Job 33
World English Bible
33 “However, Job, please hear my speech,
and listen to all my words.
2 See now, I have opened my mouth.
My tongue has spoken in my mouth.
3 My words will utter the uprightness of my heart.
That which my lips know they will speak sincerely.
4 The Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 If you can, answer me.
Set your words in order before me, and stand up.
6 Behold, I am toward God even as you are.
I am also formed out of the clay.
7 Behold, my terror will not make you afraid,
neither will my pressure be heavy on you.
8 “Surely you have spoken in my hearing,
I have heard the voice of your words, saying,
9 ‘I am clean, without disobedience.
I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me.
10 Behold, he finds occasions against me.
He counts me for his enemy.
11 He puts my feet in the stocks.
He marks all my paths.’
12 “Behold, I will answer you. In this you are not just,
for God is greater than man.
13 Why do you strive against him,
because he doesn’t give account of any of his matters?
14 For God speaks once,
yes twice, though man pays no attention.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on men,
in slumbering on the bed,
16 then he opens the ears of men,
and seals their instruction,
17 that he may withdraw man from his purpose,
and hide pride from man.
18 He keeps back his soul from the pit,
and his life from perishing by the sword.
19 “He is chastened also with pain on his bed,
with continual strife in his bones,
20 so that his life abhors bread,
and his soul dainty food.
21 His flesh is so consumed away that it can’t be seen.
His bones that were not seen stick out.
22 Yes, his soul draws near to the pit,
and his life to the destroyers.
23 “If there is beside him an angel,
an interpreter, one among a thousand,
to show to man what is right for him,
24 then God is gracious to him, and says,
‘Deliver him from going down to the pit,
I have found a ransom.’
25 His flesh will be fresher than a child’s.
He returns to the days of his youth.
26 He prays to God, and he is favorable to him,
so that he sees his face with joy.
He restores to man his righteousness.
27 He sings before men, and says,
‘I have sinned, and perverted that which was right,
and it didn’t profit me.
28 He has redeemed my soul from going into the pit.
My life will see the light.’
29 “Behold, God does all these things,
twice, yes three times, with a man,
30 to bring back his soul from the pit,
that he may be enlightened with the light of the living.
31 Mark well, Job, and listen to me.
Hold your peace, and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me.
Speak, for I desire to justify you.
33 If not, listen to me.
Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.”
Job 33
Living Bible
33 “Please listen, Job, to what I have to say. 2 I have begun to speak; now let me continue. 3 I will speak the truth with all sincerity. 4 For the Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. 5 Don’t hesitate to answer me if you can.
6 “Look, I am the one you were wishing for, someone to stand between you and God and to be both his representative and yours. 7 You need not be frightened of me. I am not some person of renown to make you nervous and afraid. I, too, am made of common clay.
8 “You have said it in my hearing, yes, you’ve said it again and again— 9 ‘I am pure, I am innocent; I have not sinned.’ 10 You say God is using a fine-tooth comb to try to find a single fault, and so to count you as his enemy. 11 ‘And he puts my feet in the stocks,’ you say, ‘and watches every move I make.’
12 “All right, here is my reply: In this very thing, you have sinned by speaking of God that way. For God is greater than man. 13 Why should you fight against him just because he does not give account to you of what he does?
14 “For God speaks again and again, 15 in dreams, in visions of the night when deep sleep falls on men as they lie on their beds. 16 He opens their ears in times like that and gives them wisdom and instruction, 17-18 causing them to change their minds, and keeping them from pride, and warning them of the penalties of sin, and keeping them from falling into some trap.
19 “Or God sends sickness and pain, even though no bone is broken, 20 so that a man loses all taste and appetite for food and doesn’t care for even the daintiest dessert. 21 He becomes thin, mere skin and bones, 22 and draws near to death.
23-24 “But if a messenger from heaven is there to intercede for him as a friend, to show him what is right, then God pities him and says,[a] ‘Set him free. Do not make him die, for I have found a substitute.’ 25 Then his body will become as healthy as a child’s, firm and youthful again. 26 And when he prays to God, God will hear and answer and receive him with joy, and return him to his duties. 27 And he will declare to his friends, ‘I sinned, but God let me go. 28 He did not let me die. I will go on living in the realm of light.’
29 “Yes, God often does these things for man— 30 brings back his soul from the pit, so that he may live in the light of the living. 31 Mark this well, O Job. Listen to me, and let me say more. 32 But if you have anything to say at this point, go ahead. I want to hear it, for I am anxious to justify you. 33 But if not, then listen to me. Keep silence and I will teach you wisdom!”
Footnotes
- Job 33:23 then God pities him and says, or “and if the Angel says.”
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The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.