Old/New Testament
36 Elihu kept talking and said:
2 Be patient with me a little longer.
I intend to inform you further,
since I have more to say on God’s behalf.
3 I will provide you with comprehensive knowledge,
and I will justify my Maker.
4 You can be sure that none of my words are false.
A man with complete knowledge is here with you.
5 Yes, God is mighty, but he does not despise people.
He is mighty and has great understanding.[a]
6 He does not keep a wicked man alive,
but he does give justice to the oppressed.
7 He does not turn his eyes away from the righteous.
He seats them on thrones with kings
and exalts them forever.
8 But if people are bound in chains,
and they are held captive by cords of affliction,
9 he declares to them what they have done—
how arrogantly they have committed rebellious deeds.
10 He opens their ears to accept discipline,[b]
and he tells them to turn back from wickedness.
11 If they listen and serve him,
they will complete their days in prosperity,
and their years will end in pleasure.
12 But if they do not listen,
they will be overwhelmed by a stream.[c]
They will breathe their last without knowledge.
13 Godless hearts nourish anger.
They do not cry out for help even when he imprisons them.
14 Their souls die while they are still young,
and they end their lives among the male prostitutes at their shrines.
15 God delivers the afflicted by means of their affliction,
and he gets their attention through their suffering.
16 Certainly he is drawing you out of the jaws of distress
to a wide-open place, where you will not be hemmed in.
You will be comfortable at your table covered with rich food.
17 But now you are caught up with the judgment of the wicked,
and judgment and justice have taken hold of you.
18 Watch out, so that no one lures you with luxury.
Do not let a large payment turn you aside.
19 Can your affluence arrange for your security,
so that you do not suffer want?
Can even your strongest efforts accomplish that?
20 Do not long for night time, when nations vanish from their place.[d]
21 Watch out. Do not turn to evil,
because that is why you have been tested by affliction.[e]
22 Listen to me. God is exalted in his power.
Who is a teacher like him?
23 Who has dictated his way for him?
Who has said, “You have done wrong”?
24 Remember that you should praise his work,
which people have celebrated in song.
25 All mankind has observed it.
People can look at it from a distance.
26 Yes, God is exalted far beyond our comprehension.
The number of his years is beyond investigation.
27 He draws up drops of water from the sea,
and he distills the raindrops to form mist,
28 which flow down from the clouds
and pour down abundantly on mankind.
29 Indeed, who understands how the clouds spread out?
Who understands how the thunder rumbles out from his shelter?
30 Look how he spreads his light[f] all around him,
and he covers the bottom[g] of the sea.
31 He uses this to bring judgment on peoples
and to provide abundant food.
32 With his hands he grasps the lightning,
and he gives it orders as it advances.
33 Through the thunder he sounds his war cry.
The herds sense the coming of the rising storm.[h]
37 When I hear this, my heart races
and leaps from its place.
2 Listen! Listen to the booming thunder of his voice,
to the rumble that goes out from his mouth.
3 He turns it loose across the whole sky,
and his light reaches the ends of the earth.
4 After the lightning, a voice roars.
He thunders with his majestic voice.
He does not restrain the lightning.
Then his voice is heard!
5 God thunders with his voice in wonderful ways.
He does great things that we do not understand.
6 To the snow he says, “Fall on the earth.”
To the pouring rain, the torrential downpours of rain,
he says, “Be strong.”[i]
7 He brings an end to all the work of men’s hands,
so that they recognize his work.
8 The wild animals take shelter in their lairs.
They remain in their dens.
9 A winter wind comes out from its room,
and driving winds bring icy cold.
10 The breath of God produces ice.
The wide surface of the water turns solid.
11 Yes, he loads dark clouds with moisture,
and he fills the clouds with his light.
12 The clouds swirl around at his direction.
They do whatever he commands them
over the face of the whole inhabited world.
13 Whether their purpose is to bring punishment or mercy to the world,
he makes them achieve their goal.
14 Listen to this, Job! Stand still and recognize the wonders of God!
15 Do you know how God arranges them?
Do you know how he makes his light shine out from his clouds?
16 Do you know how the clouds float in the sky,
those marvels produced by perfect knowledge?
17 You, whose clothing is too hot for you
when the land rests quietly because of the hot south wind,
18 can you help him spread out the clouds
when the sky is as hard as a metal mirror?
19 Teach us what we should say to him!
We are not able to prepare our case because of the darkness.
20 Should he be notified that I want to speak?
Or would a man who said that be swallowed up?
21 But no one can look at the sun.
It is too bright when the wind has cleared the sky of the clouds.
22 God’s golden splendor comes from the north.
God is surrounded by awesome majesty.
23 As for the Almighty, we cannot comprehend him.
He is exalted in power,
but he does not violate justice and great righteousness.
24 Therefore men should revere him,
because he has regard for all those who are wise in heart.[j]
22 Then the apostles and the elders, together with the whole church, thought it would be best to choose men from their group to send to Antioch along with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas, who were leading men among the brothers.
23 They wrote this letter for them to deliver:
From the apostles and the elders, your brothers,
To the Gentile brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:
Greetings.
24 We heard that there were some who came from us without our authorization and caused you distress by unsettling your minds with what they said.[a] 25 So it seemed best to us, since we are of one mind, to choose some men to send to you, along with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will report these same things by word of mouth. 28 For it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us to put no greater burden on you than these essentials: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you carefully avoid these things, you will do well.
Farewell.
30 After they were sent on their way, they went down to Antioch. They gathered the congregation together and delivered the letter. 31 The people read it and rejoiced over its encouraging message. 32 Judas and Silas, who were prophets themselves, also said much that encouraged and strengthened the brothers. 33 After they had spent some time there, they were sent off by the brothers with the greeting of peace to those who had sent them.[b] 35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they, along with many others, kept on teaching and preaching the word of the Lord.
Paul and Barnabas Go Separate Ways
36 After a time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return and visit the[c] brothers[d] in every town where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, who is called Mark, along with them. 38 But Paul did not think it was a good idea to take him along, since he had deserted them in Pamphylia and did not continue to travel with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and set out, after being entrusted to the grace of the Lord[e] by the brothers. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.