Old/New Testament
The Speech of Elihu
32 So the three men stopped answering Job, because he thought he was right. 2 But Elihu the Buzite was very angry with Job. That’s because Job said he himself was right instead of God. Elihu was the son of Barakel. He was from the family of Ram. 3 Elihu was also very angry with Job’s three friends. They hadn’t found any way to prove that Job was wrong. But they still said he was guilty. 4 Elihu had waited before he spoke to Job. That’s because the others were older than he was. 5 But he saw that the three men didn’t have anything more to say. So he was very angry.
6 Elihu the Buzite, the son of Barakel, said,
“I’m young, and you are old.
So I was afraid to tell you what I know.
7 I thought, ‘Those who are older should speak first.
Those who have lived for many years
should teach people how to be wise.’
8 But the spirit in people gives them understanding.
The breath of the Mighty One gives them wisdom.
9 Older people aren’t the only ones who are wise.
They aren’t the only ones who understand what is right.
10 “So I’m saying you should listen to me.
I’ll tell you what I know.
11 I waited while you men spoke.
I listened to your reasoning.
While you were searching for words,
12 I paid careful attention to you.
But not one of you has proved that Job is wrong.
None of you has answered his arguments.
13 Don’t claim, ‘We have enough wisdom to answer Job.’
Let God, not a mere man, prove that he’s wrong.
14 Job hasn’t directed his words against me.
I won’t answer him with your arguments.
15 “Job, these men are afraid.
They don’t have anything else to say.
They’ve run out of words.
16 Do I have to keep on waiting, now that they are silent?
They are just standing there with nothing to say.
17 I too have something to say.
I too will tell what I know.
18 I’m full of words.
My spirit inside me forces me to speak.
19 Inside I’m like wine that is bottled up.
I’m like new wineskins ready to burst.
20 I must speak so I can feel better.
I must open my mouth and reply.
21 I’ll treat everyone the same.
I won’t praise anyone without meaning it.
22 If I weren’t honest when I praised people,
my Maker would soon take me from this life.
33 “Job, listen now to my words.
Pay attention to everything I say.
2 I’m about to open my mouth.
My words are on the tip of my tongue.
3 What I say comes from an honest heart.
My lips speak only what I know is true.
4 The Spirit of God has made me.
The breath of the Mighty One gives me life.
5 So answer me if you can.
Stand up and argue your case in front of me.
6 To God I’m just the same as you.
I too am a piece of clay.
7 You don’t have to be afraid of me.
My hand won’t be too heavy on you.
8 “But I heard what you said.
And here are the exact words I heard.
9 You said, ‘I’m pure. I have done no wrong.
I’m clean. I’m free from sin.
10 But God has found fault with me.
He thinks I’m his enemy.
11 He puts my feet in chains.
He watches every step I take.’
12 “But I’m telling you that you aren’t right when you talk like that.
After all, God is greater than any human being.
13 Why do you claim that God
never answers anybody’s questions?
14 He speaks in one way and then another.
But we do not even realize it.
15 He might speak in a dream or in a vision at night.
That’s when people are sound asleep in their beds.
16 He might speak in their ears.
His warnings might terrify them.
17 He warns them in order to turn them away from sinning.
He wants to keep them from being proud.
18 He wants to stop them from going down into the grave.
He doesn’t want them to be killed by swords.
19 Someone might be punished by suffering in bed.
The pain in their bones might never go away.
20 They might feel so bad they can’t eat anything.
They might even hate the finest food.
21 Their body might waste away to nothing.
Their bones might have been hidden.
But now they stick out.
22 They might approach the very edge of the grave.
The messengers of death might come for them.
23 “But suppose there is an angel who will speak up for him.
The angel is very special. He’s one out of a thousand.
He will tell that person how to do what is right.
24 That angel will be gracious to them. He’ll say to God,
‘Spare them from going down into the grave.
I know a way that can set them free.’
25 Then their body is made like new again.
They become as strong and healthy as when they were young.
26 Then that person can pray to God and be blessed by him.
They will see God’s face and shout for joy.
God will make them well and happy again.
27 Then that person will come to others and say,
‘I sinned. I made what is wrong appear to be right.
But I wasn’t punished as I should have been.
28 God has set me free. He has kept me from going down into the darkness of the grave.
So I’ll live to enjoy the light of life.’
29 “God does all these things to people.
In fact, he does them again and again.
30 He wants to stop people from going down into the darkness of the grave.
Then the light of life will shine on them.
31 “Pay attention, Job! Listen to me!
Be quiet so I can speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me.
Speak up. I want to help you be cleared of all charges.
33 But if you don’t have anything to say, listen to me.
Be quiet so I can teach you how to be wise.”
Paul and Barnabas Preach in Iconium
14 At Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish synagogue as usual. They spoke there with great power. Large numbers of Jews and Greeks became believers. 2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up some of the Gentiles who were there. They turned them against the two men and the new believers. 3 So Paul and Barnabas spent a lot of time there. They spoke boldly for the Lord. He gave them the ability to do signs and wonders. In this way the Lord showed that they were telling the truth about his grace. 4 The people of the city did not agree with one another. Some were on the side of the Jews. Others were on the side of the apostles. 5 Jews and Gentiles alike planned to treat Paul and Barnabas badly. Their leaders agreed. They planned to kill them by throwing stones at them. 6 But Paul and Barnabas found out about the plan. They escaped to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding area. 7 There they continued to preach the good news.
Paul Preaches in Lystra
8 In Lystra there sat a man who couldn’t walk. He hadn’t been able to use his feet since the day he was born. 9 He listened as Paul spoke. Paul looked right at him. He saw that the man had faith to be healed. 10 So he called out, “Stand up on your feet!” Then the man jumped up and began to walk.
11 The crowd saw what Paul had done. They shouted in the Lycaonian language. “The gods have come down to us in human form!” they exclaimed. 12 They called Barnabas Zeus. Paul was the main speaker. So they called him Hermes. 13 Just outside the city was the temple of the god Zeus. The priest of Zeus brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates. He and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas.
14 But the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard about this. So they tore their clothes. They rushed out into the crowd. They shouted, 15 “Friends, why are you doing this? We are only human, just like you. We are bringing you good news. Turn away from these worthless things. Turn to the living God. He is the one who made the heavens and the earth and the sea. He made everything in them. 16 In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17 But he has given proof of what he is like. He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven. He gives you crops in their seasons. He provides you with plenty of food. He fills your hearts with joy.” 18 Paul and Barnabas told them all these things. But they had trouble keeping the crowd from offering sacrifices to them.
19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium. They won the crowd over to their side. They threw stones at Paul. They thought he was dead, so they dragged him out of the city. 20 The believers gathered around Paul. Then he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.
Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch
21 Paul and Barnabas preached the good news in the city of Derbe. They won large numbers of followers. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch. 22 There they helped the believers gain strength. They told them to remain faithful to what they had been taught. “We must go through many hard times to enter God’s kingdom,” they said. 23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church. The elders had trusted in the Lord. Paul and Barnabas prayed and fasted. They placed the elders in the Lord’s care. 24 After going through Pisidia, Paul and Barnabas came into Pamphylia. 25 They preached the good news in Perga. Then they went down to Attalia.
26 From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch. In Antioch they had been put in God’s care to preach the good news. They had now completed the work God had given them to do. 27 When they arrived at Antioch, they gathered the church together. They reported all that God had done through them. They told how he had opened a way for the Gentiles to believe. 28 And they stayed there a long time with the believers.
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