King James Bible
"And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause."
God initiates dialogue with Satan, directing attention to Job's exceptional status as His servant. The phrase echoes the heavenly court setting where divine beings present themselves, with God highlighting Job's uniqueness among all humanity. These four qualities define Job's righteousness: 'perfect' (complete/blameless), 'upright' (straight in conduct), 'God-fearing' (reverent), and avoiding evil. This repetition from Job 1:1 emphasizes that Job's character remains unchanged despite his suffering. God notes Job's persistent righteousness despite losing everything, vindicating Job against Satan's earlier accusation that he only served God for material benefits. The Hebrew word for 'integrity' suggests wholeness and completeness of character under extreme testing. This startling statement shows God acknowledging Satan's influence while maintaining ultimate sovereignty. 'Without cause' confirms Job's innocence and introduces the book's central tension: undeserved suffering permitted within God's mysterious purposes.