Old/New Testament
Testing Job’s Claims
34 Then Elihu answered:
2 “Hear my words, you wise men;
give ear to me, you men of learning.
3 For the ear tests words
as the mouth tastes food.
4 Let us choose for ourselves what is right;
Let us learn together what is good.
5 “For Job says, ‘I am righteous,
but God has deprived me of justice.
6 Concerning my right, should I lie?
My wound is incurable, although I am without transgression.’
7 What man is like Job,
who drinks mockery like water,
8 who keeps company with evildoers,
and walks with wicked men?
9 For he says, ‘It does not profit a man
when he makes his delight with God.’
10 “Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding:
Wickedness is far from God, injustice from Shaddai
11 For He repays a person for what he has done,
and brings on the person what he deserves.
12 “Truly God does not act wickedly,
and Shaddai does not pervert justice.
13 Who appointed Him over the earth?
Who put Him over the whole world?
14 “If He were to set His heart on it,
and gather to Himself His Ruach and breath,
15 all flesh would perish together
and mankind would return to dust.[a]
16 “Now if you have understanding, hear this;
give ear to the sound of my words.
17 Can someone who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn the mighty, righteous One?
18 Who says to a king, ‘Worthless man’
and to nobles, ‘Wicked men’!
19 Who shows no partiality before princes,
and does not favor the rich over the poor,
for they are all the work of His hands.
20 They die in a moment, at midnight,
people are shaken and they pass away.
The mighty are removed without a hand.
21 “For His eyes are on the ways of man;
He sees all his steps.
22 There is no gloom and no deep darkness,
where evildoers can hide themselves.
23 For He does not consider a man further
that he should go before God in judgment.
24 He shatters the mighty without inquiry,
and sets others in their place.
25 Thus He recognizes their deeds,
He overturns them in the night and they are crushed.
26 He strikes them for their wickedness
in a place where people can see,
27 because they turned from following Him,
and have not understood any of His ways.
28 They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him,
so that He hears the cry of the afflicted.
29 “But if He is quiet, who can condemn Him?
If He hides His face, who can see Him?
Yet He is over a nation and an individual alike,
30 so that godless men should not rule,
nor lay snares for people.
31 “Suppose someone says to God, ‘I have born chastisement,
but I will not act wickedly any more.
32 Teach me what I cannot see.
If I have done evil, I will not do it again.’
33 Should He requite it on your terms,
because you reject it?
But you must choose and not I;
now declare what you know.
34 “Men of understanding declare,
wise men who hear me say to me,
35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge,
and his words lack understanding.’
36 Oh, that Job might be tested to the end,
for answering like wicked men.
37 For he adds rebellion to his sin;
in our midst he claps his hands
and multiplies his words against God.”
35 Then Elihu answered, saying:
2 “Do you think this is just?
Do you say,
‘My righteousness is greater than God’s?’
3 For you ask, ‘What will it profit you?’
and ‘What do I gain by not sinning?’
4 I will answer you,
and your friends with you.
5 Look up at the heavens and see;
consider the clouds so high above you.
6 If you sin, how does it affect Him?
If your transgressions are many, what do you do to Him?
7 If you are righteous, what do you give Him,
or what does He receive from your hand?[b]
8 Your wickedness is for a man like yourself,
and your righteousness for a son of man.
9 “Because of a multitude of oppressions, they cry out;
they cry for help because of the power of the mighty.
10 But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,
who gives songs in the night,
11 who teaches us more than the animals of the earth,
who makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’
12 There they cry out, but He does not answer,
because of the pride of the wicked.
13 Indeed God does not hear an empty cry;
Shaddai pays no attention to it.
14 How much less when you say that you do not perceive Him
that the case is before Him and you must wait for Him.
15 And further, that His anger does not punish
and that He does not know transgression?
16 So Job opens his mouth with nonsense,
without knowledge he multiplies words.”
Jerusalem Council Rules on Circumcision
15 Now some men coming down from Judea were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 When Paul and Barnabas had a big argument and debate with them, the brothers appointed Paul and Barnabas with some others from among them to go up to Jerusalem to the emissaries and elders about this issue.
3 So they were sent on their way by the Antioch community. They were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they were bringing great joy to all the brothers and sisters. 4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the community and the emissaries and the elders. They reported all that God had done in helping them.
5 But some belonging to the party of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the Torah of Moses.”
6 The emissaries and elders were gathered together to examine this issue. 7 After much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God chose from among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the message of the Good News and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, testified to them by giving them the Ruach ha-Kodesh—just as He also did for us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts through faith. 10 Why then do you put God to the test by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples—which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But instead, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Yeshua, in the same way as they are.”
12 Then the whole group became silent and were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were describing in detail all the signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, Jacob answered, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simon has described how God first showed His concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for His Name. 15 The words of the Prophets agree, as it is written:
16 ‘After this I will return
and rebuild the fallen tabernacle of David.
I will rebuild its ruins
and I will restore it,
17 so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord—
namely all the Gentiles who are called by My name—
says Adonai,
who makes these things [a] 18 known from of old.’[b]
19 Therefore, I judge not to trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God— 20 but to write to them to abstain from the contamination of idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what is strangled, and from blood. [c] 21 For Moses from ancient generations has had in every city those who proclaim him, since he is read in all the synagogues every Shabbat.”
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.