Parallel Bible results for "job 34"

Job 34

The Message Bible MSG

1 Elihu continued:

2 "So, my fine friends - listen to me, and see what you think of this.

3 Isn't it just common sense - as common as the sense of taste -

4 To put our heads together and figure out what's going on here?

5 "We've all heard Job say, 'I'm in the right, but God won't give me a fair trial.

6 When I defend myself, I'm called a liar to my face. I've done nothing wrong, and I get punished anyway.'

7 Have you ever heard anything to beat this? Does nothing faze this man Job?

8 Do you think he's spent too much time in bad company, hanging out with the wrong crowd,

9 So that now he's parroting their line: 'It doesn't pay to try to please God'?

10 "You're veterans in dealing with these matters; certainly we're of one mind on this. It's impossible for God to do anything evil; no way can the Mighty One do wrong.

11 He makes us pay for exactly what we've done - no more, no less. Our chickens always come home to roost.

12 It's impossible for God to do anything wicked, for the Mighty One to subvert justice.

13 He's the one who runs the earth! He cradles the whole world in his hand!

14 If he decided to hold his breath,

15 every man, woman, and child would die for lack of air. God Is Working Behind the Scenes

16 "So, Job, use your head; this is all pretty obvious.

17 Can someone who hates order, keep order? Do you dare condemn the righteous, mighty God?

18 Doesn't God always tell it like it is, exposing corrupt rulers as scoundrels and criminals?

19 Does he play favorites with the rich and famous and slight the poor? Isn't he equally responsible to everybody?

20 Don't people who deserve it die without notice? Don't wicked rulers tumble to their doom? When the so-called great ones are wiped out, we know God is working behind the scenes.

21 "He has his eyes on every man and woman. He doesn't miss a trick.

22 There is no night dark enough, no shadow deep enough, to hide those who do evil.

23 God doesn't need to gather any more evidence; their sin is an open-and-shut case.

24 He deposes the so-called high and mighty without asking questions, and replaces them at once with others.

25 Nobody gets by with anything; overnight, judgment is signed, sealed, and delivered.

26 He punishes the wicked for their wickedness out in the open where everyone can see it,

27 Because they quit following him, no longer even thought about him or his ways.

28 Their apostasy was announced by the cry of the poor; the cry of the afflicted got God's attention. Because You Refuse to Live on God's Terms

29 "If God is silent, what's that to you? If he turns his face away, what can you do about it? But whether silent or hidden, he's there, ruling,

30 so that those who hate God won't take over and ruin people's lives.

31 "So why don't you simply confess to God? Say, 'I sinned, but I'll sin no more.

32 Teach me to see what I still don't see. Whatever evil I've done, I'll do it no more.'

33 Just because you refuse to live on God's terms, do you think he should start living on yours? You choose. I can't do it for you. Tell me what you decide.

34 "All right-thinking people say - and the wise who have listened to me concur -

35 'Job is an ignoramus. He talks utter nonsense.'

36 Job, you need to be pushed to the wall and called to account for wickedly talking back to God the way you have.

37 You've compounded your original sin by rebelling against God's discipline, Defiantly shaking your fist at God, piling up indictments against the Almighty One."

New Living Translation NLT

1 Then Elihu said:

2 “Listen to me, you wise men. Pay attention, you who have knowledge.

3 Job said, ‘The ear tests the words it hears just as the mouth distinguishes between foods.’

4 So let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.

5 For Job also said, ‘I am innocent, but God has taken away my rights.

6 I am innocent, but they call me a liar. My suffering is incurable, though I have not sinned.’

7 “Tell me, has there ever been a man like Job, with his thirst for irreverent talk?

8 He chooses evil people as companions. He spends his time with wicked men.

9 He has even said, ‘Why waste time trying to please God?’

10 “Listen to me, you who have understanding. Everyone knows that God doesn’t sin! The Almighty can do no wrong.

11 He repays people according to their deeds. He treats people as they deserve.

12 Truly, God will not do wrong. The Almighty will not twist justice.

13 Did someone else put the world in his care? Who set the whole world in place?

14 If God were to take back his spirit and withdraw his breath,

15 all life would cease, and humanity would turn again to dust.

16 “Now listen to me if you are wise. Pay attention to what I say.

17 Could God govern if he hated justice? Are you going to condemn the almighty judge?

18 For he says to kings, ‘You are wicked,’ and to nobles, ‘You are unjust.’

19 He doesn’t care how great a person may be, and he pays no more attention to the rich than to the poor. He made them all.

20 In a moment they die. In the middle of the night they pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand.

21 “For God watches how people live; he sees everything they do.

22 No darkness is thick enough to hide the wicked from his eyes.

23 We don’t set the time when we will come before God in judgment.

24 He brings the mighty to ruin without asking anyone, and he sets up others in their place.

25 He knows what they do, and in the night he overturns and destroys them.

26 He strikes them down because they are wicked, doing it openly for all to see.

27 For they turned away from following him. They have no respect for any of his ways.

28 They cause the poor to cry out, catching God’s attention. He hears the cries of the needy.

29 But if he chooses to remain quiet, who can criticize him? When he hides his face, no one can find him, whether an individual or a nation.

30 He prevents the godless from ruling so they cannot be a snare to the people.

31 “Why don’t people say to God, ‘I have sinned, but I will sin no more’?

32 Or ‘I don’t know what evil I have done—tell me. If I have done wrong, I will stop at once’?

33 “Must God tailor his justice to your demands? But you have rejected him! The choice is yours, not mine. Go ahead, share your wisdom with us.

34 After all, bright people will tell me, and wise people will hear me say,

35 ‘Job speaks out of ignorance; his words lack insight.’

36 Job, you deserve the maximum penalty for the wicked way you have talked.

37 For you have added rebellion to your sin; you show no respect, and you speak many angry words against God.”