Bildad Says Mankind Is Inferior

25 Then Bildad the Shuhite responded,

(A)Dominion and awe [a]belong to Him
Who makes peace in (B)His heights.
Is there any number to (C)His troops?
And upon whom does His light not rise?
How then can mankind be (D)righteous with God?
Or how can anyone who is born of woman be (E)pure?
If even (F)the moon has no brightness
And the (G)stars are not pure in His sight,
How much less (H)man, that (I)maggot,
And a son of man, that worm!”

Job Rebukes Bildad

26 Then Job responded,

“What a help you are to [b](J)the weak!
You have saved the arm (K)without strength!
What advice you have given to one without wisdom!
What helpful insight you have abundantly [c]provided!
To whom have you uttered words?
And whose [d]spirit was expressed through you?

The Greatness of God

“The [e](L)departed spirits are made to tremble
Under the waters and their inhabitants.
[f](M)Sheol is naked before Him,
And [g](N)Abaddon has no covering.
He (O)stretches out the north over empty space
And hangs the earth on nothing.
He (P)wraps up the waters in His clouds,
And the cloud does not burst under them.
He [h](Q)obscures the face of the [i]full moon
And spreads His cloud over it.
10 He has inscribed a (R)circle on the surface of the waters
At the (S)boundary of light and darkness.
11 The pillars of heaven tremble
And are amazed at His rebuke.
12 With His power He (T)quieted the sea,
And by His (U)understanding He shattered [j](V)Rahab.
13 By His breath the (W)heavens are [k]cleared;
His hand has pierced (X)the fleeing serpent.
14 Behold, these are the fringes of His ways;
And how faint (Y)a word we hear of Him!
But His mighty (Z)thunder, who can understand?”

Job Affirms His Righteousness

27 Job again took up his (AA)discourse and said,

“As God lives, (AB)who has taken away my right,
And the Almighty, (AC)who has embittered my soul,
For as long as [l]life is in me,
And the [m](AD)breath of God is in my nostrils,
My lips certainly will not speak unjustly,
Nor will (AE)my tongue mutter deceit.
Far be it from me that I should declare you right;
Until I die, (AF)I will not [n]give up my integrity.
I have (AG)kept hold of my righteousness and will not let it go.
My heart does not rebuke any of my days.

The State of the Godless

“May my enemy be as the wicked,
And [o]my opponent as the criminal.
For what is (AH)the hope of the godless when he makes an end of life,
When God requires (AI)his [p]life?
Will God (AJ)hear his cry
When (AK)distress comes upon him?
10 Or will he take (AL)pleasure in the Almighty?
Will he call on God at all times?
11 I will instruct you in the [q]power of God;
What is with the Almighty I will not conceal.
12 Behold, all of you have seen it;
Why then do you talk of nothing?

13 “This is (AM)the portion of a wicked person from God,
And the inheritance which (AN)tyrants receive from the Almighty:
14 Though his sons are many, [r]they are destined (AO)for the sword;
And his (AP)descendants will not be satisfied with bread.
15 His survivors will be buried because of the plague,
And [s]their (AQ)widows will not be able to weep.
16 Though he piles up silver like dust,
And prepares garments as plentiful as the clay,
17 He may prepare it, (AR)but the righteous will wear it
And the innocent will divide the silver.
18 He has built his (AS)house like the [t]spider’s web,
Or a hut which the watchman has made.
19 He lies down rich, but never [u]again;
He opens his eyes, and (AT)it no longer exists.
20 (AU)Terrors overtake him like a flood;
A storm steals him away (AV)in the night.
21 The east (AW)wind carries him away, and he is gone;
For it sweeps him (AX)away from his place.
22 For it will hurl at him (AY)without mercy;
He will certainly try to (AZ)flee from its [v]power.
23 People will [w]clap their hands at him,
And will (BA)whistle at him from their places.

