Job's Final Appeal

31 “I have made a covenant with my (A)eyes;
    how then could I gaze at a virgin?
What would be (B)my portion from God above
    and (C)my heritage from the Almighty on high?
Is not calamity for the unrighteous,
    and disaster for the workers of iniquity?
(D)Does not he see my ways
    and (E)number all my steps?

“If I have walked with falsehood
    and my foot has hastened to deceit;
(Let me be (F)weighed in a just balance,
    and let God know my integrity!)
if my step has turned aside from the way
    and (G)my heart has gone after my eyes,
    and if any (H)spot has stuck to my hands,
then let me (I)sow, and another eat,
    and let what grows for me[a] be rooted out.

“If my heart has been enticed toward a woman,
    and I have (J)lain in wait at my neighbor's door,
10 then let my wife (K)grind for another,
    and let others (L)bow down on her.
11 For that would be a heinous crime;
    that would be an iniquity (M)to be punished by the judges;
12 for that would be a fire (N)that consumes as far as Abaddon,
    and it would burn to the root all my increase.

13 “If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant,
    when they brought a complaint against me,
14 what then shall I do when God rises up?
    When he (O)makes inquiry, what shall I answer him?
15 Did (P)not he who made me in the womb make him?
    And did not one fashion us in the womb?

16 “If I have (Q)withheld anything that the poor desired,
    or have (R)caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
17 or have eaten my morsel alone,
    and the fatherless has not eaten of it
18 (for from my youth the fatherless[b] grew up with me as with a father,
    and from my mother's womb I guided the widow[c]),
19 if I have seen anyone (S)perish for (T)lack of clothing,
    or the needy without (U)covering,
20 if his body has not (V)blessed me,[d]
    and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21 if I have raised my hand against (W)the fatherless,
    because I saw my help in (X)the gate,
22 then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,
    and let my arm be broken from its socket.
23 For I was (Y)in terror of calamity from God,
    and I could not have faced his (Z)majesty.

24 (AA)“If I have made gold my (AB)trust
    or called (AC)fine gold my confidence,
25 if I have (AD)rejoiced because my wealth was abundant
    or because (AE)my hand had found much,
26 (AF)if I have looked at the sun[e] when it shone,
    or (AG)the moon moving in splendor,
27 and my heart has been secretly enticed,
    and my mouth has kissed my hand,
28 this also would be (AH)an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
    for I would have been false to God above.

29 “If I have (AI)rejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me,
    or exulted when evil overtook him
30 ((AJ)I have not let my mouth sin
    by asking for his life with a curse),
31 if the men of my tent have not said,
    ‘Who is there that has not been filled with his (AK)meat?’
32 ((AL)the sojourner has not lodged in the street;
    I have opened my doors to the traveler),
33 if I (AM)have concealed my transgressions (AN)as others do[f]
    by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
34 because I stood in great fear of (AO)the multitude,
    and the contempt of families terrified me,
    so that I kept silence, and did not go out of doors—
35 Oh, that I had one to hear me!
    (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty (AP)answer me!)
    Oh, that I had (AQ)the indictment written by my adversary!
36 Surely I would carry it on my (AR)shoulder;
    I would (AS)bind it on me as (AT)a crown;
37 I would give him an account of all my steps;
    like a prince I would approach him.

38 “If my land has cried out against me
    and its furrows have wept together,
39 (AU)if I have eaten its yield without payment
    and made its owners (AV)breathe their last,
40 let (AW)thorns grow instead of wheat,
    and foul weeds instead of barley.”

The words of Job are ended.

Elihu Rebukes Job's Three Friends

32 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was (AX)righteous in his own eyes. Then Elihu the son of Barachel (AY)the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself (AZ)rather than God. He burned with anger also at Job's three friends because they had found no answer, although they had (BA)declared Job to be in the wrong. Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he. And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, he burned with anger.

And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said:

“I am young in years,
    and you are (BB)aged;
therefore I was timid and afraid
    to declare my opinion to you.
I said, ‘Let days speak,
    and many years teach wisdom.’
But it is (BC)the spirit in man,
    (BD)the breath of the Almighty, that makes him (BE)understand.
(BF)It is not the old[g] who are wise,
    nor the aged who understand what is right.
10 Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;
    let me also declare my opinion.’

