Acts 5

New International Version

Ananias and Sapphira

5 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. ²With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself,^(A) but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.^(B)

³Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan^(C) has so filled your heart^(D) that you have lied to the Holy Spirit^(E) and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?^(F) ⁴Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal?^(G) What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”^(H)

⁵When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died.^(I) And great fear^(J) seized all who heard what had happened. ⁶Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body,^(K) and carried him out and buried him.

⁷About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. ⁸Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”

“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”^(L)

⁹Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord?^(M) Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”

¹⁰At that moment she fell down at his feet and died.^(N) Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.^(O) ¹¹Great fear^(P) seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

The Apostles Heal Many

¹²The apostles performed many signs and wonders^(Q) among the people. And all the believers used to meet together^(R) in Solomon’s Colonnade.^(S) ¹³No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people.^(T) ¹⁴Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.^(U) ¹⁵As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.^(V) ¹⁶Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.^(W)

The Apostles Persecuted

¹⁷Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party^(X) of the Sadducees,^(Y) were filled with jealousy. ¹⁸They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.^(Z) ¹⁹But during the night an angel^(AA) of the Lord opened the doors of the jail^(AB) and brought them out.^(AC) ²⁰“Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”^(AD)

²¹At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.

When the high priest and his associates^(AE) arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin^(AF)—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles. ²²But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there.^(AG) So they went back and reported, ²³“We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” ²⁴On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests^(AH) were at a loss, wondering what this might lead to.

²⁵Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” ²⁶At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people^(AI) would stone them.

²⁷The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin^(AJ) to be questioned by the high priest. ²⁸“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,”^(AK) he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”^(AL)

²⁹Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!^(AM) ³⁰The God of our ancestors^(AN) raised Jesus from the dead^(AO)—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross.^(AP) ³¹God exalted him to his own right hand^(AQ) as Prince and Savior^(AR) that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins.^(AS) ³²We are witnesses of these things,^(AT) and so is the Holy Spirit,^(AU) whom God has given to those who obey him.”

³³When they heard this, they were furious^(AV) and wanted to put them to death. ³⁴But a Pharisee named Gamaliel,^(AW) a teacher of the law,^(AX) who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. ³⁵Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. ³⁶Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. ³⁷After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census^(AY) and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. ³⁸Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.^(AZ) ³⁹But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”^(BA)

⁴⁰His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged.^(BB) Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

⁴¹The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing^(BC) because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.^(BD) ⁴²Day after day, in the temple courts^(BE) and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news^(BF) that Jesus is the Messiah.^(BG)

Job 21-22

New International Version

Job

21 Then Job replied:

²“Listen carefully to my words;^(A)
let this be the consolation you give me.^(B)
³Bear with me while I speak,
and after I have spoken, mock on.^(C)

⁴“Is my complaint^(D) directed to a human being?
    Why should I not be impatient?^(E)
⁵Look at me and be appalled;
    clap your hand over your mouth.^(F)
⁶When I think about this, I am terrified;^(G)
    trembling seizes my body.^(H)
⁷Why do the wicked live on,
    growing old and increasing in power?^(I)
⁸They see their children established around them,
    their offspring before their eyes.^(J)
⁹Their homes are safe and free from fear;^(K)
    the rod of God is not on them.^(L)
¹⁰Their bulls never fail to breed;
    their cows calve and do not miscarry.^(M)
¹¹They send forth their children as a flock;^(N)
    their little ones dance about.
¹²They sing to the music of timbrel and lyre;^(O)
    they make merry to the sound of the pipe.^(P)
¹³They spend their years in prosperity^(Q)
    and go down to the grave^(R) in peace.^[a]^(S)
¹⁴Yet they say to God, ‘Leave us alone!^(T)
    We have no desire to know your ways.^(U)
¹⁵Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
    What would we gain by praying to him?’^(V)
¹⁶But their prosperity is not in their own hands,
    so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.^(W)

¹⁷“Yet how often is the lamp of the wicked snuffed out?^(X)
    How often does calamity^(Y) come upon them,
    the fate God allots in his anger?^(Z)
¹⁸How often are they like straw before the wind,
    like chaff^(AA) swept away^(AB) by a gale?^(AC)
¹⁹It is said, ‘God stores up the punishment of the wicked for their children.’^(AD)
    Let him repay the wicked, so that they themselves will experience it!^(AE)
²⁰Let their own eyes see their destruction;^(AF)
    let them drink^(AG) the cup of the wrath of the Almighty.^(AH)
²¹For what do they care about the families they leave behind^(AI)
    when their allotted months^(AJ) come to an end?^(AK)

