Old/New Testament
Elihu Continues Speaking
34 Elihu continued speaking, and said:
2 “Listen to what I have to say, you wise men!
Pay attention to me, you educated people!
3 Since the ear tests words
like a palate tastes food,
4 let’s choose what’s right for us.
Let’s consider among ourselves what is good.”
Elihu Reviews Job’s Complaint against God’s Injustice
5 Now this is Job’s claim:
‘Even though I’m innocent,
God has stopped treating me righteously.
6 Have I lied concerning the justice that I deserve?[a]
My wound[b] is incurable,
though transgression cannot be attributed to me.’
7 “What man is like Job,
who drinks mockery like water,
8 traffics in those who practice evil,
and walks with wicked people?
9 Because he says, ‘There’s no profit
for a man to find joy with God.’”[c]
God is Just
10 “Therefore you men of understanding,[d] listen to me!
Far be it for God to practice wickedness,
or the Almighty to do what is wrong,
11 because he repays a person for his behavior;
and according to a person’s[e] conduct,
he lets it happen to[f] him.
12 Truly, God doesn’t practice wickedness,
and the Almighty doesn’t pervert justice.
13 Who entrusted the earth to him?
Who made him responsible for the entire inhabited world?
14 If he were to decide to do so,
that is, to take back to himself[g] his spirit and breath of life,[h]
15 every living thing would die all at once,[i]
and mankind would return to dust.”
God’s Rule is Just
16 If you have[j] understanding, listen to this!
Pay attention to what I have to say:
17 Can one who hates justice really govern?
And if God[k] is righteous and mighty, can you condemn him?[l]
18 Can one say to a king, ‘You’re vile!’
or to nobles, ‘You’re wicked!’?
19 Who isn’t partial to[m] princes?
Who doesn’t give preference to the nobles over the poor?
Nevertheless, all of them are his handiwork.
20 “They die suddenly, in the middle of the night;
people suffer seizures and pass away;
even valiant men can be taken away—
and not by human hands.
21 Yes, Job,[n] his eyes constantly watch the behavior of human beings;
he carefully observes their every step.
22 There’s no such thing as darkness to him—
not even deep darkness—
that can conceal those who practice evil.
23 He won’t examine mankind further,
that they would go before God to judgment.
24 He shatters valiant men without a need to investigate,
and he raises others in their place.
25 Thus he acknowledges their behavior, and overcomes them;
when night time comes, they are crushed.
26 “He strikes[o] the wicked among them
in a place where they can be seen
27 because they’ve abandoned their pursuit of him
and had no respect for any of his ways.
28 As a result, the cries of the poor have reached him
and he has heard the cry of the afflicted.
29 “If he remains silent, who will condemn him?
If he conceals his face, who can see him?
He watches over both nation and individual alike,
30 to keep the godless man from reigning
or laying a snare for the people.”
Elihu’s Challenge to Job
31 “Has anyone ever really told God,
‘I’ve endured,[p] and I won’t act corruptly anymore.
32 What I don’t see, instruct me!
If I’ve done anything evil, I won’t repeat it!’
33 “Should you not be paid back,
since you have rejected him?
You do the choosing! I won’t!
Tell us what you know!
Elihu’s Verdict: Job is not Wise
34 “Men of understanding, speak to me!
Are any of you men wise? Then listen to me!
35 Job has been speaking from his own ignorance,
and what he has to say lacks insight!
36 Oh, how Job needs to be given a full court trial,
as a rebuke to those who practice evil,
37 because he has been adding rebellion to his sin;
he claps his hands among us,[q]
and keeps on ranting against God.”
Elihu Speaks Again
35 In response, Elihu said:
2 “Are you saying that it’s just for you to claim,
‘I’m more righteous than God?’
3 After all, you’ve asked what your benefit will be:
‘What will I profit from refraining from sin?’
4 I’m going to respond to that statement,
and to your friends with you.”
God’s Justice Remains Unsullied
5 “Observe the heavens! Take a look around!
Look! The clouds are higher than you, aren’t they?
6 If you sin, what will that do to harm him?
If you add transgression to transgression
what will it do to him?
7 If you are righteous, what will you add to him?
What can God receive from your efforts?[r]
8 Your wickedness affects only[s] yourself;
and your righteousness, only human beings.[t]
9 “They cry out because they have many oppressors;
they cry for help because the powerful are abusing them.[u]
10 He never asks, ‘Where is God, my Creator,
who gives me songs in the night,
11 who teaches us more than the earth’s wild animals,
and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’
12 “They cry out there, but he doesn’t answer
because of the arrogance of those who practice evil.
13 Theirs is a useless plea—
God won’t listen;
the Almighty won’t pay any attention.
14 Even though you complain that you can’t perceive him,
your case is already pending for judgment in his presence
so keep on placing your hope in him.
15 “So now, if he doesn’t inflict punishment in his anger,
then he doesn’t keep track of your many transgressions.
16 When he began speaking, he communicated only worthlessness;
he added words upon words without knowing anything.”
Controversy about the Law
15 Then some men came down from Judea and started to teach the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the Law of Moses, you can’t be saved.” 2 Paul and Barnabas had quite a dispute and argument with them. So Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to confer with the apostles and elders about this question. 3 They were sent on their way by the church, and as they were going through Phoenicia and Samaria they told of the conversion of the gentiles and brought great joy to all the brothers. 4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported everything that God had done through them. 5 But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The gentiles[a] must be circumcised and ordered to keep the Law of Moses.”
6 So the apostles and the elders met to look into this claim. 7 After a lengthy debate, Peter stood up and told them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days, God chose me to be the one among you through whom the gentiles would hear the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows everyone’s heart, showed them he approved by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between them and us, because of their faith-cleansed hearts. 10 So why do you test God by putting on the disciples’ neck a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we could carry? 11 We certainly believe that it is through the grace of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah,[b] that we are saved, just as they are.”
12 The whole crowd was silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul tell about all the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the gentiles. 13 After Paul and Barnabas[c] had finished speaking, James responded, “Brothers, listen to me: 14 Simeon[d] has explained how God first showed his concern for the gentiles by taking from among them a people for his name. 15 This agrees with the words of the prophets. As it is written,
16 ‘“After this, I will come back
and set up David’s fallen tent again.
I will restore its ruined places
and set it up again
17 so that the rest of the people may search for the Lord,
including all the gentiles who are called by my name,’
declares the Lord.[e]
‘He is the one who has been doing these things
18 that have been known from long ago.’[f]
19 “Therefore, I have decided that we should not trouble these gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead, we should write to them to keep away from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from anything strangled,[g] and from blood.[h] 21 After all, Moses has had people to proclaim him in every city for generations, and on every Sabbath his books are[i] read aloud in the synagogues.”
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