Old/New Testament
Bildad Answers Job
25 Then Bildad from Shuah answered:
2 “God is the ruler.
He makes people fear and respect him.
He keeps peace in his kingdom above.
3 No one can count his stars.[a]
His sun rises on all people.
4 How can anyone claim to be right before God?
No human being[b] can really be pure.
5 In God’s eyes even the moon is not pure and bright;
even the stars are not pure.
6 People are much less pure.
They are like maggots, as worthless as worms!”
Job Answers Bildad
26 Then Job answered:
2 “Bildad, what a great help you are to this tired, weary man!
You have really supported me!
3 You have given such wonderful advice to this foolish man!
You have provided so much useful information![c]
4 Who helped you say these things?
Whose spirit inspired you to speak?
5 “The ghosts and their neighbors
in the underworld[d] shake with fear.
6 But God can see clearly into that place of death.
Death[e] is not hidden from God.
7 God stretched the northern sky over empty space.
He hung the earth on nothing.
8 He fills the thick clouds with water.
But he does not let its heavy weight break the clouds open.
9 He covers the face of the full moon.
He spreads his clouds over it and hides it.
10 He drew the horizon on the ocean,
like a circle where light and darkness meet.
11 The foundations that hold up the sky
shake with fear when God threatens them.
12 With his own power God calmed the sea.
With his wisdom he destroyed Rahab.
13 His breath made the skies clear.
His hand destroyed the snake that tried to get away.[f]
14 These are only a few of the amazing things God has done.
We hear only a small whisper of God’s thundering power.”
27 Job continued his answer:
2 “God All-Powerful has been unfair to me;
he has made my life bitter.
But I swear by his life,
3 as long as I have life in me,
as long as breath from God is in my nostrils,
4 I will not be a hypocrite.
I will not lie.
5 You will never hear me say you men are right!
Until the day I die I will not be untrue to myself.
6 I will hold on to my innocence and never let go!
My conscience will always be clear!
7 May my enemies be punished like those who are evil.
May those who stood against me end up like all who have done wrong.
8 What hope do people without God have when it is time to die,
when God takes their life away?
9 When they have troubles and cry out for help,
God will not listen to them!
10 It will be too late for them to enjoy talking with God All-Powerful.
They should have prayed to God all the time.
11 “I will teach you about God’s power.
I will not hide anything about God All-Powerful.
12 But you have seen it all with your own eyes.
So why do you say such useless things?
13 [g] “Here is what God has planned for those who are evil.
This is what cruel people will get from God All-Powerful.
14 They may have many children, but all of them will be killed in war.
Or their children will not have enough to eat.
15 All those who are left will die,
and the widows will not even cry for them.
16 Evil people collect silver as easily as dirt.
They may have so many clothes that they are piled up like clay.
17 But their piles of clothes will be worn by those who have lived right.
All that silver will be given to those who have done no wrong.
18 Evil people might build houses, but they will not last long.
They will be like a spider’s web or a guard’s tent.
19 They might be rich when they go to bed,
but when they open their eyes, all their riches will be gone.
20 Terrible fears will come over them like a flood,
like a storm in the night that blows everything away.
21 The east wind will carry them away, and they will be gone.
The storm will sweep them out of their homes.
22 They may try to run away from the power of the storm,
but it will come down on them without mercy.
23 It will make a sound like clapping hands as they run away.
It will whistle at them as they run from their homes.”
More Trouble for the Believers
12 During this same time, King Herod began to do harm to some of those who were part of the church. 2 He ordered James, the brother of John, to be killed with a sword. 3 Herod saw that many of the Jews liked this, so he decided to arrest Peter too. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. 4 He arrested Peter and put him in jail, where he was guarded by a group of 16 soldiers. Herod planned to bring Peter before the people, but he wanted to wait until after the Passover festival. 5 So Peter was kept in jail, but the church was constantly praying to God for him.
Peter Is Led Out of the Jail
6 One night, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two of the soldiers. More soldiers were guarding the door of the jail. Herod was planning to bring Peter out before the people the next day. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord was standing there, and the room was filled with light. The angel tapped Peter on the side and woke him up. The angel said, “Hurry, get up!” The chains fell off Peter’s hands. 8 The angel said, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” Peter did as he was told. Then the angel said, “Put on your coat and follow me.”
9 So the angel went out and Peter followed. He did not know if the angel was really doing this. He thought he might be seeing a vision. 10 Peter and the angel went past the first guard and the second guard. Then they came to the iron gate that separated them from the city. The gate opened for them by itself. After they went through the gate and walked about a block, the angel suddenly left.
11 Peter realized then what had happened. He thought, “Now I know that the Lord really sent his angel to me. He rescued me from Herod and from everything those Jews thought would happen to me.”
12 When Peter realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John, who was also called Mark. Many people were gathered there and were praying. 13 Peter knocked on the outside door. A servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it. 14 She recognized Peter’s voice, and she was very happy. She even forgot to open the door. She ran inside and told the group, “Peter is at the door!” 15 The believers said to her, “You are crazy!” But she continued to say that it was true. So they said, “It must be Peter’s angel.”
16 But Peter continued to knock. When the believers opened the door, they saw him. They were amazed. 17 Peter made a sign with his hand to tell them to be quiet. He explained to them how the Lord led him out of the jail. He said, “Tell James and the other brothers what happened.” Then he left and went to another place.
18 The next day the soldiers were very upset. They wondered what happened to Peter. 19 Herod looked everywhere for him but could not find him. So he questioned the guards and then ordered that they be killed.
The Death of Herod Agrippa
Later, Herod moved from Judea. He went to the city of Caesarea and stayed there a while. 20 Herod was very angry with the people from the cities of Tyre and Sidon. But these cities needed food from his country, so a group of them came to ask him for peace. They were able to get Blastus, the king’s personal servant, on their side.
21 Herod decided on a day to meet with them. On that day he was wearing a beautiful royal robe. He sat on his throne and made a speech to the people. 22 The people shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!” 23 Herod did not give the glory to God. So an angel of the Lord caused him to get sick. He was eaten by worms inside him, and he died.
24 The message of God was spreading, reaching more and more people.
25 After Barnabas and Saul finished their work in Jerusalem, they returned to Antioch, taking John Mark with them.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International