Elihu Rebukes Job in Anger

32 Then these three men stopped answering Job, because he was (A)righteous in his own eyes. But the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the (B)Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned against Job; his anger burned (C)because he justified himself [a](D)before God. And his anger burned against his three friends because they had found no answer, yet they had condemned Job. Now Elihu had waited [b]to speak to Job because they were years older than he. But when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men, his anger burned.

So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite [c]spoke out and said,

“I am young in years and you are (E)old;
Therefore I was shy and afraid to tell you [d]what I think.
I [e]thought [f](F)age should speak,
And [g]increased years should teach wisdom.
But it is a spirit that is in mankind,
And the (G)breath of the Almighty gives them (H)understanding.
The [h]abundant in years may not be wise,
Nor may (I)elders understand justice.
10 So I [i]say, ‘Listen to me,
I too will tell [j]what I think.’

11 “Behold, I waited for your words,
I listened to your skillful speech,
While you [k]pondered what to say.
12 I also paid close attention to you;
But [l]indeed, there was no one who refuted Job,
Not one of you who answered his words.
13 So do not say,
(J)We have found wisdom:
God will [m]defeat him, not man.’
14 But he has not presented his words against me,
Nor will I reply to him with your [n]arguments.

15 “They are dismayed, they no longer answer;
Words have [o]failed them.
16 Should I wait, because they are not speaking,
Because they have [p]stopped and no longer answer?
17 I too will [q]give my share of answers;
I also will tell my opinion.
18 For I am full of words;
The spirit within me compels me.
19 Behold, my belly is like unvented wine;
Like new wineskins, it is about to burst.
20 Let me speak so that I may get relief;
Let me open my lips and answer.
21 Let me (K)be partial to no one,
Nor flatter any man.
22 For I do not know how to flatter,
Otherwise my Maker would quickly take me away.

Elihu Claims to Speak for God

33 “However, please (L)hear my speech, Job,
And listen to all my words.
Behold now, I open my mouth,
My tongue in my [r]mouth speaks.
My words are from the integrity of my heart,
And my lips speak (M)knowledge sincerely.
The (N)Spirit of God has made me,
And the (O)breath of [s]the Almighty gives me life.
(P)Refute me if you can;
Line up against me, take your stand.
Behold, I belong to God, like you;
I too have been [t]formed out of the (Q)clay.
Behold, (R)no fear of me should terrify you,
Nor should my pressure weigh heavily on you.

“You have in fact spoken [u]while I listened,
And I heard the sound of your words:
‘I am (S)pure, (T)without wrongdoing;
I am innocent and there (U)is no guilt in me.
10 Behold, He [v]invents [w]criticisms against me;
He (V)counts me as His enemy.
11 He (W)puts my feet in the stocks;
He watches all my paths.’
12 Behold, let me respond to you, (X)you are not right in this,
For God is greater than mankind.

13 “Why do you (Y)complain to Him
That He does not give an account of all His doings?
14 Indeed (Z)God speaks once,
Or twice, yet no one notices it.
15 In a (AA)dream, a vision of the night,
When deep sleep falls on people,
While they slumber in their beds,
16 Then (AB)He opens the ears of people,
And horrifies them with warnings,
17 So that He may turn a person away from bad conduct,
And [x]keep a man from pride;
18 He (AC)keeps his soul back from the pit,
And his life from perishing by the (AD)spear.

19 A person is also rebuked by (AE)pain in his bed,
And with constant complaint in his bones,
20 So that his life (AF)loathes bread,
And his soul, food [y]that he should crave.
21 His (AG)flesh wastes away from sight,
And his (AH)bones, which were not seen, stick out.
22 Then (AI)his soul comes near to the pit,
And his life to those who bring death.

23 “If there is an (AJ)interceding angel for him,
One out of a thousand,
To remind a person of what is [z]right for him,
24 And he is gracious to him, and says,
‘Free him from (AK)going down to the pit,
I have found a (AL)ransom’;
25 Let his flesh become fresher than in youth,
Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor;
26 Then he will (AM)pray to God, and He will accept him,
So that (AN)he may see His face with joy,
And He will restore His righteousness to that person.
27 He will sing to people and say,
‘I (AO)have sinned and perverted what is right,
And it is not (AP)proper for me.
28 He has redeemed my soul from going to the pit,
And my life will (AQ)see the light.’

