An Age-Old Question

1 On another day the angels [a] came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before Him. 2 And the LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through Earth and going back and forth in it."

3 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? There is no one on Earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited Me against him to ruin him without any reason."

4 "Skin for skin!" Satan replied. "A man will give all he has for his own life. 5 But stretch out Your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse You to Your face."

6 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life."

7 So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. 8 Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.

9 His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!"

10 He replied, "You are talking like a foolish [b] woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

-Job 2:1-10