New Century Version NCV
New International Version NIV
1 Elihu continued:
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Elihu continued:
2 "Listen to me a little longer, and I will show you that there is more to be said for God.
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“Bear with me a little longer and I will show you that there is more to be said in God’s behalf.
3 What I know comes from far away. I will show that my Maker is right.
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I get my knowledge from afar; I will ascribe justice to my Maker.
4 You can be sure that my words are not false; one who really knows is with you.
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Be assured that my words are not false; one who has perfect knowledge is with you.
5 "God is powerful, but he does not hate people; he is powerful and sure of what he wants to do.
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“God is mighty, but despises no one; he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.
6 He will not keep evil people alive, but he gives the poor their rights.
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He does not keep the wicked alive but gives the afflicted their rights.
7 He always watches over those who do right; he sets them on thrones with kings and they are honored forever.
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He does not take his eyes off the righteous; he enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.
8 If people are bound in chains, or if trouble, like ropes, ties them up,
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But if people are bound in chains, held fast by cords of affliction,
9 God tells them what they have done, that they have sinned in their pride.
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he tells them what they have done— that they have sinned arrogantly.
10 God makes them listen to his warning and commands them to change from doing evil.
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He makes them listen to correction and commands them to repent of their evil.
11 If they obey and serve him, the rest of their lives will be successful, and the rest of their years will be happy.
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If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.
12 But if they do not listen, they will die by the sword, and they will die without knowing why.
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But if they do not listen, they will perish by the swordand die without knowledge.
13 "Those who have wicked hearts hold on to anger. Even when God punishes them, they do not cry for help.
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“The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.
14 They die while they are still young, and their lives end in disgrace.
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They die in their youth, among male prostitutes of the shrines.
15 But God saves those who suffer through their suffering; he gets them to listen through their pain.
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But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction.
16 "God is gently calling you from the jaws of trouble to an open place of freedom where he has set your table full of the best food.
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“He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food.
17 But now you are being punished like the wicked; you are getting justice.
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But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have taken hold of you.
18 Be careful! Don't be led away from God by riches; don't let much money turn you away.
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Be careful that no one entices you by riches; do not let a large bribe turn you aside.
19 Neither your wealth nor all your great strength will keep you out of trouble.
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Would your wealth or even all your mighty efforts sustain you so you would not be in distress?
20 Don't wish for the night when people are taken from their homes.
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Do not long for the night, to drag people away from their homes.
21 Be careful not to turn to evil, which you seem to want more than suffering.
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Beware of turning to evil, which you seem to prefer to affliction.
22 "God is great and powerful; no other teacher is like him.
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“God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him?
23 No one has planned his ways for him; no one can say to God, 'You have done wrong.'
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Who has prescribed his ways for him, or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?
24 Remember to praise his work, about which people have sung.
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Remember to extol his work, which people have praised in song.
25 Everybody has seen it; people look at it from far off.
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All humanity has seen it; mortals gaze on it from afar.
26 God is so great, greater than we can understand! No one knows how old he is.
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How great is God—beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out.
27 "He evaporates the drops of water from the earth and turns them into rain.
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“He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams ;
28 The rain then pours down from the clouds, and showers fall on people.
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the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind.
29 No one understands how God spreads out the clouds or how he sends thunder from where he lives.
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Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion?
30 Watch how God scatters his lightning around him, lighting up the deepest parts of the sea.
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See how he scatters his lightning about him, bathing the depths of the sea.
31 This is the way God governs the nations; this is how he gives us enough food.
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This is the way he governs the nations and provides food in abundance.
32 God fills his hands with lightning and commands it to strike its target.
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He fills his hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark.
33 His thunder announces the coming storm, and even the cattle know it is near.
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His thunder announces the coming storm; even the cattle make known its approach.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.