29 “Behold, God does (AR)all these things for a man two or three times,
30 To (AS)bring back his soul from the pit,
So that he may be enlightened with the light of life.
31 Pay attention, Job, listen to me;
Keep silent, and let me speak.
32 Then if [aa]you have anything to say, answer me;
Speak, for I would take pleasure in justifying you.
33 If not, (AT)listen to me;
Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 32:2 Or more than
  2. Job 32:4 Lit for Job with words; or possibly while they were speaking with Job
  3. Job 32:6 Lit answered
  4. Job 32:6 Lit my knowledge
  5. Job 32:7 Lit said
  6. Job 32:7 Lit days
  7. Job 32:7 Lit many
  8. Job 32:9 Lit great (i.e., in years); or nobles
  9. Job 32:10 Or said
  10. Job 32:10 Lit my knowledge
  11. Job 32:11 Lit searched out words
  12. Job 32:12 Lit Behold
  13. Job 32:13 Lit scatter
  14. Job 32:14 Lit words
  15. Job 32:15 Lit moved away from
  16. Job 32:16 Lit stand
  17. Job 32:17 Lit answer my share
  18. Job 33:2 Lit palate
  19. Job 33:4 Heb Shaddai
  20. Job 33:6 Lit cut out of
  21. Job 33:8 Lit in my ears
  22. Job 33:10 Lit finds
  23. Job 33:10 Or complaints
  24. Job 33:17 Lit hide
  25. Job 33:20 Lit of craving
  26. Job 33:23 Lit his uprightness
  27. Job 33:32 Lit there are words

Acceptance and Opposition

14 In (A)Iconium (B)they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a way (C)that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of (D)Greeks. But (E)the [a](F)unbelieving Jews stirred up the [b]minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against (G)the brothers. Therefore they spent a long time there (H)speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that [c](I)signs and wonders be performed by their hands. (J)But the [d]people of the city were divided; and some [e]sided with (K)the Jews, while others, with (L)the apostles. And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and (M)the Jews with their rulers, to treat them abusively and to (N)stone them, they became aware of it and fled to the cities of (O)Lycaonia, (P)Lystra and (Q)Derbe, and the surrounding region; and there they continued to (R)preach the gospel.

In (S)Lystra (T)a man was sitting whose feet were incapacitated. He had been disabled from his mother’s womb, and had never walked. This man was listening to Paul as he spoke. Paul (U)looked at him intently and saw that he had (V)faith to be [f]made well, 10 and he said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet!” (W)And the man leaped up and began to walk. 11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the (X)Lycaonian language, “(Y)The gods have become like men and have come down to us!” 12 And they began calling Barnabas, [g]Zeus, and Paul, [h]Hermes, since he was [i]the chief speaker. 13 Moreover, the priest of Zeus, whose temple was [j]just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and (Z)wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. 14 But when (AA)the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard about it, they (AB)tore their [k]robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out 15 and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We are also (AC)men, of the same nature as you, (AD)preaching the gospel to you, to turn from these [l](AE)useless things to a (AF)living God, who (AG)made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything that is in them. 16 [m]In past generations He (AH)permitted all the [n]nations to (AI)go their own ways; 17 yet (AJ)He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and (AK)gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, [o]satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” 18 And even by saying these things, only with difficulty did they restrain the crowds from offering sacrifices to them.

19 But (AL)Jews came from (AM)Antioch and (AN)Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they (AO)stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking that he was dead. 20 But while (AP)the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he left with Barnabas for (AQ)Derbe. 21 And after they had (AR)preached the gospel to that city and had (AS)made a good number of disciples, they returned to (AT)Lystra, to (AU)Iconium, and to (AV)Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of (AW)the disciples, encouraging them to continue in (AX)the faith, and saying, “(AY)It is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God.” 23 When (AZ)they had appointed (BA)elders for them in every church, having (BB)prayed with fasting, they (BC)entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

24 They passed through (BD)Pisidia and came into (BE)Pamphylia. 25 When they had spoken the word in (BF)Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26 From there they sailed to (BG)Antioch, (BH)where they had been (BI)entrusted to the grace of God for the work that they had [p]accomplished. 27 When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to (BJ)report all the things that God had done with them and [q]how He had opened a (BK)door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they spent [r]a long time with (BL)the disciples.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 14:2 Or disobeying
  2. Acts 14:2 Lit souls
  3. Acts 14:3 I.e., confirming miracles
  4. Acts 14:4 Lit multitude
  5. Acts 14:4 Lit were
  6. Acts 14:9 Lit saved
  7. Acts 14:12 In Lat Jupiter, the chief pagan god of Rome
  8. Acts 14:12 In Lat Mercury, considered the messenger or spokesman for the pagan gods of Rome
  9. Acts 14:12 Lit the leader of the speaking
  10. Acts 14:13 Lit in front of
  11. Acts 14:14 Or outer garments
  12. Acts 14:15 I.e., idols
  13. Acts 14:16 Lit Who in past generations permitted
  14. Acts 14:16 Or Gentiles
  15. Acts 14:17 Lit filling
  16. Acts 14:26 Lit fulfilled
  17. Acts 14:27 Lit that
  18. Acts 14:28 Lit not a little

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