my mother bore me never be blessed. / Cursed be the man who brought my father the news, saying, “A son is born to you,” bringing him great joy. / May that man be like the cities that the LORD overthrew without compassion. May he hear an outcry in the morning and a battle cry at noon, … 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.” Ecclesiastes 7:20 Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins. 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. 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. Psalm 51:5 Surely I was brought forth in iniquity; I was sinful when my mother conceived me. Treasury of Scripture Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life. yet would Psalm 139:23,24 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: … Proverbs 28:26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered. Jeremiah 17:9,10 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? … I would Job 7:15,16,21 So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life… Jump to Previous Although Blameless Concern Desire Despise Guiltless Innocent Life Notice Perfect Regard Soul Thought WrongJump to Next Although Blameless Concern Desire Despise Guiltless Innocent Life Notice Perfect Regard Soul Thought WrongJob 9 1. Job acknowledges God's justice22. Man's innocence is not to be condemned by afflictions Though I am blameless, Job maintains the integrity God Himself affirmed at the beginning of the book (Job 1:1, 8; 2:3). He does not claim sinless perfection, but he rejects the accusation that secret wickedness brought these disasters upon him. His suffering exposes the failure of his friends’ belief that calamity always proves personal guilt. Job 27:5-6 I will never say that you are right; I will maintain… I have no concern for myself; Overwhelmed by grief and unable to contend with God’s unsearchable wisdom, Job no longer seeks to preserve his own reputation or comfort. His words reveal the anguish of a righteous man who cannot reconcile his innocence with the severity of his loss. Act 20:24 But I consider my life of no value to me… I despise my own life. Job’s lament is not a denial that life is God’s gift, but a cry from the depths of misery. The book permits such honest sorrow while leading Job toward a fuller vision of God’s sovereignty and mercy. Job’s undeserved suffering also anticipates the greater Righteous One, Jesus Christ, who suffered without sin and bore suffering not for His own guilt, but for the salvation of others. Job 7:16 I loathe my life! I would not live forever.… 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 unwavering faith. 2. Uz The land where Job lived. It is often associated with the region east of Israel, though its exact location is uncertain. 3. Job's Suffering The series of calamities that befall Job, including the loss of his children, wealth, and health, which set the stage for his profound reflections on life and righteousness. Teaching Points Understanding BlamelessnessJob's claim of being blameless is not self-righteousness but an acknowledgment of his integrity before God. It challenges us to examine our own lives for integrity and faithfulness. The Struggle with Suffering Job's lament highlights the struggle of reconciling personal suffering with faith in a just God. It encourages believers to bring their honest questions and emotions to God. Despising Life in Context Job's statement about despising his life is a reflection of his deep anguish. It serves as a reminder that despair can be part of the human experience, but it should lead us to seek God more earnestly. Faith Beyond Understanding Job's situation teaches that faith does not always come with understanding. Trusting God amidst confusion and pain is a profound act of faith. Community and Support Job's friends initially come to comfort him, though they later fail. This underscores the importance of providing genuine support and empathy to those who suffer. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Job 9:21?2. How does Job 9:21 reflect Job's struggle with self-righteousness and innocence? 3. What can we learn about humility from Job's statement in Job 9:21? 4. How does Job 9:21 connect with Romans 3:23 about human sinfulness? 5. How should Job's perspective in Job 9:21 influence our view of personal righteousness? 6. In what ways can Job 9:21 guide us in trusting God's judgment? 7. How does Job 9:21 challenge the concept of self-righteousness in Christian theology? 8. What does Job 9:21 reveal about human understanding of personal innocence before God? 9. How does Job 9:21 fit into the broader theme of suffering in the Book of Job? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Job 9? What Does Job 9:21 Mean Though I am blameless“Though I am blameless” (Job 9:21) reflects Job’s settled conviction that he has lived uprightly before God. Earlier, God Himself declared Job “blameless and upright” (Job 1:1, 8), so Job is simply agreeing with the divine assessment. Yet in the immediate context he has just said, “Even if I were righteous, my own mouth would condemn me” (Job 9:20). • Job is not claiming sinless perfection; he is affirming sincere integrity, as David does in Psalm 18:23—“I have been blameless before Him.” • The statement underscores the literal reliability of Scripture: God’s earlier testimony about Job is true, and Job’s self-description does not contradict it. I have no concern for myself Job continues, “I have no concern for myself.” Suffering has stripped him of any sense of self-confidence or hope in his earthly wellbeing. • His words echo Psalm 142:4, “No one cares for my soul,” revealing how affliction can drain personal concern. • Job’s faith is intact—he still acknowledges God’s sovereignty (Job 9:12)—but his physical and emotional reserves are depleted. • Instead of self-absorption, Job turns outward, conceding that only God can vindicate him, much like the psalmist who says, “My times are in Your hands” (Psalm 31:15). I despise my own life The crescendo of lament is, “I despise my own life.” Job’s anguish leads him to loathe the very existence that once enjoyed God’s favor. • Comparable cries surface in Job 7:16, “I loathe my life; I would not live forever,” and in Jeremiah 20:18, where Jeremiah questions why he ever came forth from the womb. • Such expressions are not faithless rebellion but raw honesty before God. Scripture records them to validate the full range of human emotion while still calling us to trust the Lord (Psalm 62:8). • Job’s despair is temporary; later he will say, “I know that my Redeemer lives” (Job 19:25), proving that genuine faith can coexist with momentary despondency. summary Job 9:21 captures a man who knows he is upright yet feels abandoned in his suffering. He affirms his blamelessness, admits he has lost all self-concern, and confesses that life itself has become hateful to him. The verse shows that believers can experience profound sorrow without forfeiting their integrity or denying God’s truth. It invites us to bring every emotion to the Lord, confident that the same God who declared Job blameless will ultimately vindicate all who trust Him. Verse 21. - Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life. The original is very elliptical and very obscure. The words run, I perfect - I know not myself - I abhor my life which some explain as meaning, "Were I perfect, I should not know it myself; I despise my life under such conditions" (Stanley Loathes); others, "I am perfect" (i.e. guiltless of any plain offence), "but do not understand myself, and care not what becomes of me" (Canon Cook); others again, "Were I perfect, should I not know myself, and, knowing myself, despise my own life?" (Professor Lee). The Septuagint gives us no help, as it plainly follows a different reading. Probably our present text is a corrupt one.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Though Iאָ֭נִי (’ā·nî) Pronoun - first person common singular Strong's 589: I am blameless, תָּֽם־ (tām-) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 8535: Complete, pious, gentle, dear I have no לֹֽא־ (lō-) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no concern אֵדַ֥ע (’ê·ḏa‘) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular Strong's 3045: To know for myself; נַפְשִׁ֗י (nap̄·šî) Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion I despise אֶמְאַ֥ס (’em·’as) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular Strong's 3988: To spurn, to disappear my life. חַיָּֽי׃ (ḥay·yāy) Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life Additonal Resources Job 9:21 Blue Letter BibleJob 9:21 Bible Gateway Job 9:21 Bible.com Job 9:21 NIV |
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