Old/New Testament
Job Continues to Argue His Case with God
14 “A human being born of a woman
is short of days and full of troubles.[a]
2 Like a flower he comes up, and he withers away;
and he flees like a[b] shadow, but[c] he does not last.
3 Even on such a one you fix your eyes,
and you bring me into judgment with you.
4 “Who can bring a clean thing from an unclean thing?
No one![d]
5 If his days are determined, the number of his months is with you;
you have appointed his boundaries, and he cannot cross them.
6 Look away from him, and let him desist
until he enjoys his days like a laborer.
7 “Indeed, there is hope for a tree:
if it is cut down, then[e] it will sprout again,
and its new shoots will not cease;
8 though its root grows old in the earth,
and its stump dies in the dust,
9 at[f] the scent of water it will bud,
and it will put forth branches like a young plant.
10 “But[g] a man dies, and he dwindles away;
thus[h] a human being passes away, and where is he?[i]
11 As water disappears from a lake,
and a river withers away and dries up,[j]
12 so[k] a man lies down, and he does not arise.
Until the heavens are no more,[l] they will not awaken,
and they will not be roused out of their sleep.
13 “O that[m] you would conceal me in Sheol,
that you would hide me until your wrath is past,[n]
that you would appoint a set time for me and remember me.
14 If a man dies, will he live again?
All the days of my compulsory service I will wait,
until the coming of my relief.
15 You would call, and I myself[o] would answer you;
you would long for the work of your hand.
16 For then[p] you would count my steps,
but you would not keep watch over my sin.
17 My transgression would be sealed in a bag,
and you would cover over my guilt.
18 “But[q] a mountain falls; it crumbles away,
and a rock moves away from its place.
19 Water wears away stones;
its torrents wash away the soil of the earth;
so[r] you destroy the hope of human beings.
20 You overpower him forever, and he passes away;
you change his countenance,[s] then[t] you send him away.
21 His children may come to honor, but[u] he does not know it;
or[v] they may become lowly, but[w] he does not realize it.[x]
22 He feels only the pain of his own body,[y]
and his inner self[z] mourns for him.”[aa]
Eliphaz’s Second Response to Job
15 Then[ab] Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 “Should the wise answer with windy knowledge,
and should he fill his stomach with the east wind?
3 Should he argue in talk that is not profitable
or in words with which he cannot do good?
4 “What is worse,[ac] you yourself[ad] are doing away with fear,
and you are lessening meditation before[ae] God.
5 For your iniquity teaches your mouth,
and you choose the tongue of the crafty.
6 Your mouth condemns you, and not I;
and your lips testify against you.
7 “Were you born the firstborn of the human race?
And were you brought forth before[af] the hills?
8 Have you listened in God’s confidential discussion?
And do you limit wisdom to yourself?
9 What do you know that we do not know?
What do you understand that is not clear to us?
10 Both the gray-haired and the old are among us—
those older than your father.[ag]
11 “Are the consolations of God too small for you,
a word spoken gently with you?
12 Why does your heart carry you away?
And why do your eyes flash,
13 that you turn your spirit against God,
and you let such words go out of your mouth?
14 “What is a human being, that he can be clean,
or[ah] that one born of a woman can be righteous?
15 Look, he does not trust his holy ones,
and the heavens are not clean in his eyes.
16 How much less[ai] he who is abominable and corrupt,[aj]
a man drinking wickedness like water.
17 “I will show you, listen to me;
and what I have seen, I will tell[ak]—
18 what wise men have told,
and they have not hidden that which is from their ancestors,
19 to whom alone[al] the land was given,
and no stranger passed through their midst.
20 “All of the wicked one’s days he is writhing,
even[am] through the number of years that are laid up for the tyrant.
21 Sounds of terror are in his ears;
in prosperity the destroyer will come against him.
22 He cannot trust that he will return[an] from darkness,
and he himself[ao] is destined for the sword.
23 “He is wandering for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’
He knows that a day of darkness is ready at hand.[ap]
24 Anguish and distress terrify him;
they[aq] overpower him like a king ready for the battle.
25 Because he stretched out his hand against God,
and he was arrogant to Shaddai;
26 he stubbornly[ar] runs against him
with his thick-bossed shield.[as]
27 “Because he has covered his face with his fat
and has gathered fat upon his loins,
28 he will dwell[at] in desolate cities,
in houses that they should not inhabit,
which are destined for rubble.
29 He will not become rich, and his wealth will not endure,
and their possessions will not stretch across the earth.[au]
30 “He will not escape from darkness;
a flame will dry up his new shoot,
and by the wind of his mouth he shall be removed.
