20 But who are you, O man, (A)to answer back to God? (B)Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?”

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20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God?(A) “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it,(B) ‘Why did you make me like this?’”[a](C)

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Footnotes

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

16 (A)You turn things upside down!
Shall the potter be regarded as the clay,
that the thing made should say of its maker,
    “He did not make me”;
or the thing formed say of him who formed it,
    “He has no understanding”?

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16 You turn things upside down,
    as if the potter were thought to be like the clay!(A)
Shall what is formed say to the one who formed(B) it,
    “You did not make me”?
Can the pot say to the potter,(C)
    “You know nothing”?(D)

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(A)“Woe to him who strives with him who formed him,
    a pot among earthen pots!
(B)Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’
    or ‘Your work has no handles’?
10 Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you begetting?’
    or to a woman, ‘With what are you in labor?’”

11 Thus says (C)the Lord,
    the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him:
(D)“Ask me of things to come;
    will you command me (E)concerning my children and (F)the work of my hands?[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 45:11 A slight emendation yields will you question me about my children, or command me concerning the work of my hands?

“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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(A)But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
    (B)we are the clay, and you are our potter;
    (C)we are all the work of your hand.

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Yet you, Lord, are our Father.(A)
    We are the clay, you are the potter;(B)
    we are all the work of your hand.(C)

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13 Why do you (A)contend against him,
    saying, ‘He (B)will answer none of man's[a] words’?[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Job 33:13 Hebrew his
  2. Job 33:13 Or He will not answer for any of his own words

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

“Shall a faultfinder (A)contend with the Almighty?
    He who argues with God, let him answer it.”

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

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15 (A)Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or (B)do you begrudge my generosity?’[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 20:15 Or is your eye bad because I am good?

15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’(A)

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Shall (A)windy words have an end?
    Or what provokes you that you answer?

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Will your long-winded speeches never end?(A)
    What ails you that you keep on arguing?(B)

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20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

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20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[a]?(A)

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Footnotes

  1. James 2:20 Some early manuscripts dead

and constant friction among people (A)who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, (B)imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

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and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth(A) and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

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20 (A)Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? (B)Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

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20 Where is the wise person?(A) Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age?(B) Has not God made foolish(C) the wisdom of the world?

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“I know that you can (A)do all things,
    and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
(B)‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
    things (C)too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
‘Hear, and I will speak;
    (D)I will question you, and you make it known to me.’
I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,
    but now my eye sees you;
therefore I despise myself,
    and repent[a] in (E)dust and ashes.”

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Footnotes

  1. Job 42:6 Or and am comforted

“I know that you can do all things;(A)
    no purpose of yours can be thwarted.(B)
You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’(C)
    Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
    things too wonderful for me to know.(D)

“You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.’(E)
My ears had heard of you(F)
    but now my eyes have seen you.(G)
Therefore I despise myself(H)
    and repent(I) in dust and ashes.”(J)

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Will you even put me in the wrong?
    Will you condemn me that (A)you may be in the right?

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“Would you discredit my justice?(A)
    Would you condemn me to justify yourself?(B)

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