Old/New Testament
36 Elihu also proceeded and said,
2 “Bear with me a little and I will instruct you. For there is still more to speak on God’s behalf.
3 “I will fetch my knowledge from far off and will attribute righteousness to my Maker.
4 “For truly my words shall not be false. He who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 “Behold, the mighty God casts away no one who is mighty and valiant of courage.
6 “He does not maintain the wicked, but He gives justice to the afflicted.
7 “He does not withdraw His Eyes from the righteous. But they are with kings on the throne, where He places them forever. Thus they are exalted.
8 “And if they are bound in chains, tied with the cords of affliction,
9 “then He will show them their work and their sins, because they have been proud.
10 “He also opens their ear to discipline, and commands them to return from iniquity.
11 “If they obey and serve Him, they shall end their days in goodness, and their years in pleasures.
12 “But if they will not obey, they shall perish by the sword and die without knowledge.
13 “But the hypocrites of heart increase the wrath. They do not call out when He binds them.
14 “Their soul dies in youth, and their life among the whoremongers.
15 “He delivers the poor in His afflictions, and opens their ear in trouble.
16 “Even so would He have taken you out of the straight place into a broad place, without constraint. And that which rests upon your table would have been full of fatness.
17 “But you are full of the judgment of the wicked, judgment and justice grasp you
18 “because of wrath, lest He should take you away with a stroke. For no multitude of gifts can deliver you.
19 “Will He regard your riches or all those who excel in strength?
20 “Do not long for the night, when people go up from their place.
21 “Take heed. Do not look to iniquity. For you have chosen it rather than affliction.
22 “Behold, God exalts by His power. What teacher is like Him?
23 “Who has appointed to Him His way? Or who can say, ‘You have done wickedly’?
24 “Remember that you magnify His work, which men behold.
25 “All men see it, and men behold it far off.
26 “Behold, God is excellent, and we do not know Him. Nor can the number of His years be searched out.
27 “For He restrains the drops of water that the rain pours down by its vapor,
28 “which rain the clouds drop and let fall abundantly upon man.
29 “Who can know the divisions of the clouds, the noise of His Tabernacle?
30 “Behold, He spreads His light upon it, and covers the bottom of the sea.
31 “For by them He judges the people and gives food abundantly.
32 “He covers His Hands with lightning, and commands it to strike.
33 “The roar reveals it, and also the cattle, concerning its rising.”
37 “At this, also, my heart is astonished, and is moved out of its place.
2 “Hear the sound of His voice, and the noise that goes out of His Mouth.
3 “He directs it under the whole heaven, and His light to the ends of the world.
4 “After it, a noise sounds. He thunders with the Voice of His majesty. And He will not stop them when His Voice is heard.
5 “God thunders marvelously with His Voice. He works great things which we do not know.
6 “For He says to the snow, ‘Be upon the Earth,’ likewise to the small rain and to the great rain of His power.
7 “With its force He shuts up every man, so that all men may know His work.
8 “Then the beasts go into the den and remain in their places.
9 “The whirlwind comes out of the South, and the cold from the North wind.
10 “At the breath of God the frost is given and the breadth of the waters is made narrow.
11 “He also makes the clouds labor to water, and scatters the cloud with His light.
12 “And it is turned by His guidance, so that they may do whatever He commands them upon the whole world.
13 “Whether it be for punishment, or for His land, or from mercy, He causes it to come.
14 “Listen to this, O Job! Stand and consider the wondrous works of God.
15 “Do you know when God placed them, and caused the light of His cloud to shine?
16 “Have you known the variety of the cloud, the wondrous works of Him Who is perfect in knowledge,
17 “how your clothes are warm when He makes the Earth quiet through the South wind?
18 “Have you stretched out the heavens, which are strong as a molten glass?
19 “Tell us what we shall say to Him. We cannot arrange anything because of darkness.
20 “Shall it be told to Him when I speak? Or shall man speak when he shall be destroyed?
21 “And now men do not see the light which shines in the clouds, but the wind passes and cleanses them.
22 “The brightness comes out of the North, the praise to God, which is terrible.
23 “The Almighty: we cannot find him. Excellent in power and judgment, and abundant in justice, He does not afflict.
24 “Therefore, let men fear him. He will not regard any who are wise in their own heart.”
22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and elders (with the whole church) to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: namely, Judas (whose surname was Barsabas) and Silas, leaders among the brothers.
23 And they wrote letters by them like this, “The Apostles, and the Elders, and the Brothers, to the Gentile Brothers in Antioch, and in Syria, and in Cilicia, greetings,
24 “Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, and upset your minds, saying, ‘You must be circumcised and keep the Law’ (to whom we gave no such commandment),
25 “It therefore seemed good to us - after we had come together with one mind - to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul.
26 “Men who have given up their lives for the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 “We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
28 “For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost (and to us) to lay no more burden upon you other than these necessary things:
29 “that you abstain from things offered to idols, and blood, and that which is strangled, and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these, you shall do well. Farewell.”
30 Now when they had left, they came to Antioch. And after they had assembled the multitude, they delivered the letter.
31 And when they had read it, they rejoiced for the consolation.
32 And Judas and Silas, being Prophets, encouraged the brothers with many words, and strengthened them.
33 And after they had stayed there a time, they were sent back in peace by the brothers to the apostles.
34 However, Silas thought it good to remain there.
35 Paul and Barnabas also stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching (with many others) the Word of the Lord.
36 But after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit our brothers in every city where we have preached the Word of the Lord and see how they are doing.”
37 And Barnabas planned to take John (called Mark) with them.
38 But Paul did not think it good to take with them one who had left them in Pamphylia, and not gone with them to do the work.
39 Therefore there was such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another. And Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus.
40 And Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brothers to the grace of God.
41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, establishing the churches.
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