Footnotes

  1. Job 25:2 Lit are with Him
  2. Job 26:2 Lit no strength
  3. Job 26:3 Lit made known
  4. Job 26:4 Lit breath has gone forth
  5. Job 26:5 Or shades; Heb Rephaim
  6. Job 26:6 I.e., the netherworld
  7. Job 26:6 I.e., the place of destruction
  8. Job 26:9 Lit covers
  9. Job 26:9 Or throne
  10. Job 26:12 I.e., a sea monster, not to be confused with Rahab in Joshua 2
  11. Job 26:13 Lit beauty
  12. Job 27:3 Lit breath
  13. Job 27:3 Or spirit
  14. Job 27:5 Lit remove from me
  15. Job 27:7 Lit one who rises up against me
  16. Job 27:8 Or soul
  17. Job 27:11 Lit hand
  18. Job 27:14 Lit the sword is for them
  19. Job 27:15 As in ancient versions; Heb his
  20. Job 27:18 As in ancient versions; Heb moth
  21. Job 27:19 As in ancient versions; Heb will be gathered
  22. Job 27:22 Lit hand
  23. Job 27:23 I.e., mock and ridicule him

Bildad

25 Then Bildad the Shuhite(A) replied:

“Dominion and awe belong to God;(B)
    he establishes order in the heights of heaven.(C)
Can his forces be numbered?
    On whom does his light not rise?(D)
How then can a mortal be righteous before God?
    How can one born of woman be pure?(E)
If even the moon(F) is not bright
    and the stars are not pure in his eyes,(G)
how much less a mortal, who is but a maggot—
    a human being,(H) who is only a worm!”(I)

Job

26 Then Job replied:

“How you have helped the powerless!(J)
    How you have saved the arm that is feeble!(K)
What advice you have offered to one without wisdom!
    And what great insight(L) you have displayed!
Who has helped you utter these words?
    And whose spirit spoke from your mouth?(M)

“The dead are in deep anguish,(N)
    those beneath the waters and all that live in them.
The realm of the dead(O) is naked before God;
    Destruction[a](P) lies uncovered.(Q)
He spreads out the northern skies(R) over empty space;
    he suspends the earth over nothing.(S)
He wraps up the waters(T) in his clouds,(U)
    yet the clouds do not burst under their weight.
He covers the face of the full moon,
    spreading his clouds(V) over it.
10 He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters(W)
    for a boundary between light and darkness.(X)
11 The pillars of the heavens quake,(Y)
    aghast at his rebuke.
12 By his power he churned up the sea;(Z)
    by his wisdom(AA) he cut Rahab(AB) to pieces.
13 By his breath the skies(AC) became fair;
    his hand pierced the gliding serpent.(AD)
14 And these are but the outer fringe of his works;
    how faint the whisper(AE) we hear of him!(AF)
    Who then can understand the thunder of his power?”(AG)

Job’s Final Word to His Friends

27 And Job continued his discourse:(AH)

“As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice,(AI)
    the Almighty,(AJ) who has made my life bitter,(AK)
as long as I have life within me,
    the breath of God(AL) in my nostrils,
my lips will not say anything wicked,
    and my tongue will not utter lies.(AM)
I will never admit you are in the right;
    till I die, I will not deny my integrity.(AN)
I will maintain my innocence(AO) and never let go of it;
    my conscience(AP) will not reproach me as long as I live.(AQ)

“May my enemy be like the wicked,(AR)
    my adversary(AS) like the unjust!
For what hope have the godless(AT) when they are cut off,
    when God takes away their life?(AU)
Does God listen to their cry
    when distress comes upon them?(AV)
10 Will they find delight in the Almighty?(AW)
    Will they call on God at all times?

11 “I will teach you about the power of God;
    the ways(AX) of the Almighty I will not conceal.(AY)
12 You have all seen this yourselves.
    Why then this meaningless talk?

13 “Here is the fate God allots to the wicked,
    the heritage a ruthless man receives from the Almighty:(AZ)
14 However many his children,(BA) their fate is the sword;(BB)
    his offspring will never have enough to eat.(BC)
15 The plague will bury those who survive him,
    and their widows will not weep for them.(BD)
16 Though he heaps up silver like dust(BE)
    and clothes like piles of clay,(BF)
17 what he lays up(BG) the righteous will wear,(BH)
    and the innocent will divide his silver.(BI)
18 The house(BJ) he builds is like a moth’s cocoon,(BK)
    like a hut(BL) made by a watchman.
19 He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more;(BM)
    when he opens his eyes, all is gone.(BN)
20 Terrors(BO) overtake him like a flood;(BP)
    a tempest snatches him away in the night.(BQ)
21 The east wind(BR) carries him off, and he is gone;(BS)
    it sweeps him out of his place.(BT)
22 It hurls itself against him without mercy(BU)
    as he flees headlong(BV) from its power.(BW)
23 It claps its hands(BX) in derision
    and hisses him out of his place.”(BY)