31 Let him not trust in emptiness—he will be deceiving himself—
for worthlessness will be his recompense.
32 It will be paid in full before his time,[av]
and his branch will not flourish.
33 “He will shake off his unripe fruit like the vine,
and he will cast off his blossom like the olive tree;
34 for the company of the godless is barren,
and fire consumes the tents of those who accept bribes.
35 They conceive trouble and bring forth mischief,
and their womb prepares deceit.”
Job’s Fifth Speech
16 Then[aw] Job answered and said,
2 “I have heard many things like these;
all of you are miserable comforters.[ax]
3 Is there a limit to windy words?
What provokes you that you answer?
4 I myself[ay] also could talk as you,
if you were in my place;[az]
I could join against you with words,
and I could shake at you with my head.
5 I could[ba] encourage you with my mouth,
and the solace of my lips would[bb] ease the pain.
6 If I speak, my pain is not relieved;
and if I cease, how much will leave me?
7 “Surely now he has worn me out;
you[bc] have devastated all my company.
8 Thus[bd] you shriveled me up;[be]
it became a witness.
And my leanness has risen up against me;
it testifies to my face.
9 His wrath has torn, and he has been hostile toward me;
he gnashed at me with his teeth.
My foe sharpens his eyes against me.
10 They gaped at me with their mouth;
they struck my cheeks with disgrace;
they have massed themselves together against me.
11 God delivers me to an evil one,
and he casts me into the hands of the wicked.
12 “I was at ease, then[bf] he broke me in two,
and he seized me by my neck;
then[bg] he shattered me
and set me up as a target for him.
13 His archers surround me;
he slashes open my kidneys, and he does not have compassion;
he pours out my gall on the ground.
14 He breached me breach upon breach;[bh]
he rushes at me like a warrior.
15 “I have sewed sackcloth on my skin,
and I have inserted my pride[bi] in the dust.
16 My face is red because of weeping,
and deep shadows are on my eyelids,
17 although[bj] violence is not on my hands,
and my prayer is pure.
18 “O earth, you should not cover my blood,
and let there be no place[bk] for my cry for help.
19 So now look, my witness is in the heavens,
and he who vouches for me is in the heights.
20 My friends scorn me;
my eye pours out tears to God,
21 and it argues[bl] for a mortal with God,
and as a human[bm] for his friend.
22 Indeed, after a few years[bn] have come,
then[bo] I will go the way from which I will not return.
22 But Saul was increasing in strength even more, and was confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by[a] proving that this one is the Christ.[b]
23 And when many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted to do away with him. 24 But their plot became known to Saul, and they were also watching the gates both day and night so that they could do away with him. 25 But his disciples took him[c] at night and[d] let him down through the wall by[e] lowering him[f] in a basket.
Saul in Jerusalem
26 And when he[g] arrived in Jerusalem, he was attempting to associate with the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, because they[h] did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and[i] brought him[j] to the apostles and related to them how he had seen the Lord on the road and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 And he was going in and going out among them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 And he was speaking and debating with the Greek-speaking Jews,[k] but they were trying to do away with him. 30 And when[l] the brothers found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.
31 Then the church throughout all of Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being strengthened. And living in the fear of the Lord and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it was increasing in numbers.[m]
Aeneas Healed
32 Now it happened that as[n] Peter was traveling through all the places,[o] he also came down to the saints who lived in Lydda. 33 And he found there a certain man named[p] Aeneas who was paralyzed, who had been lying on a mat[q] for eight years. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and make your bed yourself!” And immediately he got up. 35 And all those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him, who all[r] indeed turned to the Lord.
Dorcas Raised
36 Now in Joppa there was a certain female disciple named[s] Tabitha (which translated means “Dorcas”).[t] She was full of good deeds and charitable giving which she was constantly doing.[u] 37 Now it happened that in those days after[v] becoming sick, she died. And after[w] washing her,[x] they placed her in an upstairs room. 38 And because[y] Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, when they[z] heard that Peter was in Lydda,[aa] sent two men to him, urging, “Do not delay to come to us!” 39 So Peter got up and[ab] accompanied them. When he[ac] arrived, they brought him[ad] up to the upstairs room, and all the widows came to him, weeping and showing him[ae] tunics and other clothing that Dorcas used to make while she[af] was with them. 40 But Peter sent them all outside, and, falling to his[ag] knees, he prayed. And turning toward the body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” And she opened her eyes, and when she[ah] saw Peter, she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and[ai] raised her up. And he called the saints and the widows and[aj] presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And it happened that he stayed many days in Joppa with a certain Simon, a tanner.[ak]
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