“Will the one who contends with the Almighty(A) correct him?(B)
    Let him who accuses God answer him!”(C)

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16 for,

“Who has known the mind of the Lord
    so as to instruct him?”[a](A)

But we have the mind of Christ.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 2:16 Isaiah 40:13

14 Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him,
    and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge,(A)
    or showed him the path of understanding?(B)

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34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord?
    Or who has been his counselor?”[a](A)
35 “Who has ever given to God,
    that God should repay them?”[b](B)
36 For from him and through him and for him are all things.(C)
    To him be the glory forever! Amen.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 11:34 Isaiah 40:13
  2. Romans 11:35 Job 41:11

13 Why do you complain to him(A)
    that he responds to no one’s words[a]?(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Job 33:13 Or that he does not answer for any of his actions

19 One of you will say to me:(A) “Then why does God still blame us?(B) For who is able to resist his will?”(C) 20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God?(D) “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it,(E) ‘Why did you make me like this?’”[a](F) 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?(G)

22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience(H) the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?(I) 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory(J) known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory(K)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 9:20 Isaiah 29:16; 45:9

11 When they received it, they began to grumble(A) against the landowner.

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“What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:

“‘The parents eat sour grapes,
    and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?(A)

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He who vindicates(A) me is near.(B)
    Who then will bring charges against me?(C)
    Let us face each other!(D)
Who is my accuser?
    Let him confront me!

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“Woe to those who quarrel(A) with their Maker,(B)
    those who are nothing but potsherds(C)
    among the potsherds on the ground.
Does the clay say to the potter,(D)
    ‘What are you making?’(E)
Does your work say,
    ‘The potter has no hands’?(F)
10 Woe to the one who says to a father,
    ‘What have you begotten?’
or to a mother,
    ‘What have you brought to birth?’

11 “This is what the Lord says—
    the Holy One(G) of Israel, and its Maker:(H)
Concerning things to come,
    do you question me about my children,
    or give me orders about the work of my hands?(I)

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“As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice,(A)
    the Almighty,(B) who has made my life bitter,(C)

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then know that God has wronged me(A)
    and drawn his net(B) around me.(C)

“Though I cry, ‘Violence!’ I get no response;(D)
    though I call for help,(E) there is no justice.(F)
He has blocked my way so I cannot pass;(G)
    he has shrouded my paths in darkness.(H)
He has stripped(I) me of my honor(J)
    and removed the crown from my head.(K)
10 He tears me down(L) on every side till I am gone;
    he uproots my hope(M) like a tree.(N)
11 His anger(O) burns against me;
    he counts me among his enemies.(P)

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16 Surely then you will count my steps(A)
    but not keep track of my sin.(B)
17 My offenses will be sealed(C) up in a bag;(D)
    you will cover over my sin.(E)

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21 Withdraw your hand(A) far from me,
    and stop frightening me with your terrors.(B)
22 Then summon me and I will answer,(C)
    or let me speak, and you reply to me.(D)
23 How many wrongs and sins have I committed?(E)
    Show me my offense and my sin.(F)
24 Why do you hide your face(G)
    and consider me your enemy?(H)
25 Will you torment(I) a windblown leaf?(J)
    Will you chase(K) after dry chaff?(L)
26 For you write down bitter things against me
    and make me reap the sins of my youth.(M)
27 You fasten my feet in shackles;(N)
    you keep close watch on all my paths(O)
    by putting marks on the soles of my feet.

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Does it please you to oppress me,(A)
    to spurn the work of your hands,(B)
    while you smile on the plans of the wicked?(C)
Do you have eyes of flesh?
    Do you see as a mortal sees?(D)
Are your days like those of a mortal
    or your years like those of a strong man,(E)
that you must search out my faults
    and probe after my sin(F)
though you know that I am not guilty(G)
    and that no one can rescue me from your hand?(H)

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17 He would crush me(A) with a storm(B)
    and multiply(C) my wounds for no reason.(D)
18 He would not let me catch my breath
    but would overwhelm me with misery.(E)

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Though they wished to dispute with him,(A)
    they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.(B)

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23 Why is life given to a man
    whose way is hidden,(A)
    whom God has hedged in?(B)

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20 “Why is light given to those in misery,
    and life to the bitter of soul,(A)

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10 Whatever exists has already been named,(A)
    and what humanity is has been known;
no one can contend
    with someone who is stronger.

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21 You turn on me ruthlessly;(A)
    with the might of your hand(B) you attack me.(C)

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11 God has turned me over to the ungodly
    and thrown me into the clutches of the wicked.(A)
12 All was well with me, but he shattered me;
    he seized me by the neck and crushed me.(B)
He has made me his target;(C)
13     his archers surround me.(D)
Without pity, he pierces(E) my kidneys
    and spills my gall on the ground.
14 Again and again(F) he bursts upon me;
    he rushes at me like a warrior.(G)

15 “I have sewed sackcloth(H) over my skin
    and buried my brow in the dust.(I)
16 My face is red with weeping,(J)
    dark shadows ring my eyes;(K)
17 yet my hands have been free of violence(L)
    and my prayer is pure.(M)

18 “Earth, do not cover my blood;(N)
    may my cry(O) never be laid to rest!(P)
19 Even now my witness(Q) is in heaven;(R)
    my advocate is on high.(S)
20 My intercessor(T) is my friend[a](U)
    as my eyes pour out(V) tears(W) to God;
21 on behalf of a man he pleads(X) with God
    as one pleads for a friend.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 16:20 Or My friends treat me with scorn

14 If I sinned, you would be watching me(A)
    and would not let my offense go unpunished.(B)
15 If I am guilty(C)—woe to me!(D)
    Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head,(E)
for I am full of shame
    and drowned in[a] my affliction.(F)
16 If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion(G)
    and again display your awesome power against me.(H)
17 You bring new witnesses against me(I)
    and increase your anger toward me;(J)
    your forces come against me wave upon wave.(K)

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Footnotes

  1. Job 10:15 Or and aware of

32 “He is not a mere mortal(A) like me that I might answer him,(B)
    that we might confront each other in court.(C)
33 If only there were someone to mediate between us,(D)
    someone to bring us together,(E)
34 someone to remove God’s rod from me,(F)
    so that his terror would frighten me no more.(G)
35 Then I would speak up without fear of him,(H)
    but as it now stands with me, I cannot.(I)

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