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Job 33-35
Contemporary English Version
Job 33-35
Contemporary English Version
Elihu Speaks
Job, Listen to Me!
33 Job, listen to me!
Pay close attention.
* 2 Everything I will say
3 is true and sincere,
4 just as surely as the Spirit
of God All-Powerful[a]
gave me the breath of life.
5 Now line up your arguments
and prepare to face me.
6 We each were made from clay,
and God has no favorites,
7 so don't be afraid of me
or what I might do.
I Have Heard You Argue
8 I have heard you argue
9 that you are innocent,
guilty of nothing.
10 You claim that God
has made you his enemy,
11 (A) that he has bound your feet
and blocked your path.
12 But, Job, you're wrong—
God is greater
than any human.
13 So why do you challenge God
to answer you?[b]
14 God speaks in different ways,
and we don't always
recognize his voice.
* 15 (B) Sometimes in the night,
he uses terrifying dreams
16 to give us warnings.
17 God does this to make us turn
from sin and pride
18 and to protect us
from being swept away
to the world of the dead.
19 Sometimes we are punished
with a serious illness
and aching joints.
20 Merely the thought
of our favorite food
makes our stomachs sick,
21 and we become so skinny
that our bones stick out.
22 We feel death and the grave
taking us in their grip.
23 One of a thousand angels
then comes to our rescue
by saying we are innocent.
24 The angel shows kindness,
commanding death to release us,
because the price was paid.
25 Our health is restored,
we feel young again,
26 and we ask God to accept us.
Then we joyfully worship God,
and we are rewarded
because we are innocent.
27 When that happens,
we tell everyone,
“I sinned and did wrong,
but God forgave me
28 and rescued me from death!
Now I will see the light.”
29 God gives each of us
chance after chance
30 to be saved from death
and brought into the light
that gives life.
31 So, Job, pay attention
and don't interrupt,
32 though I would gladly listen
to anything you say
that proves you are right.
33 Otherwise, listen in silence
to my wisdom.
Elihu Continues
You Men Think You Are Wise
34 Elihu said:
2 You men think you are wise,
but just listen to me!
3 Think about my words,
as you would taste food.
4 Then we can decide the case
and give a just verdict.
5 Job claims he is innocent
and God is guilty
of mistreating him.
6 Job also argues that God
considers him a liar
and that he is suffering severely
in spite of his innocence.
7 But to tell the truth,
Job is shameless!
8 He spends his time with sinners,
9 because he has said,
“It doesn't pay to please God.”
If Any of You Are Smart
10 If any of you are smart,
you will listen and learn
that God All-Powerful
does what is right.
11 (C) God always treats everyone
the way they deserve,
12 and he is never unfair.
13 From the very beginning,
God has been in control
of all the world.
14 If God took back the breath
that he breathed into us,
15 we humans would die
and return to the soil.
16 So be smart and listen!
17 The mighty God is the one
who brings about justice,
and you are condemning him.
18 Indeed, God is the one
who condemns unfair rulers.
19 And God created us all;
he has no favorites,
whether rich or poor.
20 Even powerful rulers die
in the darkness of night
when they least expect it,
just like the rest of us.
God Watches Everything We Do
21 God watches everything we do.
22 No evil person can hide
in the deepest darkness.
23 And so, God doesn't need
to set a time for judgment.
24 Without asking for advice,
God removes mighty leaders
and puts others in their place.
25 He knows what they are like,
and he wipes them out
in the middle of the night.
26 And while others look on,
he punishes them
because they were evil
27 and refused to obey him.
28 The persons they mistreated
had prayed for help,
until God answered
their prayers.
29 When God does nothing,
can any person or nation
find fault with him?
30 But still, he punishes rulers
who abuse their people.[c]
31 Job, you should tell God
that you are guilty
and promise to do better.
32 Then ask him to point out
what you did wrong,
so you won't do it again.
33 Do you make the rules,
or does God?
You have to decide—
I can't do it for you;
now make up your mind.
34 Job, anyone with good sense
can easily see
35 that you are speaking nonsense
and lack good judgment.
36 So I pray for you to suffer
as much as possible
for talking like a sinner.
37 You have rebelled against God,
time after time,
and have even insulted us.
Elihu Continues
Are You Really Innocent?
35 Elihu said:
2 Job, are you really innocent
in the sight of God?[d]
3 Don't you honestly believe
it pays to obey him?
4 I will give the answers
to you and your friends.
