Job 33
New King James Version
Elihu Contradicts Job
33 “But please, Job, hear my speech,
And listen to all my words.
2 Now, I open my mouth;
My tongue speaks in my mouth.
3 My words come from my upright heart;
My lips utter pure knowledge.
4 (A)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;
Take your stand.
6 (B)Truly I am [a]as your spokesman before God;
I also have been formed out of clay.
7 (C)Surely no fear of me will terrify you,
Nor will my hand be heavy on you.
8 “Surely you have spoken [b]in my hearing,
And I have heard the sound of your words, saying,
9 ‘I(D) am pure, without transgression;
I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 Yet He finds occasions against me,
(E)He counts me as His enemy;
11 (F)He puts my feet in the stocks,
He watches all my paths.’
12 “Look, in this you are not righteous.
I will answer you,
For God is greater than man.
13 Why do you (G)contend with Him?
For He does not give an accounting of any of His words.
14 (H)For God may speak in one way, or in another,
Yet man does not perceive it.
15 (I)In a dream, in a vision of the night,
When deep sleep falls upon men,
While slumbering on their beds,
16 (J)Then He opens the ears of men,
And seals their instruction.
17 In order to turn man from his deed,
And conceal pride from man,
18 He keeps back his soul from the Pit,
And his life from [c]perishing by the sword.
19 “Man is also chastened with pain on his (K)bed,
And with strong pain in many of his bones,
20 (L)So that his life abhors (M)bread,
And his soul [d]succulent food.
21 His flesh wastes away from sight,
And his bones stick out which once were not seen.
22 Yes, his soul draws near the Pit,
And his life to the executioners.
23 “If there is a messenger for him,
A mediator, one among a thousand,
To show man His uprightness,
24 Then He is gracious to him, and says,
‘Deliver him from going down to the Pit;
I have found [e]a ransom’;
25 His flesh shall be young like a child’s,
He shall return to the days of his youth.
26 He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him,
He shall see His face with joy,
For He restores to man His righteousness.
27 Then he looks at men and (N)says,
‘I have sinned, and perverted what was right,
And it (O)did not profit me.’
28 He will (P)redeem [f]his soul from going down to the Pit,
And his life shall see the light.
29 “Behold, God works all these things,
Twice, in fact, three times with a man,
30 (Q)To bring back his soul from the Pit,
That he may be enlightened with the light of life.
Job 33
21st Century King James Version
33 “Therefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches and hearken to all my words.
2 Behold, now I have opened my mouth; my tongue hath spoken in my mouth.
3 My words shall be from the uprightness of my heart, and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly.
4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
5 If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me and stand up.
6 Behold, I am according to thy wish in God’s stead, I also am formed out of the clay.
7 Behold, terror of me shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee.
8 “Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,
9 ‘I am clean, without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.
10 Behold, He findeth occasions against me; He counteth me for His enemy.
11 He putteth my feet in the stocks; He marketh all my paths.’
12 “Behold, in this thou art not just; I will answer thee: that God is greater than man.
13 Why dost thou strive against Him? For He giveth not account of any of His matters.
14 For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed,
16 then He openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,
17 that He may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.
18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.
19 “He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain,
20 so that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat.
21 His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out.
22 Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers.
23 If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand to show unto man his uprightness,
24 then he is gracious unto him and saith, ‘Deliver him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom.’
25 His flesh shall be fresher than a child’s; he shall return to the days of his youth.
26 He shall pray unto God, and He will be favorable unto him; and he shall see His face with joy, for He will render unto man His righteousness.
27 He looketh upon men, and if any say, ‘I have sinned and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not,’
28 He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.
29 “Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man,
30 to bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.
31 Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me; hold thy peace, and I will speak.
32 If thou hast any thing to say, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify thee.
33 If not, hearken unto me; hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.