Footnotes

  1. Job 26:6 Hebrew Abaddon

Peter’s Arrest and Deliverance

12 Now about that time [a]Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church, to do them harm. And he (A)had James the brother of John (B)executed with a sword. When he saw that it (C)pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter as well. (Now these were [b](D)the days of Unleavened Bread.) When he had arrested him, he put him in prison, turning him over to four [c](E)squads of soldiers to guard him, intending only after (F)the Passover to bring him before the people. So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made to God [d]intensely by the church.

On [e]the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, (G)bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison. And behold, (H)an angel of the Lord suddenly (I)stood near Peter, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And (J)his chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, “Put on your belt and [f]strap on your sandals.” And he did so. And he *said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” And he went out and continued to follow, and yet he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing (K)a vision. 10 Now when they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which (L)opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. 11 When Peter (M)came [g]to himself, he said, “Now I know for sure that (N)the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all [h]that the Jewish people were expecting.” 12 And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of (O)John, who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and (P)were praying. 13 When he knocked at the door of the gate, (Q)a slave woman named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, (R)because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate. 15 They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. They said, “It is (S)his angel.” 16 But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed. 17 But (T)motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to [i](U)James and (V)the brothers.” Then he left and went to another place.

18 Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers as to [j]what could have become of Peter. 19 When Herod had searched for him and had not found him, he examined the guards and ordered that they (W)be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to (X)Caesarea and was spending time there.

Death of Herod

20 Now he was very angry with the people of (Y)Tyre and Sidon; and with one mind they came to him, and having won over Blastus the king’s chamberlain, they were asking for peace, because (Z)their country was supported with grain from the king’s country. 21 On an appointed day, after putting on his royal apparel, Herod took his seat on the [k]rostrum and began delivering an address to them. 22 The people repeatedly cried out, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 23 And immediately (AA)an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and [l]died.

24 But (AB)the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.

25 And (AC)Barnabas and (AD)Saul returned (AE)when they had fulfilled their [m]mission to Jerusalem, taking along with them (AF)John, who was also called Mark.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 12:1 I.e., Herod Agrippa I
  2. Acts 12:3 I.e., Passover week
  3. Acts 12:4 Lit quaternions; a quaternion was composed of four soldiers
  4. Acts 12:5 Or constantly
  5. Acts 12:6 Lit that night
  6. Acts 12:8 Lit bind
  7. Acts 12:11 Lit in himself
  8. Acts 12:11 Lit the expectation of the people of the Jews
  9. Acts 12:17 Or Jacob
  10. Acts 12:18 Lit what therefore had become
  11. Acts 12:21 Or judgment seat
  12. Acts 12:23 Lit expired
  13. Acts 12:25 Lit ministry

Peter’s Miraculous Escape From Prison

12 It was about this time that King Herod(A) arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John,(B) put to death with the sword.(C) When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews,(D) he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread.(E) After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.(F)

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.(G)

The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains,(H) and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel(I) of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.(J)

Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.(K) 10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself,(L) and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

11 Then Peter came to himself(M) and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me(N) from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”

12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark,(O) where many people had gathered and were praying.(P) 13 Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door.(Q) 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed(R) she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”

15 “You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”(S)

16 But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17 Peter motioned with his hand(T) for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James(U) and the other brothers and sisters(V) about this,” he said, and then he left for another place.

18 In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. 19 After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed.(W)

Herod’s Death

Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea(X) and stayed there. 20 He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon;(Y) they now joined together and sought an audience with him. After securing the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king’s country for their food supply.(Z)

21 On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. 22 They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” 23 Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel(AA) of the Lord struck him down,(AB) and he was eaten by worms and died.

24 But the word of God(AC) continued to spread and flourish.(AD)

Barnabas and Saul Sent Off

25 When Barnabas(AE) and Saul had finished their mission,(AF) they returned from[a] Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.(AG)

Footnotes

  1. Acts 12:25 Some manuscripts to