* 5 Look up to the heavens
6 (D) and think!
Do your sins hurt God?
7 Is any good you may have done
at all helpful to him?
8 The evil or good you do
only affects other humans.
9 In times of trouble,
everyone begs the mighty God
to have mercy.
10 But after their Creator
helps them through hard times,
they forget about him,
11 though he makes us wiser
than animals or birds.
12 God won't listen to the prayers
of proud and evil people.
13 If God All-Powerful refuses
to answer their empty prayers,
14 he will surely deny
your impatient request
to face him in court.
15 Job, you were wrong to say
God doesn't punish sin.
16 Everything you have said
adds up to nonsense.
Job 33-35
New International Version
Job 33-35
New International Version
33 “But now, Job, listen(A) to my words;
pay attention to everything I say.(B)
2 I am about to open my mouth;
my words are on the tip of my tongue.
3 My words come from an upright heart;(C)
my lips sincerely speak what I know.(D)
4 The Spirit(E) of God has made me;(F)
the breath of the Almighty(G) gives me life.(H)
5 Answer me(I) then, if you can;
stand up(J) and argue your case before me.(K)
6 I am the same as you in God’s sight;(L)
I too am a piece of clay.(M)
7 No fear of me should alarm you,
nor should my hand be heavy on you.(N)
8 “But you have said in my hearing—
I heard the very words—
9 ‘I am pure,(O) I have done no wrong;(P)
I am clean and free from sin.(Q)
10 Yet God has found fault with me;
he considers me his enemy.(R)
11 He fastens my feet in shackles;(S)
he keeps close watch on all my paths.’(T)
12 “But I tell you, in this you are not right,
for God is greater than any mortal.(U)
13 Why do you complain to him(V)
that he responds to no one’s words[a]?(W)
14 For God does speak(X)—now one way, now another(Y)—
though no one perceives it.(Z)
15 In a dream,(AA) in a vision(AB) of the night,(AC)
when deep sleep(AD) falls on people
as they slumber in their beds,
16 he may speak(AE) in their ears
and terrify them(AF) with warnings,(AG)
17 to turn them from wrongdoing
and keep them from pride,(AH)
18 to preserve them from the pit,(AI)
their lives from perishing by the sword.[b](AJ)
19 “Or someone may be chastened(AK) on a bed of pain(AL)
with constant distress in their bones,(AM)
20 so that their body finds food(AN) repulsive
and their soul loathes the choicest meal.(AO)
21 Their flesh wastes away to nothing,
and their bones,(AP) once hidden, now stick out.(AQ)
22 They draw near to the pit,(AR)
and their life to the messengers of death.[c](AS)
23 Yet if there is an angel at their side,
a messenger,(AT) one out of a thousand,
sent to tell them how to be upright,(AU)
24 and he is gracious to that person and says to God,
‘Spare them from going down to the pit;(AV)
I have found a ransom for them(AW)—
25 let their flesh be renewed(AX) like a child’s;
let them be restored as in the days of their youth’(AY)—
26 then that person can pray to God and find favor with him,(AZ)
they will see God’s face and shout for joy;(BA)
he will restore them to full well-being.(BB)
27 And they will go to others and say,
‘I have sinned,(BC) I have perverted what is right,(BD)
but I did not get what I deserved.(BE)
28 God has delivered(BF) me from going down to the pit,(BG)
and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.’(BH)
29 “God does all these things to a person(BI)—
twice, even three times(BJ)—
30 to turn them back(BK) from the pit,(BL)
that the light of life(BM) may shine on them.(BN)
31 “Pay attention, Job, and listen(BO) to me;(BP)
be silent,(BQ) and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me;(BR)
speak up, for I want to vindicate you.(BS)
33 But if not, then listen to me;(BT)
be silent,(BU) and I will teach you wisdom.(BV)”
34 Then Elihu said:
2 “Hear my words, you wise men;
listen to me,(BW) you men of learning.
