18 After this [Paul] departed from Athens and went to Corinth.

² There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently arrived from Italy with Priscilla his wife, due to the fact that Claudius had issued an edict that all the Jews were to leave Rome. And [Paul] went to see them,

³ And because he was of the same occupation, he stayed with them; and they worked [together], for they were tentmakers by trade.

⁴ But he discoursed and argued in the synagogue every Sabbath and won over [both] Jews and Greeks.

⁵ By the time Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was completely engrossed with preaching, earnestly arguing and testifying to the Jews that Jesus [is] the Christ.

⁶ But since they kept opposing and abusing and reviling him, he shook out his clothing [against them] and said to them, Your blood be upon your [own] heads! I am innocent [of it]. From now on I will go to the Gentiles (the heathen).^(A)

⁷ He then left there and went to the house of a man named Titus Justus, who worshiped God and whose house was next door to the synagogue.

⁸ But Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed [that Jesus is the Messiah and acknowledged Him with joyful trust as Savior and Lord], together with his entire household; and many of the Corinthians who listened [to Paul also] believed and were baptized.

⁹ And one night the Lord said to Paul in a vision, Have no fear, but speak and do not keep silent;

¹⁰ For I am with you, and no man shall assault you to harm you, for I have many people in this city.^(B)

¹¹ So he settled down among them for a year and six months, teaching the Word of God [concerning the ^[a]attainment through Christ of eternal salvation in the kingdom of God].

¹² But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia (most of Greece), the Jews unitedly made an attack upon Paul and brought him before the judge’s seat,

¹³ Declaring, This fellow is advising and inducing and inciting people to worship God in violation of the ^[b]Law [of Rome and of Moses].

¹⁴ But when Paul was about to open his mouth to reply, Gallio said to the Jews, If it were a matter of some misdemeanor or villainy, O Jews, I should have cause to bear with you and listen;

¹⁵ But since it is merely a question [of doctrine] about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves; I decline to be a judge of such matters and I have no intention of trying such cases.

¹⁶ And he drove them away from the judgment seat.

¹⁷ Then they [the Greeks] all seized Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and beat him right in front of the judgment seat. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.

¹⁸ Afterward Paul remained many days longer, and then told the brethren farewell and sailed for Syria; and he was accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he [^[c]Paul] cut his hair, for he had made a vow.

¹⁹ Then they arrived in Ephesus, and [Paul] left the others there; but he himself entered the synagogue and discoursed and argued with the Jews.

²⁰ When they asked him to remain for a longer time, he would not consent;

²¹ But when he was leaving them he said, I will return to you if God is willing, and he set sail from Ephesus.

²² When he landed at Caesarea, he went up and saluted the church [at Jerusalem], and then went down to Antioch.

²³ After staying there some time, he left and went from place to place in an orderly journey through the territory of Galatia and Phrygia, establishing the disciples and imparting new strength to them.

²⁴ Meanwhile, there was a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, who came to Ephesus. He was a cultured and eloquent man, well versed and mighty in the Scriptures.

²⁵ He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and burning with spiritual zeal, he spoke and taught diligently and accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he was acquainted only with the baptism of John.

²⁶ He began to speak freely (fearlessly and boldly) in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him with them and expounded to him the way of God more definitely and accurately.

²⁷ And when [Apollos] wished to cross to Achaia (most of Greece), the brethren wrote to the disciples there, urging and encouraging them to accept and welcome him heartily. When he arrived, he proved a great help to those who through grace (God’s unmerited favor and mercy) had believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Christ as Lord and Savior).

²⁸ For with great power he refuted the Jews in public [discussions], showing and proving by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah).

19 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul went through the upper inland districts and came down to Ephesus. There he found some disciples.

² And he asked them, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed [on Jesus as the Christ]? And they said, No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.

³ And he asked, Into what [baptism] then were you baptized? They said, Into John’s baptism.

⁴ And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, continually telling the people that they should believe in the One Who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus [having a conviction full of joyful trust that He is Christ, the Messiah, and being obedient to Him].

⁵ On hearing this they were baptized [again, this time] in the name of the Lord Jesus.

⁶ And as Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke in [foreign, unknown] tongues (languages) and prophesied.

⁷ There were about twelve of them in all.

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12 Then Job answered,

² No doubt you are the [only wise] people [in the world], and wisdom will die with you!

³ But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these [of God’s wisdom and might]?

⁴ I am become one who is a laughingstock to his friend; I, one whom God answered when he called upon Him—a just, upright (blameless) man—laughed to scorn!

⁵ In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune—but it is ready for those whose feet slip.

⁶ The dwellings of robbers prosper; those who provoke God are [apparently] secure; God supplies them abundantly [who have no god but their own hands and power].

⁷ For ask now the animals, and they will teach you [that God does not deal with His creatures according to their character]; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you;

⁸ Or speak to the earth [with its other forms of life], and it will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare [this truth] to you.

⁹ Who [is so blind as] not to recognize in all these [that good and evil are promiscuously scattered throughout nature and human life] that it is God’s hand which does it [and God’s way]?

¹⁰ In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.

¹¹ Is it not the task of the ear to discriminate between [wise and unwise] words, just as the mouth distinguishes [between desirable and undesirable] food?

¹² With the aged [you say] is wisdom, and with length of days comes understanding.

¹³ But [only] with [God] are [perfect] wisdom and might; He [alone] has [true] counsel and understanding.

¹⁴ Behold, He tears down, and it cannot be built again; He shuts a man in, and none can open.

¹⁵ He withholds the waters, and the land dries up; again, He sends forth [rains], and they overwhelm the land or transform it.

¹⁶ With Him are might and wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are His [and in His power].

