Job 34; Job 35; Acts 15:1-21

1 Elihu continued:

2 Hear my words, wise ones; knowledgeable ones, listen to me,

3 for the ear tests words like the palate tastes food.

4 Let's choose for us what's right; let's determine among ourselves what's good;

5 for Job has said, "I'm innocent; God has denied my just cause;

6 because of my cause I'm thought a liar; my wound from an arrow is incurable, even though I didn't rebel."

7 Who is a man like Job? He drinks mockery like water

8 and travels a path with wrongdoers, walking with evil persons.

9 Indeed he said, "No one is rewarded for delighting in God."

10 Therefore, intelligent ones, hear me; far be it from God to do evil and the Almighty to sin,

11 for he repays people based on what they do, paying back everyone according to their ways.

12 Surely God doesn't act wickedly; the Almighty doesn't distort justice.

13 Who placed earth in his care, and who gave him dominion over the entire world?

14 If he were to decide to do it— to gather his spirit and breath back to himself—

15 all flesh would die together, and humans would return to dust.

16 But if you have understanding, hear this; pay attention to the sound of my words.

17 Will one who hates justice rule; will you condemn the most righteous one?

18 Will you say to a king, "Worthless!" to royalty, "Evil!"

19 Who shows no favor to princes nor regards the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of God's hands?

20 In the middle of the night they suddenly die; people are shaken and pass away. The mighty are removed, not by a human hand.

21 God's eyes are on human ways, and he sees all their steps.

22 There's no darkness, no deep darkness, where evildoers can hide themselves;

23 surely no time is set for a person to appear before God in judgment.

24 He shatters the mighty without examining them; makes others take their place.

25 Thus he regards their deeds, overturns them at night, and they are crushed.

26 He strikes them because of their wickedness at a place where people can see it.

27 Because they turned from following him and didn't value all his ways,

28 causing the cry of the poor to reach him, he hears the cry of the afflicted.

29 Still, if he remains quiet, who can condemn; if he hides his face, who can see him?

30 He prevents a lawless person from ruling, from capturing people.

31 Has Job said to God, "I have borne punishment; I won't sin again?

32 You teach me what I can't see; if I've sinned, I won't do it again."

33 Will he repay you because you reject sin, for you must choose, not I; declare what you know.

34 Smart people say to me, the wise who hear me,

35 "Job speaks without knowledge; his words aren't astute."

36 I wish Job would be tested to the limit because he responds like evil people.

37 He adds rebellion to his sin; mocks us openly and adds to his words against God.

1 Elihu continued:

2 Do you think it right? You say, "I'm more just than God."

3 Yet you ask, "What does it benefit you? What have I gained by avoiding sin?"

4 I'll answer you, and your friends along with you.

5 Look at the heavens and see; scan the clouds high over you.

6 If you've sinned, how have you affected God? Your offenses have multiplied; what have you done to him?

7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him? Or what does he receive from your hand?

8 Your evil affects others like you, and your righteousness affects fellow human beings.

9 People cry out because of heavy oppression; shout under the power of the mighty.

10 But no one says, "Where is God my maker; who gives songs in the night;

11 who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth, makes us wiser than the birds in the sky?"

12 Then they cry out; but he doesn't answer, because of the pride of the wicked.

13 God certainly doesn't respond to a deceitful cry; the Almighty doesn't pay attention to it.

14 Although you say that you don't see him, the case is before him; so wait anxiously for him.

15 Even though his anger is now held back, a person doesn't know it's only delayed.

16 So Job mouths emptiness; he piles up ignorant words.

1 Some people came down from Judea teaching the family of believers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom we've received from Moses, you can't be saved."

2 Paul and Barnabas took sides against these Judeans and argued strongly against their position. The church at Antioch appointed Paul, Barnabas, and several others from Antioch to go up to Jerusalem to set this question before the apostles and the elders.

3 The church sent this delegation on their way. They traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, telling stories about the conversion of the Gentiles to everyone. Their reports thrilled the brothers and sisters.

4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, the church, the apostles, and the elders all welcomed them. They gave a full report of what God had accomplished through their activity.

5 Some believers from among the Pharisees stood up and claimed, "The Gentiles must be circumcised. They must be required to keep the Law from Moses."

6 The apostles and the elders gathered to consider this matter.

7 After much debate, Peter stood and addressed them, "Fellow believers, you know that, early on, God chose me from among you as the one through whom the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and come to believe.

8 God, who knows people's deepest thoughts and desires, confirmed this by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.

9 He made no distinction between us and them, but purified their deepest thoughts and desires through faith.

10 Why then are you now challenging God by placing a burden on the shoulders of these disciples that neither we nor our ancestors could bear?

11 On the contrary, we believe that we and they are saved in the same way, by the grace of the Lord Jesus."

12 The entire assembly fell quiet as they listened to Barnabas and Paul describe all the signs and wonders God did among the Gentiles through their activity.

13 When Barnabas and Paul also fell silent, James responded, “Fellow believers, listen to me.

14 Simon reported how, in his kindness, God came to the Gentiles in the first place, to raise up from them a people of God.

15 The prophets' words agree with this; as it is written,

16 After this I will return, and I will rebuild David's fallen tent; I will rebuild what has been torn down. I will restore it

17 so that the rest of humanity will seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who belong to me. The Lord says this, the one who does these things

18 known from earliest times.

19 "Therefore, I conclude that we shouldn't create problems for Gentiles who turn to God.

20 Instead, we should write a letter, telling them to avoid the pollution associated with idols, sexual immorality, eating meat from strangled animals, and consuming blood.

21 After all, Moses has been proclaimed in every city for a long time, and is read aloud every Sabbath in every synagogue."