3 For the ear tests words
as the tongue tastes food.(BX)
4 Let us discern for ourselves what is right;(BY)
let us learn together what is good.(BZ)
5 “Job says, ‘I am innocent,(CA)
but God denies me justice.(CB)
6 Although I am right,
I am considered a liar;(CC)
although I am guiltless,(CD)
his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.’(CE)
7 Is there anyone like Job,
who drinks scorn like water?(CF)
8 He keeps company with evildoers;
he associates with the wicked.(CG)
9 For he says, ‘There is no profit
in trying to please God.’(CH)
10 “So listen to me,(CI) you men of understanding.(CJ)
Far be it from God to do evil,(CK)
from the Almighty to do wrong.(CL)
11 He repays everyone for what they have done;(CM)
he brings on them what their conduct deserves.(CN)
12 It is unthinkable that God would do wrong,(CO)
that the Almighty would pervert justice.(CP)
13 Who appointed(CQ) him over the earth?
Who put him in charge of the whole world?(CR)
14 If it were his intention
and he withdrew his spirit[d](CS) and breath,(CT)
15 all humanity would perish(CU) together
and mankind would return to the dust.(CV)
16 “If you have understanding,(CW) hear this;
listen to what I say.(CX)
17 Can someone who hates justice govern?(CY)
Will you condemn the just and mighty One?(CZ)
18 Is he not the One who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,’
and to nobles,(DA) ‘You are wicked,’(DB)
19 who shows no partiality(DC) to princes
and does not favor the rich over the poor,(DD)
for they are all the work of his hands?(DE)
20 They die in an instant, in the middle of the night;(DF)
the people are shaken and they pass away;
the mighty are removed without human hand.(DG)
21 “His eyes are on the ways of mortals;(DH)
he sees their every step.(DI)
22 There is no deep shadow,(DJ) no utter darkness,(DK)
where evildoers can hide.(DL)
23 God has no need to examine people further,(DM)
that they should come before him for judgment.(DN)
24 Without inquiry he shatters(DO) the mighty(DP)
and sets up others in their place.(DQ)
25 Because he takes note of their deeds,(DR)
he overthrows them in the night(DS) and they are crushed.(DT)
26 He punishes them for their wickedness(DU)
where everyone can see them,
27 because they turned from following him(DV)
and had no regard for any of his ways.(DW)
28 They caused the cry of the poor to come before him,
so that he heard the cry of the needy.(DX)
29 But if he remains silent,(DY) who can condemn him?(DZ)
If he hides his face,(EA) who can see him?
Yet he is over individual and nation alike,(EB)
30 to keep the godless(EC) from ruling,(ED)
from laying snares for the people.(EE)
31 “Suppose someone says to God,
‘I am guilty(EF) but will offend no more.
32 Teach me what I cannot see;(EG)
if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.’(EH)
33 Should God then reward you on your terms,
when you refuse to repent?(EI)
You must decide, not I;
so tell me what you know.
34 “Men of understanding declare,
wise men who hear me say to me,
35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge;(EJ)
his words lack insight.’(EK)
36 Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost
for answering like a wicked man!(EL)
37 To his sin he adds rebellion;
scornfully he claps his hands(EM) among us
and multiplies his words(EN) against God.”(EO)
35 Then Elihu said:
2 “Do you think this is just?
You say, ‘I am in the right,(EP) not God.’(EQ)
3 Yet you ask him, ‘What profit is it to me,[e]
and what do I gain by not sinning?’(ER)
4 “I would like to reply to you
and to your friends with you.
5 Look up at the heavens(ES) and see;
gaze at the clouds so high above you.(ET)
6 If you sin, how does that affect him?
If your sins are many, what does that do to him?(EU)
7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him,(EV)
or what does he receive(EW) from your hand?(EX)
8 Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself,(EY)
and your righteousness only other people.(EZ)
9 “People cry out(FA) under a load of oppression;(FB)
they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful.(FC)
10 But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,(FD)
who gives songs(FE) in the night,(FF)
11 who teaches(FG) us(FH) more than he teaches[f] the beasts of the earth
and makes us wiser than[g] the birds in the sky?’
12 He does not answer(FI) when people cry out
because of the arrogance(FJ) of the wicked.(FK)
13 Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea;
the Almighty pays no attention to it.(FL)
14 How much less, then, will he listen
when you say that you do not see him,(FM)
that your case(FN) is before him
and you must wait for him,(FO)
15 and further, that his anger never punishes(FP)
and he does not take the least notice of wickedness.[h](FQ)
16 So Job opens his mouth with empty talk;(FR)
without knowledge he multiplies words.”(FS)
Footnotes
- Job 33:13 Or that he does not answer for any of his actions
- Job 33:18 Or from crossing the river
- Job 33:22 Or to the place of the dead
- Job 34:14 Or Spirit
- Job 35:3 Or you
- Job 35:11 Or night, / 11 who teaches us by
- Job 35:11 Or us wise by
- Job 35:15 Symmachus, Theodotion and Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.