Job 28; Job 29; Acts 13:1-25

1 "There is a place where silver is mined and a place where gold is refined.

2 Iron is taken from the ground, and rocks are melted for [their] copper.

3 [Humans] bring an end to darkness [there] and search to the limit of the gloomy, pitch-black rock.

4 They open up a mineshaft far from civilization, where no one has set foot. [In this shaft] men dangle and swing back and forth.

5 "Above the ground food grows, but beneath it the food decays as if [it were burned] by fire.

6 That place's stones are sapphire. Its dust contains gold.

7 No bird of prey knows the way to it. No hawk's eye has ever seen it.

8 No proud beast has ever walked on it. No ferocious lion has ever passed over it.

9 "Humans exert their power on the flinty rocks and overturn mountains at their base.

10 They cut out mineshafts in the rocks. Their eyes see every precious thing.

11 They explore the sources of rivers so that they bring hidden treasures to light.

12 "Where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding live?

13 No mortal knows where it is. It cannot be found in this world of the living.

14 The deep ocean says, 'It isn't in me.' The sea says, 'It isn't with me.'

15 You cannot obtain it with solid gold or buy it for any amount of silver.

16 It can't be bought with the gold from Ophir or with precious onyx or sapphire.

17 Neither gold nor glass can equal its value. Nor can gold ornaments, jewels, or crystal

18 be exchanged for it. Wisdom is more valuable than gems.

19 Topaz from Ethiopia cannot equal its value. It cannot be bought for [any amount of] pure gold.

20 "Where does wisdom come from? Where does understanding live?

21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living being, hidden even from the birds in the air.

22 Decay and Death say, 'We've heard a rumor about it.'

23 "God understands the way to it. He knows where it lives

24 because he can see to the ends of the earth and observe everything under heaven.

25 When he gave the wind its force and measured the water [in the sea],

26 when he made rules for the rain and set paths for the thunderstorms,

27 then he saw it and announced it. He confirmed it and examined it.

28 So he told humans, 'The fear of the Lord is wisdom! To stay away from evil is understanding.'"

1 Job continued his poems and said,

2 "If only my life could be like it used to be, in the days when God watched over me,

3 when he made his lamp shine on my head, when I walked through the dark in his light.

4 If only I were in the prime of my life [again], when God was an adviser in my tent.

5 When the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,

6 my steps were bathed in buttermilk, and the rocks poured streams of olive oil on me.

7 When I went through the city gate and took my seat in the town square,

8 young men saw me and kept out of sight. Old men stood up straight out of respect [for me].

9 Princes held back [their] words and put their hands over their mouths.

10 The voices of nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.

11 "[Any] ears that heard me blessed me. [Any] eyes that saw me spoke well of me,

12 because I rescued the poor who called [for help] and the orphans who had no one to help them.

13 I received a blessing from the dying. I made the widow's heart sing for joy.

14 I put on righteousness, and it was my clothing. I practiced justice, and it was my robe and my turban.

15 I was eyes for the blind person. I was feet for the lame person.

16 I was father to the needy. I carefully investigated cases brought by strangers.

17 I broke the teeth of the wicked person and made him drop the prey out of his mouth.

18 "I thought, 'I may die in my own house, but I will make my days as numerous as the sand.

19 My roots will grow toward the water, and dew will lie on my branches all night.

20 My power will be fresh [every day], and the bow in my hand will remain new.'

21 "People listened to me eagerly, quietly waiting for my advice.

22 After I had spoken, they wouldn't speak again. After all, my words fell gently on them.

23 They were as eager to hear me as they were for rain. They opened their mouths wide as if waiting for a spring shower.

24 When I smiled at them, they could hardly believe it, but the expression on my face did not change.

25 I decided how they should live. I sat as their leader. I lived like a king among his troops, like one who comforts mourners.

1 Barnabas, Simeon (called the Black), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (a close friend of Herod since childhood), and Saul were prophets and teachers in the church in Antioch.

2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set Barnabas and Saul apart for me. I want them to do the work for which I called them."

3 After fasting and praying, Simeon, Lucius, and Manaen placed their hands on Barnabas and Saul, and released them [from their work in Antioch].

4 After Barnabas and Saul were sent by the Holy Spirit, they went to the city of Seleucia and from there sailed to the island of Cyprus.

5 Arriving in the city of Salamis, they began to spread God's word in the synagogues. John Mark had gone along to help them.

6 They went through the whole island as far as the city of Paphos. In Paphos they met a Jewish man named Barjesus. He was an astrologer who claimed to be a prophet.

7 He was associated with an intelligent man, Sergius Paulus, who was the governor of the island. The governor sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God.

8 Elymas, whose name means astrologer, opposed them and tried to distort the meaning of the faith so that the governor wouldn't believe.

9 But Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit. He stared at Elymas

10 and said, "You are full of dirty tricks and schemes, you son of the devil! You hate everything that has God's approval. Quit trying to distort the truth about the way the Lord wants people to live.

11 The Lord is against you now. For a while you will be blind, unable to see the light of day." Suddenly, Elymas couldn't see a thing. He tried to find people to lead him.

12 When the governor saw what had happened, he believed. The Lord's teachings amazed him.

13 Paul and his men took a ship from Paphos and arrived in Perga, a city in Pamphylia. John Mark deserted them there and went back to Jerusalem.

14 Paul and Barnabas left Perga and arrived in Antioch, a city near Pisidia. On the day of worship they went into the synagogue and sat down.

15 After reading from Moses' Teachings and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent [a message] to Paul and Barnabas. The message said, "Brothers, if you have any words of encouragement for the people, feel free to speak."

16 Then Paul stood up, motioned with his hand, and said, "Men of Israel and converts to Judaism, listen to me.

17 The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors and made them a strong nation while they lived as foreigners in Egypt. He used his powerful arm to bring them out of Egypt,

18 and he put up with them for about forty years in the desert.

19 Then he destroyed seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to his people as an inheritance.

20 He did all this in about four hundred and fifty years. "After that he gave his people judges until the time of the prophet Samuel.

21 "Then the people demanded a king, so God gave them Saul, son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin. After forty years

22 God removed Saul and made David their king. God spoke favorably about David. He said, 'I have found that David, son of Jesse, is a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.'

23 "God had the Savior, Jesus, come to Israel from David's descendants, as he had promised.

24 Before Jesus began his ministry, John [the Baptizer] told everyone in Israel about the baptism of repentance.

25 When John was finishing his work, he said, 'Who do you think I am? I'm not the person you're looking for. He will come later. I'm not even good enough to untie his sandals.'