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28 “Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they refine it.

Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is smelted out of the stone.

Man setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection, the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.

The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant, even the waters forgotten by the foot; they are dried up, they are gone away from men.

As for the earth, out of it cometh bread, and under it is turned up as it were fire.

The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold.

There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen.

The lion’s whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.

Man putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots;

10 he cutteth out rivers among the rocks, and his eye seeth every precious thing;

11 he bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.

12 But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?

13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

14 The deep saith, ‘It is not in me’; and the sea saith, ‘It is not with me.’

15 It cannot be gotten for gold; neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx or the sapphire.

17 The gold and the crystal cannot equal it; and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

18 No mention shall be made of coral or of pearls, for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it; neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

20 “Whence then cometh wisdom? And where is the place of understanding—

21 seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air?

22 Destruction and death say, ‘We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.’

23 God understandeth the way thereof, and He knoweth the place thereof.

24 For He looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven,

25 to make the weight for the winds, and He weigheth the waters by measure.

26 When He made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder,

27 then did He see it and declare it; He prepared it, yea, and searched it out.

28 And unto man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord: that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.’”

29 Moreover Job continued his parable and said:

“Oh, that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;

when His candle shone upon my head, and when by His light I walked through darkness,

as I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;

when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;

when I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;

when I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!

The young men saw me and hid themselves, and the aged arose and stood up.

The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.

10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me;

12 because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless and him that had none to help him.

13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.

15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.

16 I was a father to the poor, and the cause which I knew not I searched out.

17 And I broke the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.

18 “Then I said, ‘I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.’

19 My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.

20 My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.

21 “Unto me men gave ear and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.

22 After my words they spoke not again, and my speech dropped upon them.

23 And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.

24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not, and the light of my countenance they cast not down.

25 I chose out their way and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.

Interlude: Where Wisdom Is Found

28 There is a mine for silver
    and a place where gold is refined.(A)
Iron is taken from the earth,
    and copper is smelted from ore.(B)
Mortals put an end to the darkness;(C)
    they search out the farthest recesses
    for ore in the blackest darkness.(D)
Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft,(E)
    in places untouched by human feet;
    far from other people they dangle and sway.
The earth, from which food comes,(F)
    is transformed below as by fire;
lapis lazuli(G) comes from its rocks,
    and its dust contains nuggets of gold.(H)
No bird of prey knows that hidden path,
    no falcon’s eye has seen it.(I)
Proud beasts(J) do not set foot on it,
    and no lion prowls there.(K)
People assault the flinty rock(L) with their hands
    and lay bare the roots of the mountains.(M)
10 They tunnel through the rock;(N)
    their eyes see all its treasures.(O)
11 They search[a] the sources of the rivers(P)
    and bring hidden things(Q) to light.

12 But where can wisdom be found?(R)
    Where does understanding dwell?(S)
13 No mortal comprehends its worth;(T)
    it cannot be found in the land of the living.(U)
14 The deep(V) says, “It is not in me”;
    the sea(W) says, “It is not with me.”
15 It cannot be bought with the finest gold,
    nor can its price be weighed out in silver.(X)
16 It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir,(Y)
    with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.(Z)
17 Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it,(AA)
    nor can it be had for jewels of gold.(AB)
18 Coral(AC) and jasper(AD) are not worthy of mention;
    the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.(AE)
19 The topaz(AF) of Cush(AG) cannot compare with it;
    it cannot be bought with pure gold.(AH)

20 Where then does wisdom come from?
    Where does understanding dwell?(AI)
21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
    concealed even from the birds in the sky.(AJ)
22 Destruction[b](AK) and Death(AL) say,
    “Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.”
23 God understands the way to it
    and he alone(AM) knows where it dwells,(AN)
24 for he views the ends of the earth(AO)
    and sees everything under the heavens.(AP)
25 When he established the force of the wind
    and measured out the waters,(AQ)
26 when he made a decree for the rain(AR)
    and a path for the thunderstorm,(AS)
27 then he looked at wisdom and appraised it;
    he confirmed it and tested it.(AT)
28 And he said to the human race,
    “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
    and to shun evil(AU) is understanding.”(AV)

Job’s Final Defense

29 Job continued his discourse:(AW)

“How I long for the months gone by,(AX)
    for the days when God watched over me,(AY)
when his lamp shone on my head
    and by his light I walked through darkness!(AZ)
Oh, for the days when I was in my prime,
    when God’s intimate friendship(BA) blessed my house,(BB)
when the Almighty was still with me
    and my children(BC) were around me,(BD)
when my path was drenched with cream(BE)
    and the rock(BF) poured out for me streams of olive oil.(BG)

