Job 9:20

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Summary

Job 9:20

If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

Justify

Luke 16:15

Mine

James 3:2

I am perfect

Job 1:1

Philippians 3:12

It shall

Job 33:8

Proverbs 17:20

1 Timothy 6:5

Bible References

Justify

“Yes, I know it is true.
But how can a mortal man be right before God?

‘Can [mortal] man be just before God or be more righteous than He?
Can a man be pure before his Maker or be more cleansed than He?

So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes [and could not be persuaded otherwise by them].

If You, Lord, should keep an account of our sins and treat us accordingly,
O Lord, who could stand [before you in judgment and claim innocence]?

And do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
For in Your sight no man living is righteous or justified.

But he, wishing to justify and vindicate himself, asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

So He said to them, “You are the ones who declare yourselves just and upright in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts [your thoughts, your desires, your secrets]; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.

Mine

“For your guilt teaches your mouth,
And you choose [to speak] the language of the crafty and cunning.

‘Job speaks without knowledge,
And his words are without wisdom and insight.

Job uselessly opens his mouth
And multiplies words without knowledge [drawing the worthless conclusion that the righteous have no more advantage than the wicked].”

When there are many words, transgression and offense are unavoidable,
But he who controls his lips and keeps thoughtful silence is wise.

Then I said,

“Woe is me! For I am ruined,
Because I am a man of [ceremonially] unclean lips,
And I live among a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”

But I tell you, on the day of judgment people will have to give an accounting for every careless or useless word they speak.

For we all stumble and sin in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says [never saying the wrong thing], he is a perfect man [fully developed in character, without serious flaws], able to bridle his whole body and rein in his entire nature [taming his human faults and weaknesses].

I am perfect

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God [with reverence] and abstained from and turned away from evil [because he honored God].

Not that I have already obtained it [this goal of being Christlike] or have already been made perfect, but I actively press on so that I may take hold of that [perfection] for which Christ Jesus took hold of me and made me His own.

It shall

“Surely you have spoken in my hearing,
And I have heard the sound of your words, saying:

He who has a crooked mind finds no good,
And he who is perverted in his language falls into evil.

and perpetual friction between men who are corrupted in mind and deprived of the truth, who think that godliness is a source of profit [a lucrative, money-making business—withdraw from them].