Old/New Testament
34 Elihu answered (continued his discourse) and said,
2 Hear my words, you wise men, and give ear to me, you who have [so much] knowledge.
3 For the ear tries words as the palate tastes food.
4 Let us choose for ourselves that which is right; let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 For Job has said, I am [innocent and uncompromisingly] righteous, but God has taken away my right;(A)
6 Would I lie against my right? Yet, notwithstanding my right, I am counted a liar. My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.
7 What man is like Job, who drinks up scoffing and scorning like water,
8 Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity and walks with wicked men?
9 For he has said, It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God and consent to Him.
10 Therefore hear me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God that He should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that He should commit iniquity.
11 For according to the deeds of a man God will [exactly] proportion his pay, and He will cause every man to find [recompense] according to his ways.
12 Truly God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert justice.
13 Who put [God] in charge over the earth? Or who laid on Him the whole world?
14 If [God] should set His heart upon him [man] and withdraw His [life-giving] spirit and His breath [from man] to Himself,
15 All flesh would perish together, and man would turn again to dust.(B)
16 If now you have understanding, hear this; listen to my words.
17 Is it possible that an enemy of right should govern? And will you condemn Him Who is just and mighty?
18 [God] Who says to a king, You are worthless and vile, or to princes and nobles, You are ungodly and evil?
19 [God] is not partial to princes, nor does He regard the rich more than the poor, for they all are the work of His hands.
20 In a moment they die; even at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no [human] hand.
21 For [God’s] eyes are upon the ways of a man, and He sees all his steps.(C)
22 There is no darkness nor thick gloom where the evildoers may hide themselves.
23 [God] sets before man no appointed time, that he should appear before [Him] in judgment.
24 He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry [before a jury] and in ways past finding out and sets others in their stead.(D)
25 Therefore He takes knowledge of their works, and He overturns them in the night, so that they are crushed and destroyed.
26 God strikes them down as wicked men in the open sight of beholders,
27 Because they turned aside from Him and would not consider or show regard for any of His ways,(E)
28 So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him, and He heard the cry of the afflicted.(F)
29 When He gives quietness (peace and security from oppression), who then can condemn? When He hides His face [withdrawing His favor and help], who then can behold Him [and make Him gracious], whether it be a nation or a man by himself?—
30 That the godless man may not reign, that there be no one to ensnare the people.
31 For has anyone said to God, I have borne my chastisement; I will not offend any more;
32 Teach me what I do not see [in regard to how I have sinned]; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more?
33 Should [God’s] recompense [for your sins] be as you will it, when you refuse to accept it? For you must do the choosing, and not I; therefore say what is your truthful conclusion.
34 Men of understanding will tell me, indeed, every wise man who hears me [will agree],
35 That Job speaks without knowledge, and his words are without wisdom and insight.
36 [Would that Job’s afflictions be continued and] he be tried to the end because of his answering like wicked men!
37 For he adds rebellion [in his unsubmissive, defiant attitude toward God] to his unacknowledged sin; he claps his hands [in open mockery and contempt of God] among us, and he multiplies his words of accusation against God.
35 Elihu spoke further [to Job] and said,
2 Do you think this is your right, or are you saying, My righteousness is more than God’s,
3 That you ask, What advantage have you? How am I profited more than if I had sinned?
4 I will answer you and your companions with you.
5 Look to the heavens and see; and behold the skies which are higher than you.
6 If you have sinned, how does that affect God? And if your transgressions are multiplied, what have you done to Him?
7 If you are righteous, what do you [by that] give God? Or what does He receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness touches and affects a man such as you are, and your righteousness is for yourself, one of the human race [but it cannot touch God, Who is above such influence].
9 Because of the multitudes of oppressions the people cry out; they cry for help because of the violence of the mighty.
10 But no one says, Where is God my Maker, Who gives songs of rejoicing in the night,(G)
11 Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?
12 [The people] cry out because of the pride of evil men, but He does not answer.
13 Surely God will refuse to answer [the cry which is] vanity (vain and empty—instead of abiding trust); neither will the Almighty regard it—
14 How much less when [missing His righteous judgment on earth] you say that you do not see Him, that your cause is before Him, and you are waiting for Him!
15 But now because God has not [speedily] punished in His anger and seems to be unaware of the wrong and oppression [of which a person is guilty],
16 Job uselessly opens his mouth and multiplies words without knowledge [drawing the worthless conclusion that the righteous have no more advantage than the wicked].
15 But some men came down from Judea and were instructing the brethren, Unless you are circumcised in accordance with the Mosaic custom, you cannot be saved.(A)
2 And when Paul and Barnabas had no small disagreement and discussion with them, it was decided that Paul and Barnabas and some of the others of their number should go up to Jerusalem [and confer] with the apostles (special messengers) and the elders about this matter.
3 So, being [a]fitted out and sent on their way by the church, they went through both Phoenicia and Samaria telling of the conversion of the Gentiles (the heathen), and they caused great rejoicing among all the brethren.
4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were heartily welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they told them all that God had accomplished through them.
5 But some who believed [who [b]acknowledged Jesus as their Savior and devoted themselves to Him] belonged to the sect of the Pharisees, and they rose up and said, It is necessary to circumcise [the Gentile converts] and to charge them to obey the Law of Moses.
6 The apostles and the elders were assembled together to look into and consider this matter.
7 And after there had been a long debate, Peter got up and said to them, Brethren, you know that quite a while ago God made a choice or selection from among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the message of the Gospel [concerning the [c]attainment through Christ of salvation in the kingdom of God] and believe (credit and place their confidence in it).
8 And God, Who is acquainted with and understands the heart, bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit as He also did to us;
9 And He made no difference between us and them, but cleansed their hearts by faith ([d]by a strong and welcome conviction that Jesus is the Messiah, through Whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God).
10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting a yoke on the necks of the disciples, such as neither our forefathers nor we [ourselves] were able to endure?
11 But we believe that we are saved through the grace (the undeserved favor and mercy) of the Lord Jesus, just as they [are].
12 Then the whole assembly remained silent, and they listened [attentively] as Barnabas and Paul rehearsed what signs and wonders God had performed through them among the Gentiles.
13 When they had finished talking, James replied, Brethren, listen to me.
14 Simeon [Peter] has rehearsed how God first visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people [to bear and honor] His name.
15 And with this the predictions of the prophets agree, as it is written,
16 After this I will come back, and will rebuild the house of David, which has fallen; I will rebuild its [very] ruins, and I will set it up again,
17 So that the rest of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles upon whom My name has been invoked,
18 Says the Lord, Who has been making these things known from the beginning of the world.(B)
19 Therefore it is my opinion that we should not put obstacles in the way of and annoy and disturb those of the Gentiles who turn to God,
20 But we should send word to them in writing to abstain from and avoid anything that has been polluted by being offered to idols, and all sexual impurity, and [eating meat of animals] that have been strangled, and [tasting of] blood.
21 For from ancient generations Moses has had his preachers in every town, for he is read [aloud] every Sabbath in the synagogues.
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation