Old/New Testament
Elihu Keeps On Speaking
36 Then Elihu spoke more and said, 2 “Wait for me a little longer, and I will show you that there is yet more to be said for God. 3 I bring my learning from far away, and will tell how right and good my Maker is. 4 For sure my words are not false. One who is perfect in much learning is with you.
5 “See, God is powerful, but does not hate anyone. He is powerful in strength of understanding. 6 He does not keep the sinful alive, but gives what is right and fair to those who are troubled. 7 He does not turn His eyes away from those who are right with Him. He puts them on the throne with kings and they are honored forever. 8 If they are tied up in chains and caught in the ropes of trouble, 9 then He makes known to them their work and their sins, that they have shown pride. 10 He makes them listen to teaching, and tells them to turn away from sin. 11 If they hear and serve Him, the rest of their days will be filled with what they need and their years with peace. 12 But if they do not hear, they will die by the sword. They will die without learning.
13 “But those who do not know God keep anger in their heart. They do not cry for help when He puts them in chains. 14 They die when they are young. And their life ends among those who sell the use of their bodies in the houses of the false gods. 15 He takes those who suffer out of their suffering. He speaks to them in times of trouble. 16 He led you from being close to trouble to a wide place where you were free with your table full of food.
17 “But you wanted to punish the sinful. Punishment and being fair have taken hold of you. 18 Be careful or anger will tempt you to laugh at the truth. Do not take pay in secret for wrong-doing and be turned aside. 19 Will your riches or all your power keep you from trouble? 20 Do not desire the night, when people are taken from their place. 21 Be careful, do not turn to sin. For you have chosen this instead of suffering. 22 See, God is honored in His power. Who is a teacher like Him? 23 Who has told Him the way He should go? And who has said, ‘You have done wrong’?
24 “Remember that you should honor His work, of which men have sung. 25 All men have seen it. Man sees it from far away. 26 See, God is honored, and we do not know Him. We are not able to know the number of His years. 27 For He takes up the drops of water that become rain, 28 which the clouds pour down. Much rain falls on man. 29 Can anyone understand how the clouds are spread out, or how He thunders from His tent? 30 See, He spreads His lightning around Him and covers the bottom of the sea. 31 For by these He judges the people and He gives much food. 32 He covers His hands with the lightning, and tells it to hit the mark. 33 His thunder tells of a storm coming, and cattle also know it is coming.
Elihu Keeps On Talking
37 “At this my heart shakes with fear and jumps from its place. 2 Listen to the thunder of His voice and the noise that comes from His mouth. 3 He lets it loose under the whole heaven. He lets His lightning go to the ends of the earth. 4 His voice sounds after it. He thunders with His great and powerful voice. And He does not hold back the lightning when His voice is heard. 5 God thunders with His great voice. He does great things which we cannot understand. 6 For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain, ‘Be strong.’ 7 He stops the work of every man, that all men may know His work. 8 Then the wild animals go to their holes, and stay where they live. 9 The storm comes from the south, and the cold from the north. 10 Water becomes ice by the breath of God. The wide waters become ice. 11 He loads the heavy clouds with water and they send out His lightning. 12 It changes its path and turns around by His leading, doing whatever He tells it to do on the earth where people live. 13 He causes it to happen for punishment, or for His world, or because of His love.
14 “Hear this, O Job. Stop and think about the great works of God. 15 Do you know how God does them, and makes the lightning shine from His cloud? 16 Do you know how the clouds are set in heaven, the great works of Him Who is perfect in understanding? 17 Do you know why you are hot in your clothes when the land becomes quiet because of the south wind? 18 Can you help Him spread out the sky, making it as hard as a mirror made from heated brass? 19 Teach us what we should say to Him. We cannot put words together to help us because of darkness. 20 Should He be told that I want to speak? Did a man ever wish to be swallowed up?
21 “Now men cannot look on the light when it is bright in the sky, when the wind has passed and made it clear. 22 A bright gold light is seen in the north. Around God is great power. 23 We cannot come near the All-powerful. He is lifted high with power. And He is right and fair and good and will not make it hard for us. 24 So men honor Him with fear. He has respect for any who are wise in heart.”
22 Then the missionaries and the church leaders and the whole church chose some men from among them. They were to be sent to the city of Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas Barsabbas and Silas. These men were leaders among the Christians.
23 They sent them with this letter: “The missionaries and church leaders and Christians greet the brothers who are not Jews in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. 24 We have heard that some from our group have troubled you and have put doubt in your minds. They said that you must go through the religious act of becoming a Jew and you must keep the Law of Moses. We did not tell them to say these things. 25 All of us have wanted to send men to you with our much-loved Paul and Barnabas. 26 Their lives have been in danger for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 So now we send Judas and Silas to you. They will tell you the same things. 28 It pleased the Holy Spirit and us to ask you to do nothing more than these things that have to be done. 29 You are to keep away from everything that is given to gods. Do not eat blood or meat from animals that have been killed in ways against the Law. Keep away from sex sins. If you keep yourselves free from these things you will do well. Good-by.”
The Missionaries Go Back to Antioch
30 When the meeting was finished, they went to Antioch. As soon as they gathered the people together, they gave them the letter. 31 When they read it, they were glad for the comfort and strength it brought them. 32 Judas and Silas were preachers also. They preached to the Christians and helped them to become stronger in the faith.
33 They were there for some time. Then they were sent back in peace to the missionaries who had sent them. 34 But Silas thought he should stay there. 35 Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch. With the help of many others, they preached and taught the Word of God.
Paul Starts Out the Second Time
36 After awhile, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the Christians in every city where we have preached the Word of God. Let us see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them. 38 Paul did not think it was good to take him because he had left them while they were in Pamphylia. He had not helped them in the work. 39 They argued so much that they left each other. Barnabas took John Mark with him and went by ship to the island of Cyprus. 40 Paul chose Silas. After the Christians asked for the Lord’s favor to be on Paul and Silas, they went on their way. 41 They went through Syria and Cilicia making the churches stronger in the faith.
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