“When I went to the gate(BH) of the city
    and took my seat in the public square,
the young men saw me and stepped aside(BI)
    and the old men rose to their feet;(BJ)
the chief men refrained from speaking(BK)
    and covered their mouths with their hands;(BL)
10 the voices of the nobles were hushed,(BM)
    and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.(BN)
11 Whoever heard me spoke well of me,
    and those who saw me commended me,(BO)
12 because I rescued the poor(BP) who cried for help,
    and the fatherless(BQ) who had none to assist them.(BR)
13 The one who was dying blessed me;(BS)
    I made the widow’s(BT) heart sing.
14 I put on righteousness(BU) as my clothing;
    justice was my robe and my turban.(BV)
15 I was eyes(BW) to the blind
    and feet to the lame.(BX)
16 I was a father to the needy;(BY)
    I took up the case(BZ) of the stranger.(CA)
17 I broke the fangs of the wicked
    and snatched the victims(CB) from their teeth.(CC)

18 “I thought, ‘I will die in my own house,
    my days as numerous as the grains of sand.(CD)
19 My roots will reach to the water,(CE)
    and the dew will lie all night on my branches.(CF)
20 My glory will not fade;(CG)
    the bow(CH) will be ever new in my hand.’(CI)

21 “People listened to me expectantly,
    waiting in silence for my counsel.(CJ)
22 After I had spoken, they spoke no more;(CK)
    my words fell gently on their ears.(CL)
23 They waited for me as for showers
    and drank in my words as the spring rain.(CM)
24 When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it;
    the light of my face(CN) was precious to them.[c](CO)
25 I chose the way for them and sat as their chief;(CP)
    I dwelt as a king(CQ) among his troops;
    I was like one who comforts mourners.(CR)

Footnotes

  1. Job 28:11 Septuagint, Aquila and Vulgate; Hebrew They dam up
  2. Job 28:22 Hebrew Abaddon
  3. Job 29:24 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.

13 Now there were in the church at Antioch certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene,and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

And when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia, and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

And when they were at Salamis, they preached the Word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had also John in their ministry.

And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus.

He was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the Word of God.

But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

Then Saul (who also is called Paul), filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him

10 and said, “O, full of all guile and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season.” And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness, and he went about seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

13 Now when Paul and his company cast loose from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem.

14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down.

15 And after the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, “Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.”

16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said: “Men of Israel and ye that fear God, give audience!

17 The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm He brought them out of it.

18 And for about forty years, He suffered their ways in the wilderness.

19 And when He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He divided their land among them by lot.

20 And after that, He gave unto them judges for about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.

21 And afterward they desired a king, and God gave unto them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for the space of forty years.

22 And when He had removed him, He raised up unto them David to be their king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after Mine own heart, who shall fulfill all My will.’

23 Of this man’s seed hath God, according to His promise, raised unto Israel a Savior, Jesus.

24 John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

25 And as John was fulfilling his course, he said, ‘Whom think ye that I am? I am not He. But behold, there cometh One after me, the shoes of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.’

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13 Now in the church at Antioch(A) there were prophets(B) and teachers:(C) Barnabas,(D) Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,(E) Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod(F) the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,(G) “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work(H) to which I have called them.”(I) So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them(J) and sent them off.(K)

On Cyprus

The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit,(L) went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.(M) When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God(N) in the Jewish synagogues.(O) John(P) was with them as their helper.

They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer(Q) and false prophet(R) named Bar-Jesus, who was an attendant of the proconsul,(S) Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer(T) (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul(U) from the faith.(V) Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit,(W) looked straight at Elymas and said, 10 “You are a child of the devil(X) and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?(Y) 11 Now the hand of the Lord is against you.(Z) You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.”(AA)

Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 When the proconsul(AB) saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

In Pisidian Antioch

13 From Paphos,(AC) Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia,(AD) where John(AE) left them to return to Jerusalem. 14 From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch.(AF) On the Sabbath(AG) they entered the synagogue(AH) and sat down. 15 After the reading from the Law(AI) and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.”

16 Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand(AJ) and said: “Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! 17 The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt; with mighty power he led them out of that country;(AK) 18 for about forty years he endured their conduct[a](AL) in the wilderness;(AM) 19 and he overthrew seven nations in Canaan,(AN) giving their land to his people(AO) as their inheritance.(AP) 20 All this took about 450 years.

“After this, God gave them judges(AQ) until the time of Samuel the prophet.(AR) 21 Then the people asked for a king,(AS) and he gave them Saul(AT) son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin,(AU) who ruled forty years. 22 After removing Saul,(AV) he made David their king.(AW) God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart;(AX) he will do everything I want him to do.’(AY)

23 “From this man’s descendants(AZ) God has brought to Israel the Savior(BA) Jesus,(BB) as he promised.(BC) 24 Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel.(BD) 25 As John was completing his work,(BE) he said: ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one you are looking for.(BF) But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’(BG)

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 13:18 Some manuscripts he cared for them