Job 35
Evangelical Heritage Version
35 Then Elihu continued:
2 Do you really think it is right when you say,
“My righteousness is greater than God’s”?[a]
3 You even say, “What use will this be to me?
How will it profit me more than if I sinned?”
4 But I will respond to your words—and to your friends with you!
5 Look at the heavens and you will see.
Take a good look at the clouds.
They are high above you!
6 If you have sinned, how does that affect God?
If your rebellious deeds are many, what harm can you do to him?
7 If you are righteous, what are you giving to him?
What does he receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness only affects a man like you,
and your righteousness only impacts other people.
9 They cry out because of severe oppression.
They scream for relief from the arm of the powerful.
10 But no one asks, “Where is God my Maker,
who provides songs in the night,
11 who teaches us more than the wild animals on the earth,
who makes us wiser than the birds in the sky?”
12 Then the wicked cry out, but he does not answer,
because of their arrogant pride.[b]
13 Certainly God will not listen to an insincere[c] cry,
and the Almighty will not pay attention to it.
14 How much less when you say
that you do not see him,
that your case has been presented to him,
and that you are waiting for him!
15 Besides that, you say that his anger has not demanded an accounting,
and that he does not fully understand sin.[d]
16 Job opens his mouth pointlessly,
and he heaps up words without knowledge.
Job 35
Names of God Bible
Elihu Continues: I Will Answer You and Your Friends, Job
35 Elihu continued to speak to Job and his friends,
2 “Do you think this is right
when you say, ‘My case is more just than El’s,’
3 when you ask, ‘What benefit is it to you?’
and, ‘What would I gain by sinning?’
4 I will answer you and your friends.
Human Behavior Cannot Change God
5 “Look at the heavens and see.
Observe the clouds high above you.
6 If you’ve sinned, what effect can you have on God?
If you’ve done many wrongs, what can you do to him?
7 If you’re righteous, what can you give him,
or what can he get from you?
8 Your wickedness affects only someone like yourself.
Your righteousness affects only the descendants of Adam.
9 The weight of oppression makes them cry out.
The power of mighty people makes them call for help.
10 But no one asks,
‘Where is Eloah, my Creator,
who inspires songs in the night,
11 who teaches us more than he teaches the animals of the earth,
who makes us wiser than the birds in the sky?’
12 Then they cry out, but he doesn’t answer them
because of the arrogance of those evil people.
13 “Surely, El doesn’t listen to idle complaints.
Shadday doesn’t even pay attention to them.
14 Although you say that you pay attention to him,
your case is in front of him, but you’ll have to wait for him.
15 And now you say that his anger doesn’t punish anyone
and he isn’t too concerned about evil.[a]
16 Job opens his mouth for no good reason
and talks a lot without having any knowledge.”
Footnotes
- Job 35:15 Hebrew meaning of this verse uncertain.
Job 35
New International Version
35 Then Elihu said:
2 “Do you think this is just?
You say, ‘I am in the right,(A) not God.’(B)
3 Yet you ask him, ‘What profit is it to me,[a]
and what do I gain by not sinning?’(C)
4 “I would like to reply to you
and to your friends with you.
5 Look up at the heavens(D) and see;
gaze at the clouds so high above you.(E)
6 If you sin, how does that affect him?
If your sins are many, what does that do to him?(F)
7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him,(G)
or what does he receive(H) from your hand?(I)
8 Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself,(J)
and your righteousness only other people.(K)
9 “People cry out(L) under a load of oppression;(M)
they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful.(N)
10 But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,(O)
who gives songs(P) in the night,(Q)
11 who teaches(R) us(S) more than he teaches[b] the beasts of the earth
and makes us wiser than[c] the birds in the sky?’
12 He does not answer(T) when people cry out
because of the arrogance(U) of the wicked.(V)
13 Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea;
the Almighty pays no attention to it.(W)
14 How much less, then, will he listen
when you say that you do not see him,(X)
that your case(Y) is before him
and you must wait for him,(Z)
15 and further, that his anger never punishes(AA)
and he does not take the least notice of wickedness.[d](AB)
16 So Job opens his mouth with empty talk;(AC)
without knowledge he multiplies words.”(AD)
Job 35
New King James Version
Elihu Condemns Self-Righteousness
35 Moreover Elihu answered and said:
2 “Do you think this is right?
Do you say,
‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?
3 For (A)you say,
‘What advantage will it be to You?
What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?’
4 “I will answer you,
And (B)your companions with you.
5 (C)Look to the heavens and see;
And behold the clouds—
They are higher than you.
6 If you sin, what do you accomplish (D)against Him?
Or, if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to Him?
7 (E)If you are righteous, what do you give Him?
Or what does He receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness affects a man such as you,
And your righteousness a son of man.
9 “Because(F) of the multitude of oppressions they cry out;
They cry out for help because of the arm of the mighty.
10 But no one says, (G)‘Where is God my Maker,
(H)Who gives songs in the night,
11 Who (I)teaches us more than the beasts of the earth,
And makes us wiser than the birds of heaven?’
12 (J)There they cry out, but He does not answer,
Because of the pride of evil men.
13 (K)Surely God will not listen to empty talk,
Nor will the Almighty regard it.
14 (L)Although you say you do not see Him,
Yet justice is before Him, and (M)you must wait for Him.
15 And now, because He has not (N)punished in His anger,
Nor taken much notice of folly,
16 (O)Therefore Job opens his mouth in vain;
He multiplies words without knowledge.”
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.
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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

