Old/New Testament
36 Elihu continued talking and said,
2 “Be patient with me a little longer.
God has a few more words that he wants me to say.
3 I will share my knowledge with everyone.
I will prove that my Maker is right.
4 Job, I am telling the truth.
I know what I am talking about.
5 “God is very powerful, but he does not hate people.
He is very powerful, but he is also very wise.
6 He will not let evil people live.
He brings justice to the poor.
7 He watches over those who live right.
He lets them rule in high places.
8 So if people are punished,
if they are tied with chains and ropes, they did something wrong.
9 And God will tell them what they did,
that they sinned and were proud.
10 He will force them to listen to his warning.
He will command them to stop sinning.
11 If they serve and obey him, he will make them successful
and they will live a happy life.
12 But if they refuse to obey him, they will be destroyed.
They will die like fools.
13 “People who don’t care about God are always bitter.
Even when he punishes them, they refuse to pray to him for help.
14 They will die while they are still young,
like the male prostitutes.
15 God saves those who suffer by using their suffering.
He uses their troubles to speak in a way that makes them listen.
16 “In fact, God wants to help you out of your troubles.
He wants to take away your burdens that are crushing you.
He wants to load your table with plenty of food.
17 But you are full of this talk about guilt, judgment, and justice!
18 Job, don’t let your anger fill you with doubt about God.
And don’t let the price of forgiveness turn you away.
19 Do you think your wealth will keep you out of trouble?
Will your great strength be of any help to you now?
20 Don’t be like those who wish darkness would come and hide them.
They try to disappear into the night.[a]
21 Job, don’t let your suffering cause you to choose evil.
Be careful not to do wrong.
22 “Look, God’s power makes him great!
He is the greatest teacher of all.
23 No one can tell him what to do.
No one can say, ‘God, you have done wrong.’
24 Remember to praise him for what he has done,
as many others have done in song.
25 Everyone can see what he has done,
even people in faraway countries.
26 Yes, God is great, but we cannot understand his greatness.
We don’t know how long he has lived.
27 “God takes up water from the earth
and changes it into mist and rain.
28 So the clouds pour out the water,
and the rain falls on many people.
29 No one can understand how he spreads the clouds out
or how the thunder rumbles from his home in the sky.
30 Look, he spreads lightning all over the sky
and covers the deepest part of the ocean.
31 He uses them to control the nations
and to give them plenty of food.
32 He grabs the lightning with his hands,
and commands it to strike where he wants.
33 The thunder warns that a storm is coming.
So even the cattle know it is near.
37 “The thunder and lightning frighten me;
my heart pounds in my chest.
2 Listen to God’s thundering voice!
Listen to the sound coming from his mouth.
3 He sends his lightning to flash across the whole sky.
It lights up the earth from one end to the other.
4 After the flashes of lightning you can hear his roaring voice.
He thunders with his wonderful voice!
And while his voice thunders, the lightning flashes continue.
5 God’s thundering voice is amazing!
He does great things that we cannot understand.
6 He says to the snow,
‘Fall on the earth.’
And he says to the rain,
‘Pour down on the earth.’
7 God does this to stop everyone’s work
and to show the people he made what he can do.
8 The animals run into their dens and stay there.
9 Whirlwinds come from the south.
The cold winds come from the north.
10 God’s breath makes ice
and freezes even large bodies of water.
11 He fills the clouds with water
and scatters his lightning through them.
12 He orders the clouds to be blown all around the earth.
The clouds do whatever he commands.
13 He causes the clouds to punish people with floods
or to water his earth and show his love.
14 “Job, stop for a minute and listen.
Think about the wonderful things God does.
15 Do you know how God controls the clouds?
Do you know how he makes his lightning flash?
16 Do you know how the clouds hang in the sky?
This is just one of the amazing works of the one who knows everything.
17 All you know is that you sweat, your clothes stick to you,
and all is still and quiet when the heat wave comes from the south.
18 Can you help God spread out the sky
and make it shine like polished brass?
19 “Job, tell us what we should say to God!
We cannot think of what to say because of our ignorance.[b]
20 I would not tell God that I wanted to talk to him.
That would be like asking to be destroyed.
21 A person cannot look at the sun.
It is too bright as it shines in the sky after the wind blows the clouds away.
22 In the same way God’s golden glory shines from the Holy Mountain.[c]
He is surrounded by the brightest light.
23 We have seen that God All-Powerful really is all powerful!
But he is just and never treats anyone unfairly.[d]
24 That is why people fear and respect him.
He shows no respect for those who think they are wise.”
The Letter to the Non-Jewish Believers
22 The apostles, the elders, and the whole church wanted to send some men with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch. The group decided to choose some of their own men. They chose Judas (also called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were respected by the believers. 23 The group sent the letter with these men. The letter said:
From the apostles and elders, your brothers,
To all the non-Jewish brothers in the city of Antioch and in the countries of Syria and Cilicia.
Dear Brothers:
24 We have heard that some men have come to you from our group. What they said troubled and upset you. But we did not tell them to do this. 25 We have all agreed to choose some men and send them to you. They will be with our dear friends, Barnabas and Paul. 26 Barnabas and Paul have given their lives to serve our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 So we have sent Judas and Silas with them. They will tell you the same things. 28 We agree with the Holy Spirit that you should have no more burdens, except for these necessary things:
29 Don’t eat food that has been given to idols.
Don’t eat meat from animals that have been strangled or any meat that still has the blood in it.
Don’t be involved in sexual sin.
If you stay away from these, you will do well.
We say goodbye now.
30 So Paul, Barnabas, Judas, and Silas left Jerusalem and went to Antioch. There they gathered the group of believers together and gave them the letter. 31 When the believers read it, they were happy. The letter comforted them. 32 Judas and Silas, who were also prophets, said many things to encourage the believers and make them stronger in their faith. 33 After Judas and Silas stayed there for a while, they left. They received a blessing of peace from the believers. Then they went back to those who had sent them. 34 [a]
35 But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch. They and many others taught the believers and told other people the Good News about the Lord.
Paul and Barnabas Separate
36 A few days later, Paul said to Barnabas, “We should go back to all the towns where we told people the message of the Lord. We should visit the believers to see how they are doing.”
37 Barnabas wanted to bring John Mark with them too. 38 But on their first trip John Mark did not continue with them in the work. He had left them at Pamphylia. So Paul did not think it was a good idea to take him this time. 39 Paul and Barnabas had a big argument about this. It was so bad that they separated and went different ways. Barnabas sailed to Cyprus and took Mark with him.
40 Paul chose Silas to go with him. The believers in Antioch put Paul into the Lord’s care and sent him out. 41 Paul and Silas went through the countries of Syria and Cilicia, helping the churches grow stronger.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International