| New Century Version (NCV) |
New International Version (NIV) |
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1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:
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1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
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2 "Can anyone be of real use to God? Can even a wise person do him good?
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2 "Can a man be of benefit to God? Can even a wise man benefit him?
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3 Does it help the Almighty for you to be good? Does he gain anything if you are innocent?
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3 What pleasure would it give the Almighty if you were righteous? What would he gain if your ways were blameless?
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4 Does God punish you for respecting him? Does he bring you into court for this?
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4 "Is it for your piety that he rebukes you and brings charges against you?
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5 No! It is because your evil is without limits and your sins have no end.
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5 Is not your wickedness great? Are not your sins endless?
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6 You took your brothers' things for a debt they didn't owe; you took clothes from people and left them naked.
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6 You demanded security from your brothers for no reason; you stripped men of their clothing, leaving them naked.
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7 You did not give water to tired people, and you kept food from the hungry.
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7 You gave no water to the weary and you withheld food from the hungry,
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8 You were a powerful man who owned land; you were honored and lived in the land.
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8 though you were a powerful man, owning land-- an honored man, living on it.
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9 But you sent widows away empty-handed, and you mistreated orphans.
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9 And you sent widows away empty-handed and broke the strength of the fatherless.
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10 That is why traps are all around you and sudden danger frightens you.
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10 That is why snares are all around you, why sudden peril terrifies you,
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11 That is why it is so dark you cannot see and a flood of water covers you.
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11 why it is so dark you cannot see, and why a flood of water covers you.
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12 "God is in the highest part of heaven. See how high the highest stars are!
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12 "Is not God in the heights of heaven? And see how lofty are the highest stars!
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13 But you ask, 'What does God know? Can he judge us through the dark clouds?
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13 Yet you say, 'What does God know? Does he judge through such darkness?
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14 Thick clouds cover him so he cannot see us as he walks around high up in the sky.'
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14 Thick clouds veil him, so he does not see us as he goes about in the vaulted heavens.'
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15 Are you going to stay on the old path where evil people walk?
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15 Will you keep to the old path that evil men have trod?
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16 They were carried away before their time was up, and their foundations were washed away by a flood.
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16 They were carried off before their time, their foundations washed away by a flood.
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17 They said to God, 'Leave us alone! The Almighty can do nothing to us.'
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17 They said to God, 'Leave us alone! What can the Almighty do to us?'
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18 But it was God who filled their houses with good things. Their way of thinking is different from mine.
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18 Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things, so I stand aloof from the counsel of the wicked.
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19 "Good people can watch and be glad; the innocent can laugh at them and say,
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19 "The righteous see their ruin and rejoice; the innocent mock them, saying,
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20 'Surely our enemies are destroyed, and fire burns up their wealth.'
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20 'Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire devours their wealth.'
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21 "Obey God and be at peace with him; this is the way to happiness.
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21 "Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you.
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22 Accept teaching from his mouth, and keep his words in your heart.
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22 Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart.
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23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be blessed again. So remove evil from your house.
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23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored: If you remove wickedness far from your tent
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24 Throw your gold nuggets into the dust and your fine gold among the rocks in the ravines.
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24 and assign your nuggets to the dust, your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines,
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25 Then the Almighty will be your gold and the best silver for you.
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25 then the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you.
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26 You will find pleasure in the Almighty, and you will look up to him.
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26 Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty and will lift up your face to God.
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27 You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will keep your promises to him.
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27 You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.
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28 Anything you decide will be done, and light will shine on your ways.
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28 What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways.
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29 When people are made humble and you say, 'Have courage,' then the humble will be saved.
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29 When men are brought low and you say, 'Lift them up!' then he will save the downcast.
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30 Even a guilty person will escape and be saved because your hands are clean."
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30 He will deliver even one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands."
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| Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. (New Century Version Online Bible) |
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |
