Old/New Testament
Zophar Answers Job
20 Then Zophar from Naamah answered:
2 “You upset me, so I must answer you.
I must tell you what I am thinking.
3 You insulted me with your answers!
But I am wise and know how to answer you.
4-5 “You know that the joy of the wicked does not last long.
That has been true a long time, ever since Adam was[a] put on earth.
Those who don’t know God are happy for only a short time.
6 Maybe an evil man’s pride will reach up to the sky,
and his head will touch the clouds.
7 But he will be gone forever like his own body waste.
People who knew him will say, ‘Where is he?’
8 Like a dream, he will fly away, never to be found.
He will be chased away like a bad dream.[b]
9 Those who knew him before will not see him again.
His family will never again get to see him.
10 His children will have to give back what he took from the poor.
His own hands will give up his wealth.
11 When he was young, his bones were strong,
but, like the rest of his body, they will soon lie in the dirt.
12 “Evil tastes sweet in his mouth.
He keeps it under his tongue to enjoy it fully.
13 He hates to let it go
and holds it in his mouth.
14 But that evil will turn sour in his stomach.
It will be like a snake’s bitter poison inside him.
15 The evil man will spit out the riches he has swallowed.
God will make him vomit them up.
16 What he drank will be like a snake’s poison;
it will kill him like the bite of a deadly snake.
17 He will never again enjoy so much wealth—
rivers flowing with honey and cream.[c]
18 He will be forced to give back his profits.
He will not be allowed to enjoy what he worked for,
19 because he hurt the poor and left them with nothing.
He took houses he did not build.
20 “The evil man is never satisfied.
But the things he wants cannot save him.
21 After filling himself, there is nothing left.
His success will not continue.
22 Even while he has plenty, he will be pressed down with trouble.
His problems will come down on him!
23 If he does get all he wants,
God will throw his burning anger against him.
God will attack him and rain down punishment on him.
24 Maybe he will run away from an iron sword,
but then a bronze arrow[d] will strike him down.
25 It will go through his body
and stick out of his back.
Its shining point will pierce his liver,
and he will be shocked with terror.
26 All his treasures will be lost in darkness.
He will be destroyed by a fire, a fire that no human started.
It will destroy everything left in his house.
27 Heaven will prove that he is guilty.
The earth will be a witness against him.
28 His house and everything in it will be carried away
in the flood of God’s anger.
29 That is what God will do to those who are evil.
That is what he plans to give them.”
Job Answers
21 Then Job answered:
2 “Listen to what I say.
Let this be your way of comforting me.
3 Be patient while I speak.
Then after I have finished speaking, you may make fun of me.
4 “My complaint is not against people.
There is a good reason why I am not patient.
5 Look at me and be shocked.
Put your hand over your mouth, and stare at me in shock!
6 When I think about what happened to me,
I feel afraid and my body shakes!
7 Why do evil people live long lives?
Why do they grow old and successful?
8 They watch their children grow up
and live to see their grandchildren.
9 Their homes are safe and free from fear.
God does not punish them.
10 Their bulls never fail to mate.
Their cows have healthy calves.
11 They send their children out to play like lambs.
Their children dance around.
12 They sing and dance to the sound of harps and flutes.
13 Evil people enjoy success during their lives
and then go to the grave without suffering.
14 They say to God, ‘Leave us alone!
We don’t care what you want us to do!’
15 And they say, ‘Who is God All-Powerful?
We don’t need to serve him!
It will not help to pray to him!’
16 “Of course, evil people don’t make their own success.
I would never follow their advice.
17 But how often does God blow out their light?
How often does trouble come to them?
How often does God get angry with them and punish them?
18 Does God blow them away, as the wind blows straw
or as strong winds blow the grain husks?
19 But you say, ‘God is saving their punishment for their children.’
No! Let God punish the evil people themselves so that they will know what they have done!
20 Let them see their own punishment.
Let them feel the anger of God All-Powerful.
21 When their life is finished and they are dead,
they will not care about the family they leave behind.
22 “No one can teach God anything he doesn’t already know.
God judges even those in high places.
23 One person dies after living a full and successful life,
a life completely safe and comfortable,
24 with a body that was well fed
and bones that were still strong.
25 But another person dies after a hard life that has made them bitter,
never having enjoyed anything good.
26 In the end, both of these people will lie together in the dirt.
The worms will cover them both.
27 “But I know what you are thinking,
and I know you want to hurt me.
28 You might say, ‘Show me a good man’s house.
Now, show me where evil people live.’[e]
29 “Surely you have talked with travelers.
Surely you will accept their stories.
30 Evil people are spared when disaster comes.
They survive when God shows his anger.
31 No one criticizes them to their faces for how they lived.
No one punishes them for the evil they have done.
32 When they are carried to the grave,
they will have someone to watch over the place they are buried.
33 So even the soil in the valley will be pleasant for them,
and thousands of people will join their funeral procession.
34 “So your empty words are no comfort to me.
There is no truth at all in your answers!”
24 The next day they came to the city of Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them and had already gathered his relatives and close friends at his house.
25 When Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him. He fell down at Peter’s feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter told him to get up. Peter said, “Stand up! I am only a man like you.” 27 Peter continued talking with Cornelius. Then Peter went inside and saw a large group of people gathered there.
28 Peter said to the people, “You understand that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit anyone who is not a Jew. But God has shown me that I should not consider anyone unfit or say they are not pure. 29 That’s why I didn’t argue when your men asked me to come here. Now, please tell me why you sent for me.”
30 Cornelius said, “Four days ago, I was praying in my house. It was at this same time—three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly there was someone standing before me wearing bright, shiny clothes. 31 He said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and has seen your gifts to the poor. He remembers you and all you have done. 32 So send some men to the city of Joppa and tell Simon Peter to come. He is staying with another man named Simon, a leatherworker who has a house beside the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you immediately. It was very good of you to come here. Now we are all here before God to hear everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”
Peter Speaks in the House of Cornelius
34 Peter began to speak: “I really understand now that God does not consider some people to be better than others. 35 He accepts anyone who worships him and does what is right. It is not important what nation they come from. 36 God has spoken to the people of Israel. He sent them the Good News that peace has come through Jesus Christ, the Lord of all people.
37 “You know what has happened all over Judea. It began in Galilee after John told the people they needed to be baptized. 38 You know about Jesus from Nazareth. God made him the Messiah by giving him the Holy Spirit and power. Jesus went everywhere doing good for people. He healed those who were ruled by the devil, showing that God was with him.
39 “We saw all that Jesus did in Judea and in Jerusalem. But he was killed. They put him on a cross made of wood. 40 But on the third day after his death, God raised him to life and let him be seen openly. 41 He was not seen by everyone, but only by us, the ones God had already chosen to be witnesses. We ate and drank with him after he was raised from death.
42 “Jesus told us to go and speak to the people. He told us to tell them that he is the one God chose to be the Judge of all who are living and all who have died. 43 Everyone who believes in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name. All the prophets agree that this is true.”
God Shows That He Accepts All People
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came down on all those who were listening to his speech. 45 The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the Holy Spirit had been poured out as a gift also to people who were not Jews. 46 They heard them speaking different languages and praising God. Then Peter said, 47 “How can anyone object to these people being baptized in water? They have received the Holy Spirit the same as we did!” 48 So Peter told them to baptize Cornelius and his relatives and friends in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International