Job 11; Job 12; Job 13; Acts 9:1-21

Job 11

1 Zophar from Naamah responded:

2 Should all these words go unanswered or a wordy man be justified?

3 Will your idle talk silence everyone; will you mock and not be put to shame?

4 You've said, "My teaching is pure, and I'm clean in God's eyes."

5 But oh, that God would speak, open his lips against you

6 and tell you secrets of wisdom; for sound insight has two sides. Know that God lets some of your sin be forgotten.

7 Can you find the secret of God or find the extent of the Almighty?

8 They are higher than the heavens—what can you do? Deeper than the underworld—what can you know?

9 Its measurement is longer than the earth and broader than the sea.

10 If God passes by, imprisons someone, and calls a trial, who can stop him?

11 He knows worthless people, sees sin, and certainly takes note.

12 A stupid person becomes intelligent when a wild ass of a person is born tame.

13 If you make your mind resolute and spread your palms to him,

14 if you throw out the sin in your hands and don't let injustice dwell in your tents,

15 then you will lift up your face without blemish; you will be secure and not fear.

16 You will forget trouble; you will remember it as water that flows past.

17 A life span will rise brighter than noon; darkness will be like morning.

18 You will be secure, for there is hope; you will look around and rest safely.

19 You will lie down without anyone to scare you; many will beg for your favor.

20 The eyes of the wicked will grow faint; flight has vanished from them; their hope is a dying gasp.

Job 12

1 Job responded:

2 Surely you are the people, and wisdom will die with you.

3 I am also intelligent; I'm not inferior to you. Who isn't like these people?

4 I'm a joke to friends who called to God and he answered; the innocent and blameless one is a joke,

5 a torch of contempt to one who is idle, a fixed point for slipping feet.

6 Raiders' tents are prosperous and God's provokers secure, who carry God in their hands.

7 But ask Behemoth, and he will teach you, the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;

8 or talk to earth, and it will teach you; the fish of the sea will recount it for you.

9 Among all these, who hasn't known that the LORD's hand did this?

10 In whose grasp is the life of every thing, the breath of every person?

11 Doesn't the ear test words and the palate taste food?

12 "In old age is wisdom; understanding in a long life."

13 With him are wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.

14 If he tears down, it can't be rebuilt; if he ties a person up, he can't be set free.

15 If he restricts water, they have drought; if he lets it loose, it overturns the land.

16 With him are might and success; the deceiver and the deceived are his.

17 He leads advisors away barefoot; makes madmen of judges;

18 unties the belt of kings, binds a garment around their loins;

19 leads priests away barefoot; overthrows the well-established;

20 silences the talk of trusted people; takes away elders' discernment;

21 pours contempt on royalty; loosens the belt of the strong;

22 discloses deep secrets of darkness, makes utter darkness enter the light;

23 makes nations prominent and destroys them, expands nations and leads them astray;

24 takes away the power to think from earth's leaders, making them wander in untraveled wastelands.

25 They feel their way in the dark without light; he makes them stumble like drunks.

Job 13

1 Look, my eye has seen it all; my ear has heard and understood it.

2 Just as you know, I also know; I'm not inferior to you.

3 But I want to speak to the Almighty; I would gladly present my case to God.

4 You, however, are plasterers of lies; ineffective healers, all of you.

5 Would that you were completely quiet; that would be your wisdom.

6 Hear my teaching and pay attention to the arguments of my lips.

7 Will you speak injustice for God, speak deceit on his behalf?

8 Will you be partial or contend for God?

9 Will it go well when he searches you, or can you fool him as you fool people?

10 He will certainly correct you if you've been secretly partial.

11 Wouldn't his majesty scare you and dread of him fall on you?

12 Your old sayings are proverbs made of ashes, your sayings defenses made of clay.

13 Be quiet and I will speak, come what may.

14 For what reason will I take my flesh in my teeth, put my life in jeopardy?

15 He will slay me; I'm without hope; I will surely prove my way to his face.

16 Also this will be my vindication, that a godless person won't come before him.

17 Listen closely to my words so that my remarks will be in your ears.

18 Look, I have laid out my case; I know that I'm innocent.

19 Who would dare contend with me, for then I would be quiet and die.

20 Only don't do two things to me, then I won't hide from your face.

21 Remove your hand far from me and don't terrify me with your anger.

22 Then call and I'll answer, or I'll speak and you can reply.

23 How many are my offenses and sins? Inform me about my rebellions and sins.

24 Why hide your face from me and consider me your enemy?

25 Will you cause a wind-tossed leaf to tremble, or will you pursue dry straw?

26 You even write bitter things about me, make me inherit my youthful indiscretions.

27 You tie up my feet and restrict all actions; you stamp marks on the bottom of my feet.

28 Surely a person wastes away like refuse, like clothing that a moth eats.

Acts 9:1-21

1 Meanwhile, Saul was still spewing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest,

2 seeking letters to the synagogues in Damascus. If he found persons who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, these letters would authorize him to take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

3 During the journey, as he approached Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven encircled him.

4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice asking him, "Saul, Saul, why are you harassing me?"

5 Saul asked, "Who are you, Lord?" "I am Jesus, whom you are harassing," came the reply.

6 "Now get up and enter the city. You will be told what you must do."

7 Those traveling with him stood there speechless; they heard the voice but saw no one.

8 After they picked Saul up from the ground, he opened his eyes but he couldn't see. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.

9 For three days he was blind and neither ate nor drank anything.

10 In Damascus there was a certain disciple named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, "Ananias!" He answered, "Yes, Lord."

11 The Lord instructed him, "Go to Judas' house on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying.

12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias enter and put his hands on him to restore his sight."

13 Ananias countered, "Lord, I have heard many reports about this man. People say he has done horrible things to your holy people in Jerusalem.

14 He's here with authority from the chief priests to arrest everyone who calls on your name."

15 The Lord replied, "Go! This man is the agent I have chosen to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and Israelites.

16 I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name."

17 Ananias went to the house. He placed his hands on Saul and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord sent me—Jesus, who appeared to you on the way as you were coming here. He sent me so that you could see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

18 Instantly, flakes fell from Saul's eyes and he could see again. He got up and was baptized.

19 After eating, he regained his strength. He stayed with the disciples in Damascus for several days.

20 Right away, he began to preach about Jesus in the synagogues. "He is God's Son," he declared.

21 Everyone who heard him was baffled. They questioned each other, "Isn't he the one who was wreaking havoc among those in Jerusalem who called on this name? Hadn't he come here to take those same people as prisoners to the chief priests?"