Font Size
Job 33
English Standard Version
Job 33
English Standard Version
Elihu Rebukes Job
33 “But now, hear my speech, O Job,
and listen to all my words.
2 Behold, I (A)open my mouth;
the tongue in my mouth speaks.
3 My words declare the uprightness of my heart,
and what my lips know they speak sincerely.
4 (B)The Spirit of God has made me,
and (C)the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 (D)Answer me, if you can;
(E)set your words in order before me; take your stand.
6 Behold, I am toward God as you are;
I too was pinched off from a piece of (F)clay.
7 Behold, no (G)fear of me need terrify you;
my (H)pressure will not be heavy upon you.
8 “Surely you have spoken in my ears,
and I have heard the sound of your words.
9 You say, ‘I am (I)pure, without (J)transgression;
I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 Behold, he finds occasions against me,
he (K)counts me as his enemy,
11 he (L)puts my feet in the stocks
and (M)watches all my paths.’
12 “Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you,
for God is greater than man.
13 Why do you (N)contend against him,
saying, ‘He (O)will answer none of man's[a] words’?[b]
14 For God (P)speaks in one way,
(Q)and in two, though man (R)does not perceive it.
15 In (S)a dream, in (T)a vision of (U)the night,
when (V)deep sleep falls on men,
while they slumber on their beds,
16 then he (W)opens the ears of men
and terrifies[c] them with warnings,
17 that he may turn man aside from his (X)deed
and conceal pride from a man;
18 he keeps back his soul from the pit,
his life from (Y)perishing by the sword.
19 “Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed
and with continual strife in his (Z)bones,
20 so that his (AA)life loathes bread,
and his appetite (AB)the choicest food.
21 His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen,
and his bones that were not seen (AC)stick out.
22 His soul draws near (AD)the pit,
and his life to (AE)those who bring death.
23 If there be for him (AF)an angel,
(AG)a mediator, (AH)one of the thousand,
to declare to man what is (AI)right for him,
24 and he is merciful to him, and says,
‘Deliver him from going down into the pit;
I have found (AJ)a ransom;
25 let his flesh (AK)become fresh with youth;
let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’;
26 then man[d] (AL)prays to God, and he accepts him;
he (AM)sees his face with a shout of joy,
and he (AN)restores to man his righteousness.
27 He sings before men and says:
‘I (AO)sinned and perverted what was right,
and it was not repaid to me.
28 He has redeemed my (AP)soul from going down (AQ)into the pit,
and my life shall (AR)look upon the light.’
29 “Behold, God does all these things,
twice, (AS)three times, with a man,
30 to bring back his soul from the pit,
that he may be lighted with (AT)the light of life.
31 Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.
32 If you have any words, (AU)answer me;
(AV)speak, for I desire to justify you.
33 If not, (AW)listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
Job 33
The Message
Job 33
The Message
33 1-4 “So please, Job, hear me out,
honor me by listening to me.
What I’m about to say
has been carefully thought out.
I have no ulterior motives in this;
I’m speaking honestly from my heart.
The Spirit of God made me what I am,
the breath of God Almighty gave me life!
God Always Answers, One Way or Another
5-7 “And if you think you can prove me wrong, do it.
Lay out your arguments. Stand up for yourself!
Look, I’m human—no better than you;
we’re both made of the same kind of mud.
So let’s work this through together;
don’t let my aggressiveness overwhelm you.
8-11 “Here’s what you said.
I heard you say it with my own ears.
You said, ‘I’m pure—I’ve done nothing wrong.
Believe me, I’m clean—my conscience is clear.
But God keeps picking on me;
he treats me like I’m his enemy.
He’s thrown me in jail;
he keeps me under constant surveillance.’
12-14 “But let me tell you, Job, you’re wrong, dead wrong!
God is far greater than any human.
So how dare you haul him into court,
and then complain that he won’t answer your charges?
God always answers, one way or another,
even when people don’t recognize his presence.
15-18 “In a dream, for instance, a vision at night,
when men and women are deep in sleep,
fast asleep in their beds—
God opens their ears
and impresses them with warnings
To turn them back from something bad they’re planning,
from some reckless choice,
And keep them from an early grave,
from the river of no return.
19-22 “Or, God might get their attention through pain,
by throwing them on a bed of suffering,
So they can’t stand the sight of food,
have no appetite for their favorite treats.
They lose weight, wasting away to nothing,
reduced to a bag of bones.
They hang on the cliff-edge of death,
knowing the next breath may be their last.
23-25 “But even then an angel could come,
a champion—there are thousands of them!—
to take up your cause,
A messenger who would mercifully intervene,
canceling the death sentence with the words:
‘I’ve come up with the ransom!’
Before you know it, you’re healed,
the very picture of health!
26-28 “Or, you may fall on your knees and pray—to God’s delight!
You’ll see God’s smile and celebrate,
finding yourself set right with God.
You’ll sing God’s praises to everyone you meet,
testifying, ‘I messed up my life—
and let me tell you, it wasn’t worth it.
But God stepped in and saved me from certain death.
I’m alive again! Once more I see the light!’
29-30 “This is the way God works.
Over and over again
He pulls our souls back from certain destruction
so we’ll see the light—and live in the light!
31-33 “Keep listening, Job.
Don’t interrupt—I’m not finished yet.
But if you think of anything I should know, tell me.
There’s nothing I’d like better than to see your name cleared.
Meanwhile, keep listening. Don’t distract me with interruptions.
I’m going to teach you the basics of wisdom.”
Job 33
New International Version
Job 33
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)
Job 33
King James Version
Job 33
King James Version
33 Wherefore, 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 of 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, stand up.
6 Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am formed out of the clay.
7 Behold, my terror 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 shew 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 favourable 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 anything 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.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.