11 “Behold, I waited for your words,
    I listened for your wise sayings,
    while you searched out what to say.
12 I gave you my attention,
    and, behold, there was none among you who refuted Job
    or who answered his words.
13 Beware (BG)lest you say, ‘We have found wisdom;
    God may vanquish him, not a man.’
14 He has not directed his words against me,
    and I will not answer him with your speeches.

15 “They are dismayed; they answer no more;
    they have not a word to say.
16 And shall I wait, because they do not speak,
    because they stand there, and answer no more?
17 I also will answer with my share;
    I also will declare my opinion.
18 For I am full of words;
    the spirit within me constrains me.
19 Behold, my belly is like wine that has no vent;
    like new (BH)wineskins ready to burst.
20 (BI)I must speak, that I may find (BJ)relief;
    I must open my lips and answer.
21 I will not (BK)show partiality to any man
    or use flattery toward any person.
22 For I do not know how to flatter,
    else my Maker would soon take me away.

Footnotes

  1. Job 31:8 Or let my descendants
  2. Job 31:18 Hebrew he
  3. Job 31:18 Hebrew her
  4. Job 31:20 Hebrew if his loins have not blessed me
  5. Job 31:26 Hebrew the light
  6. Job 31:33 Or as Adam did
  7. Job 32:9 Hebrew many [in years]

Christ Has Set Us Free

For (A)freedom Christ has (B)set us free; (C)stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to (D)a yoke of (E)slavery.

Look: I, Paul, say to you that (F)if you accept circumcision, (G)Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that (H)he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are (I)severed from Christ, (J)you who would be justified[a] by the law; (K)you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly (L)wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus (M)neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but (N)only faith working through love.

(O)You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying (P)the truth? This persuasion is not from (Q)him who calls you. (R)A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 (S)I have confidence in the Lord that you will (T)take no other view, and (U)the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brothers,[b] still preach[c] circumcision, (V)why am I still being persecuted? In that case (W)the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish (X)those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. (Y)Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love (Z)serve one another. 14 For (AA)the whole law is fulfilled in one word: (AB)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you (AC)bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

Keep in Step with the Spirit

16 But I say, (AD)walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify (AE)the desires of the flesh. 17 For (AF)the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, (AG)to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are (AH)led by the Spirit, (AI)you are not under the law. 19 Now (AJ)the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, (AK)divisions, 21 envy,[d] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that (AL)those who do[e] such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But (AM)the fruit of the Spirit is (AN)love, joy, peace, patience, (AO)kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 (AP)gentleness, (AQ)self-control; (AR)against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus (AS)have crucified the flesh with its (AT)passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, (AU)let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 (AV)Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Bear One Another's Burdens

Brothers,[f] (AW)if anyone is caught in any transgression, (AX)you who are spiritual should restore him in (AY)a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. (AZ)Bear one another's burdens, and (BA)so fulfill (BB)the law of Christ. For (BC)if anyone thinks he is something, (BD)when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one (BE)test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For (BF)each will have to bear his own load.

(BG)Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. (BH)Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for (BI)whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For (BJ)the one who sows to his own flesh (BK)will from the flesh reap corruption, but (BL)the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And (BM)let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, (BN)if we do not give up. 10 So then, (BO)as we have opportunity, let us (BP)do good to everyone, and especially to those who are (BQ)of the household of faith.

Final Warning and Benediction

11 See with what large letters I am writing to you (BR)with my own hand. 12 (BS)It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh (BT)who would force you to be circumcised, and only (BU)in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But far be it from me to boast (BV)except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which[g] the world (BW)has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For (BX)neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but (BY)a new creation. 16 And as for all who walk by this rule, (BZ)peace and mercy be upon them, and upon (CA)the Israel of God.

17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

18 (CB)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be (CC)with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Galatians 5:4 Or counted righteous
  2. Galatians 5:11 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 13
  3. Galatians 5:11 Greek proclaim
  4. Galatians 5:21 Some manuscripts add murder
  5. Galatians 5:21 Or make a practice of doing
  6. Galatians 6:1 Or Brothers and sisters; also verse 18
  7. Galatians 6:14 Or through whom

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