²²“Can anyone teach knowledge to God,^(AL)
    since he judges even the highest?^(AM)
²³One person dies in full vigor,^(AN)
    completely secure and at ease,^(AO)
²⁴well nourished^(AP) in body,^[b]
    bones^(AQ) rich with marrow.^(AR)
²⁵Another dies in bitterness of soul,^(AS)
    never having enjoyed anything good.
²⁶Side by side they lie in the dust,^(AT)
    and worms^(AU) cover them both.^(AV)

²⁷“I know full well what you are thinking,
    the schemes by which you would wrong me.
²⁸You say, ‘Where now is the house of the great,^(AW)
    the tents where the wicked lived?’^(AX)
²⁹Have you never questioned those who travel?
    Have you paid no regard to their accounts—
³⁰that the wicked are spared from the day of calamity,^(AY)
    that they are delivered from^[c] the day of wrath?^(AZ)
³¹Who denounces their conduct to their face?
    Who repays them for what they have done?^(BA)
³²They are carried to the grave,
    and watch is kept over their tombs.^(BB)
³³The soil in the valley is sweet to them;^(BC)
    everyone follows after them,
    and a countless throng goes^[d] before them.^(BD)

³⁴“So how can you console me^(BE) with your nonsense?
Nothing is left of your answers but falsehood!”^(BF)

Eliphaz

22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite^(BG) replied:

²“Can a man be of benefit to God?^(BH)
Can even a wise person benefit him?^(BI)
³What pleasure^(BJ) would it give the Almighty if you were righteous?^(BK)
What would he gain if your ways were blameless?^(BL)

⁴“Is it for your piety that he rebukes you
    and brings charges against you?^(BM)
⁵Is not your wickedness great?
    Are not your sins^(BN) endless?^(BO)
⁶You demanded security^(BP) from your relatives for no reason;^(BQ)
    you stripped people of their clothing, leaving them naked.^(BR)
⁷You gave no water^(BS) to the weary
    and you withheld food from the hungry,^(BT)
⁸though you were a powerful man, owning land^(BU)—
    an honored man,^(BV) living on it.^(BW)
⁹And you sent widows^(BX) away empty-handed^(BY)
    and broke the strength of the fatherless.^(BZ)
¹⁰That is why snares^(CA) are all around you,^(CB)
    why sudden peril terrifies you,^(CC)
¹¹why it is so dark^(CD) you cannot see,
    and why a flood of water covers you.^(CE)

¹²“Is not God in the heights of heaven?^(CF)
    And see how lofty are the highest stars!
¹³Yet you say, ‘What does God know?^(CG)
    Does he judge through such darkness?^(CH)
¹⁴Thick clouds^(CI) veil him, so he does not see us^(CJ)
    as he goes about in the vaulted heavens.’^(CK)
¹⁵Will you keep to the old path
    that the wicked^(CL) have trod?^(CM)
¹⁶They were carried off before their time,^(CN)
    their foundations^(CO) washed away by a flood.^(CP)
¹⁷They said to God, ‘Leave us alone!
    What can the Almighty do to us?’^(CQ)
¹⁸Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things,^(CR)
    so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.^(CS)
¹⁹The righteous see their ruin and rejoice;^(CT)
    the innocent mock^(CU) them, saying,
²⁰‘Surely our foes are destroyed,^(CV)
    and fire^(CW) devours their wealth.’

²¹“Submit to God and be at peace^(CX) with him;^(CY)
    in this way prosperity will come to you.^(CZ)
²²Accept instruction from his mouth^(DA)
    and lay up his words^(DB) in your heart.^(DC)
²³If you return^(DD) to the Almighty, you will be restored:^(DE)
    If you remove wickedness far from your tent^(DF)
²⁴and assign your nuggets^(DG) to the dust,
    your gold^(DH) of Ophir^(DI) to the rocks in the ravines,^(DJ)
²⁵then the Almighty will be your gold,^(DK)
    the choicest silver for you.^(DL)
²⁶Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty^(DM)
    and will lift up your face^(DN) to God.^(DO)
²⁷You will pray to him,^(DP) and he will hear you,^(DQ)
    and you will fulfill your vows.^(DR)
²⁸What you decide on will be done,^(DS)
    and light^(DT) will shine on your ways.^(DU)
²⁹When people are brought low^(DV) and you say, ‘Lift them up!’
    then he will save the downcast.^(DW)
³⁰He will deliver even one who is not innocent,^(DX)
    who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”^(DY)

Footnotes

Job 21:13 Or in an instant
Job 21:24 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
Job 21:30 Or wicked are reserved for the day of calamity, / that they are brought forth to
Job 21:33 Or them, / as a countless throng went