35 Then Elihu said:

“Do you think this is just?
    You say, ‘I am in the right,(A) not God.’(B)
Yet you ask him, ‘What profit is it to me,[a]
    and what do I gain by not sinning?’(C)

“I would like to reply to you
    and to your friends with you.
Look up at the heavens(D) and see;
    gaze at the clouds so high above you.(E)
If you sin, how does that affect him?
    If your sins are many, what does that do to him?(F)
If you are righteous, what do you give to him,(G)
    or what does he receive(H) from your hand?(I)
Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself,(J)
    and your righteousness only other people.(K)

“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)

36 Elihu continued:

“Bear with me a little longer and I will show you
    that there is more to be said in God’s behalf.
I get my knowledge from afar;(AE)
    I will ascribe justice to my Maker.(AF)
Be assured that my words are not false;(AG)
    one who has perfect knowledge(AH) is with you.(AI)

“God is mighty,(AJ) but despises no one;(AK)
    he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.(AL)
He does not keep the wicked alive(AM)
    but gives the afflicted their rights.(AN)
He does not take his eyes off the righteous;(AO)
    he enthrones them with kings(AP)
    and exalts them forever.(AQ)
But if people are bound in chains,(AR)
    held fast by cords of affliction,(AS)
he tells them what they have done—
    that they have sinned arrogantly.(AT)
10 He makes them listen(AU) to correction(AV)
    and commands them to repent of their evil.(AW)
11 If they obey and serve him,(AX)
    they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity(AY)
    and their years in contentment.(AZ)
12 But if they do not listen,
    they will perish by the sword[e](BA)
    and die without knowledge.(BB)

13 “The godless in heart(BC) harbor resentment;(BD)
    even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.(BE)
14 They die in their youth,(BF)
    among male prostitutes of the shrines.(BG)
15 But those who suffer(BH) he delivers in their suffering;(BI)
    he speaks(BJ) to them in their affliction.(BK)

16 “He is wooing(BL) you from the jaws of distress
    to a spacious place(BM) free from restriction,(BN)
    to the comfort of your table(BO) laden with choice food.(BP)
17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked;(BQ)
    judgment and justice have taken hold of you.(BR)
18 Be careful that no one entices you by riches;
    do not let a large bribe(BS) turn you aside.(BT)
19 Would your wealth(BU) or even all your mighty efforts
    sustain you so you would not be in distress?
20 Do not long for the night,(BV)
    to drag people away from their homes.[f]
21 Beware of turning to evil,(BW)
    which you seem to prefer to affliction.(BX)

22 “God is exalted in his power.(BY)
    Who is a teacher like him?(BZ)
23 Who has prescribed his ways(CA) for him,(CB)
    or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?(CC)
24 Remember to extol his work,(CD)
    which people have praised in song.(CE)
25 All humanity has seen it;(CF)
    mortals gaze on it from afar.
26 How great is God—beyond our understanding!(CG)
    The number of his years is past finding out.(CH)

27 “He draws up the drops of water,(CI)
    which distill as rain to the streams[g];(CJ)
28 the clouds pour down their moisture
    and abundant showers(CK) fall on mankind.(CL)
29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds,
    how he thunders(CM) from his pavilion?(CN)
30 See how he scatters his lightning(CO) about him,
    bathing the depths of the sea.(CP)
31 This is the way he governs[h] the nations(CQ)
    and provides food(CR) in abundance.(CS)
32 He fills his hands with lightning
    and commands it to strike its mark.(CT)
33 His thunder announces the coming storm;(CU)
    even the cattle make known its approach.[i](CV)

Footnotes

  1. Job 35:3 Or you
  2. Job 35:11 Or night, / 11 who teaches us by
  3. Job 35:11 Or us wise by
  4. Job 35:15 Symmachus, Theodotion and Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  5. Job 36:12 Or will cross the river
  6. Job 36:20 The meaning of the Hebrew for verses 18-20 is uncertain.
  7. Job 36:27 Or distill from the mist as rain
  8. Job 36:31 Or nourishes
  9. Job 36:33 Or announces his coming— / the One zealous against evil

10 Listen, my son,(A) accept what I say,
    and the years of your life will be many.(B)
11 I instruct(C) you in the way of wisdom
    and lead you along straight paths.(D)
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
    when you run, you will not stumble.(E)
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
    guard it well, for it is your life.(F)
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
    or walk in the way of evildoers.(G)
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
    turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot rest until they do evil;(H)
    they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
    and drink the wine of violence.(I)

18 The path of the righteous(J) is like the morning sun,(K)
    shining ever brighter till the full light of day.(L)
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;(M)
    they do not know what makes them stumble.(N)

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Jesus and John the Baptist(A)

11 After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples,(B) he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.[a]

When John,(C) who was in prison,(D) heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come,(E) or should we expect someone else?”

Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy[b] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.(F) Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”(G)

As John’s(H) disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness(I) to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet?(J) Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written:

“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,(K)
    who will prepare your way before you.’[c](L)

11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence,[d] and violent people have been raiding it. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.(M) 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.(N) 15 Whoever has ears, let them hear.(O)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 11:1 Greek in their towns
  2. Matthew 11:5 The Greek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
  3. Matthew 11:10 Mal. 3:1
  4. Matthew 11:12 Or been forcefully advancing

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