Elihu

32 So these three men stopped answering Job,^(A) because he was righteous in his own eyes.^{(B) 2} But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite,^(C) of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself^(D) rather than God.^{(E) 3} He was also angry with the three friends,^(F) because they had found no way to refute Job,^(G) and yet had condemned him.^{[a](H) 4} Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he.^{(I) 5} But when he saw that the three men had nothing more to say, his anger was aroused.

⁶ So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said:

The Day of the Lord

3 Dear friends,^(A) this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders^(B) to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. ² I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets^(C) and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.^(D)

³ Above all, you must understand that in the last days^(E) scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.^{(F) 4} They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised?^(G) Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”^{(H) 5} But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word^(I) the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.^{(J) 6} By these waters also the world of that time^(K) was deluged and destroyed.^{(L) 7} By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire,^(M) being kept for the day of judgment^(N) and destruction of the ungodly.

⁸ But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.^{(O) 9} The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise,^(P) as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient^(Q) with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.^(R)

¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.^(S) The heavens will disappear with a roar;^(T) the elements will be destroyed by fire,^(U) and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.^[a](V)

¹¹ Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives ¹² as you look forward^(W) to the day of God and speed its coming.^[b](X) That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.^{(Y) 13} But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth,^(Z) where righteousness dwells.

¹⁴ So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless^(AA) and at peace with him. ¹⁵ Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience^(AB) means salvation,^(AC) just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.^{(AD) 16} He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable^(AE) people distort,^(AF) as they do the other Scriptures,^(AG) to their own destruction.

¹⁷ Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard^(AH) so that you may not be carried away by the error^(AI) of the lawless^(AJ) and fall from your secure position.^{(AK) 18} But grow in the grace^(AL) and knowledge^(AM) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.^(AN) To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.^(AO)

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time^(A)

³⁰ They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, ³¹ because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man^(B) is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him,^(C) and after three days^(D) he will rise.”^{(E) 32} But they did not understand what he meant^(F) and were afraid to ask him about it.

³³ They came to Capernaum.^(G) When he was in the house,^(H) he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” ³⁴ But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.^(I)

³⁵ Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”^(J)

³⁶ He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms,^(K) he said to them, ³⁷ “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”^(L)

Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us^(M)

³⁸ “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”^(N)

³⁹ “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, ⁴⁰ for whoever is not against us is for us.^{(O) 41} Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.^(P)

Causing to Stumble

⁴² “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble,^(Q) it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.^{(R) 43} If your hand causes you to stumble,^(S) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell,^(T) where the fire never goes out.^{(U) [44] [a] 45} And if your foot causes you to stumble,^(V) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.^{(W) [46] [b] 47} And if your eye causes you to stumble,^(X) pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,^{(Y) 48} where

⁴⁹ Everyone will be salted^(AA) with fire.

⁵⁰ “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again?^(AB) Have salt among yourselves,^(AC) and be at peace with each other.”^(AD)