Elihu Asserts God’s Justice
1 Then Elihu answered and said:
2 “Hear my words, you wise men,
and give ear to me, you who know;
3 for ithe ear tests words
as the palate tastes food.
4 Let us choose what is right;
let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 For Job has said, ‘I am in the jright,
and kGod has taken away my right;
6 in spite of my right I am counted a liar;
my wound is incurable, though lI am without transgression.’
7 What man is like Job,
who mdrinks up scoffing like water,
8 who travels in company with evildoers
and walks with wicked men?
9 For he has said, n‘It profits a man nothing
that he should take delight in God.’
10 “Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding:
ofar be it from God that he should do wickedness,
and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.
11 For paccording to the work of a man he will repay him,
and according to his ways he will make it befall him.
12 Of a truth, qGod will not do wickedly,
and the Almighty will not rpervert justice.
13 sWho gave him charge over the earth,
and who laid on him1 the whole world?
14 If he should set his heart to it
and tgather to himself uhis spirit and his breath,
15 all flesh would perish together,
and man would vreturn to dust.
16 “If you have understanding, hear this;
listen to what I say.
17 Shall one who hates justice govern?
wWill you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
18 who says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’
and to nobles, ‘Wicked man,’
19 who xshows no partiality to princes,
nor regards the rich more than the poor,
for ythey are all the work of his hands?
20 In a moment they die;
at midnight the people are shaken and pass away,
and the mighty are taken away by no human hand.
21 “For zhis eyes are on the ways of a man,
and he sees all his steps.
22 There is ano gloom or deep darkness
where evildoers may hide themselves.
23 For God2 has no need to consider a man further,
that he should go before God in judgment.
24 He shatters the mighty without investigation
and bsets others in their place.
25 Thus, knowing their works,
he 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 following him
and had no regard for any of his ways,
28 so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him,
and che 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 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 declare what you know.3
34 Men of understanding will say to me,
and the wise man who hears me will say:
35 ‘Job speaks dwithout 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 claps his hands among us
and emultiplies his words against God.”
Elihu Condemns Job
1 And Elihu answered and said:
2 f“Do you think this to be just?
Do you say, ‘It is my right before God,’
3 that you ask, g‘What advantage have I?
How am I better off than if I had sinned?’
4 I will answer you
and your friends with you.
5 Look at the heavens, and see;
and behold the clouds, which are hhigher than you.
6 iIf you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him?
And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
7 jIf you are righteous, what do you give to him?
Or what does he receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself,
and your righteousness a kson of man.
9 “Because of the multitude of oppressions people cry out;
they call for help because of the arm of the mighty.4
10 But none says, ‘Where is God my Maker,
who gives songs in the lnight,
11 who teaches us mmore than the beasts of the earth
and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’
12 There they 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 nHow much less when you say that oyou do not see him,
that the case is before him, and you are waiting for him!
15 And now, because his anger does not punish,
and he does not take much note of transgression,5
16 Job opens his mouth in empty talk;
The Jerusalem Council
1 kBut some lmen came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are mcircumcised naccording to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, oPaul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. 3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail pthe conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers.1 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. 5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”
6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. 7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that qin the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, rbore witness sto them, by giving them the Holy Spirit tjust as he did to us, 9 and he umade no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10 Now, therefore, why are you vputting God to the test by placing a wyoke on the neck of the disciples that xneither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we will be ysaved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”
12 And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first zvisited the Gentiles, to take from them aa people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,
16 b“‘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 remnant2 of mankind may seek the Lord,
and all the Gentiles who are ccalled by my name,
says the Lord, who makes these things 18 known from of old.’
19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but should write to them to abstain from the things dpolluted by eidols, and from fsexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from gblood. 21 For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”
