Previous Prev Day Next DayNext

Old/New Testament

Each day includes a passage from both the Old Testament and New Testament.
Duration: 365 days
English Standard Version (ESV)
Version
Job 34-35

Elihu Asserts God's Justice

34 Then Elihu answered and said:

“Hear my words, you wise men,
    and give ear to me, you who know;
for (A)the ear tests words
    as the palate tastes food.
Let us choose (B)what is right;
    let us know among ourselves what is good.
For Job has said, ‘I am (C)in the right,
    and (D)God has taken away my right;
in spite of my right I am counted a liar;
    my wound is incurable, though I am (E)without transgression.’
What man is like Job,
    who (F)drinks up scoffing like water,
who travels in company with evildoers
    and walks (G)with wicked men?
For (H)he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing
    that he should take delight in God.’

10 “Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding:
    far be it from God that he should (I)do wickedness,
    and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.
11 For according to (J)the work of a man he will repay him,
    and (K)according to his ways he will make it befall him.
12 Of a truth, God will not do wickedly,
    and (L)the Almighty will not pervert justice.
13 Who gave him charge over the earth,
    and who (M)laid on him[a] the whole world?
14 If he should (N)set his heart to it
    and (O)gather to himself his (P)spirit and his breath,
15 all flesh would perish together,
    and man would (Q)return to dust.

16 “If you have understanding, hear this;
    listen to what I say.
17 (R)Shall one who hates justice govern?
    Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
18 who (S)says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’
    and to nobles, ‘Wicked man,’
19 who (T)shows no partiality to princes,
    nor regards the rich (U)more than the poor,
    for (V)they are all the work of his hands?
20 In a moment (W)they die;
    at (X)midnight the people are shaken and pass away,
    and the mighty are taken away by (Y)no human hand.

21 “For his eyes are on (Z)the ways of a man,
    and he sees all his (AA)steps.
22 There is no (AB)gloom or (AC)deep darkness
    where evildoers may hide themselves.
23 For God[b] has no need to consider a man further,
    that he should go before God in (AD)judgment.
24 He (AE)shatters the mighty without investigation
    and sets (AF)others in their place.
25 Thus, knowing their works,
    he (AG)overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.
26 He strikes them for their wickedness
    in a place for all to see,
27 because they turned aside from (AH)following him
    and had no regard for any of his ways,
28 so that they (AI)caused the cry of the poor to come to him,
    and he (AJ)heard the cry of the afflicted—
29 When he is quiet, who can condemn?
    When he hides his face, who can behold him,
    whether it be a nation or a man?—
30 that a godless man should not reign,
    that he should not ensnare the people.

31 “For has anyone said to God,
    ‘I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more;
32 (AK)teach me what I do not see;
    if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?
33 Will he then make repayment to suit you,
    because you reject it?
For you must choose, and not I;
    therefore (AL)declare what you know.[c]
34 Men of understanding will say to me,
    and the wise man who hears me will say:
35 ‘Job (AM)speaks without knowledge;
    his words are without insight.’
36 Would that Job were tried to the end,
    because he answers like wicked men.
37 For he adds rebellion to his sin;
    he (AN)claps his hands among us
    and multiplies his words against God.”

Elihu Condemns Job

35 And Elihu answered and said:

“Do you think this to be just?
    Do you say, (AO)‘It is my right before God,’
that you ask, (AP)‘What advantage have I?
    How am I better off than if I had sinned?’
I will answer you
    and (AQ)your friends with you.
(AR)Look at the heavens, and see;
    and behold the clouds, which are higher than you.
If you have sinned, (AS)what do you accomplish against him?
    And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
(AT)If you are righteous, what do you give to him?
    Or what does he receive from your hand?
Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself,
    and your righteousness (AU)a son of man.

“Because of the multitude of (AV)oppressions people (AW)cry out;
    they call for help because of the arm of (AX)the mighty.[d]
10 But none says, ‘Where is God my (AY)Maker,
    who gives (AZ)songs in the night,
11 who teaches us (BA)more than the beasts of the earth
    and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’
12 There they (BB)cry out, but he does not answer,
    because of the pride of evil men.
13 Surely God does not hear an empty cry,
    nor does the Almighty regard it.
14 How much less when you say that you (BC)do not see him,
    that the case is before him, and you are (BD)waiting for him!
15 And now, because (BE)his anger does not punish,
    and he does not take much note of transgression,[e]
16 Job opens his mouth in empty talk;
    he (BF)multiplies words (BG)without knowledge.”

Acts 15:1-21

The Jerusalem Council

15 (A)But some men came down from Judea and were teaching (B)the brothers, “Unless you are (C)circumcised (D)according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and (E)debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and (F)some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to (G)the apostles and the elders about this question. So, (H)being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, (I)describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and (J)brought great joy to all (K)the brothers.[a] (L)When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and (M)the apostles and the elders, and (N)they declared all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to (O)the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, (P)“It is necessary (Q)to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

(R)The (S)apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. And after there had been much (T)debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, (U)that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear (V)the word of (W)the gospel and believe. And God, (X)who knows the heart, (Y)bore witness to them, (Z)by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and (AA)he made no distinction between us and them, (AB)having cleansed their hearts (AC)by faith. 10 Now, therefore, why (AD)are you putting God to the test (AE)by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples (AF)that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we (AG)believe that we will be (AH)saved through (AI)the grace of the Lord Jesus, (AJ)just as they will.”

12 And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul (AK)as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, (AL)James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 (AM)Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them (AN)a people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,

16 (AO)“‘After this I will return,
and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen;
I will rebuild its ruins,
     and I will restore it,
17 that the remnant[b] of mankind (AP)may seek the Lord,
    and all the Gentiles (AQ)who are called by my name,
     says the Lord, who makes these things 18 (AR)known from of old.’

19 Therefore (AS)my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who (AT)turn to God, 20 but should write to them (AU)to abstain from (AV)the things polluted by idols, and from (AW)sexual immorality, and from (AX)what has been strangled, and from (AY)blood. 21 For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, (AZ)for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.