¹⁷ He leads [great and scheming] counselors away stripped and barefoot and makes the judges fools [in human estimation, by overthrowing their plans].

¹⁸ He looses the fetters [ordered] by kings and has [the] waistcloth [of a slave] bound about their [own] loins.

¹⁹ He leads away priests as spoil, and men firmly seated He overturns.

²⁰ He deprives of speech those who are trusted and takes away the discernment and discretion of the aged.

²¹ He pours contempt on princes and loosens the belt of the strong [disabling them, bringing low the pride of the learned].

²² He uncovers deep things out of darkness and brings into light black gloom and the shadow of death.

²³ He makes nations great, and He destroys them; He enlarges nations [and then straitens and shrinks them again], and leads them [away captive].

²⁴ He takes away understanding from the leaders of the people of the land and of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no path.

²⁵ They grope in the dark without light, and He makes them to stagger and wander like a drunken man.

13 [Job continued:] Behold, my eye has seen all this, my ear has heard and understood it.

² What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you.

³ Surely I wish to speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue and reason my case with God [that He may explain the conflict between what I believe of Him and what I see of Him].

⁴ But you are forgers of lies [you defame my character most untruthfully]; you are all physicians of no value and have no remedy to offer.

⁵ Oh, that you would altogether hold your peace! Then you would evidence your wisdom and you might pass for wise men.

⁶ Hear now my reasoning, and listen to the pleadings of my lips.

⁷ Will you speak unrighteously for God and talk deceitfully for Him?

⁸ Will you show partiality to Him [be unjust to me in order to gain favor with Him]? Will you act as special pleaders for God?

⁹ Would it be profitable for you if He should investigate your tactics [with me]? Or as one deceives and mocks a man, do you deceive and mock Him?

¹⁰ He will surely reprove you if you do secretly show partiality.

¹¹ Shall not His majesty make you afraid, and should not your awe for Him restrain you?

¹² Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes [valueless]; your defenses are defenses of clay [and will crumble].

¹³ Hold your peace! Let me alone, so I may speak; and let come on me what may.

¹⁴ Why should I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in my hands [incurring the danger of God’s wrath]?

¹⁵ [I do it because, though He slay me, yet will I wait for and trust Him and] behold, He will slay me; I have no hope—nevertheless, I will maintain and argue my ways before Him and even to His face.

¹⁶ This will be my salvation, that a polluted and godless man shall not come before Him.

¹⁷ Listen diligently to my speech, and let my declaration be in your ears.

¹⁸ Behold now, I have prepared my case; I know that I shall be justified and vindicated.

¹⁹ Who is he who will argue against and refute me? For then I would hold my peace and expire.

²⁰ Only [O Lord] grant two conditions to me, and then will I not hide myself from You:

²¹ Withdraw Your hand and take this bodily suffering far from me; and let not my [reverent] dread of You terrify me.

²² Then [Lord] call and I will answer, or let me speak, and You answer me.

²³ How many are my iniquities and sins [that so much sorrow should come to me]? Make me recognize and know my transgression and my sin.^(A)

²⁴ Why do You hide Your face [as if offended] and alienate me as if I were Your enemy?

²⁵ Will You harass and frighten a [poor, helpless] leaf driven to and fro, and will You pursue the chaff of the dry stubble?

²⁶ For You write bitter things against me [in Your bill of indictment] and make me inherit and be accountable now for the iniquities of my youth.

²⁷ You put my feet also in the stocks and observe critically all my paths; You set a circle and limit around the soles of my feet [which I must not overstep].

²⁸ And he wastes away as a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.

14 Man who is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.

² He comes forth like a flower and withers; he flees also like a shadow and continues not.

³ And [Lord] do You open Your eyes upon such a one, and bring me into judgment with You?

⁴ Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!^(B)

⁵ Since a man’s days are already determined, and the number of his months is wholly in Your control, and he cannot pass the bounds of his allotted time—

⁶ [O God] turn from him [and cease to watch him so pitilessly]; let him rest until he has accomplished as does a hireling the appointed time for his day.

⁷ For there is hope for a tree if it is cut down, that it will sprout again and that the tender shoots of it will not cease. [But there is no such hope for man.]

⁸ Though its roots grow old in the earth and its stock dies in the ground,

⁹ Yet through the scent [and breathing] of water [the stump of the tree] will bud and bring forth boughs like a young plant.

¹⁰ But [the brave, strong] man must die and lie prostrate; yes, man breathes his last, and where is he?

¹¹ As waters evaporate from the lake, and the river drains and dries up,

¹² So man lies down and does not rise [to his former state]. Till the heavens are no more, men will not awake nor be raised [physically] out of their sleep.

¹³ Oh, that You would hide me in Sheol (the unseen state), that You would conceal me until Your wrath is past, that You would set a definite time and then remember me earnestly [and imprint me on your heart]!

¹⁴ If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my warfare and service I will wait, till my change and release shall come.^(C)

¹⁵ [Then] You would call and I would answer You; You would yearn for [me] the work of Your hands.

¹⁶ But now You number each of my steps and take note of my every sin.

¹⁷ My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and You glue up my iniquity [to preserve it in full for the day of reckoning].

¹⁸ But as a mountain, if it falls, crumbles to nothing, and as the rock is removed out of its place,

¹⁹ As waters wear away the stones and as floods wash away the soil of the earth, so You [O Lord] destroy the hope of man.

²⁰ You prevail forever against him, and he passes on; You change his appearance [in death] and send him away [from the presence of the living].

²¹ His sons come to honor, and he knows it not; they are brought low, and he perceives it not.

²² But his body [lamenting its decay in the grave] shall grieve over him, and his soul shall mourn [over the body of clay which it once enlivened].