Parallel Bible results for "job 35"

Job 35

New Living Translation NLT

1 Then Elihu said:

2 “Do you think it is right for you to claim, ‘I am righteous before God’?

3 For you also ask, ‘What’s in it for me? What’s the use of living a righteous life?’

4 “I will answer you and all your friends, too.

5 Look up into the sky, and see the clouds high above you.

6 If you sin, how does that affect God? Even if you sin again and again, what effect will it have on him?

7 If you are good, is this some great gift to him? What could you possibly give him?

8 No, your sins affect only people like yourself, and your good deeds also affect only humans.

9 “People cry out when they are oppressed. They groan beneath the power of the mighty.

10 Yet they don’t ask, ‘Where is God my Creator, the one who gives songs in the night?

11 Where is the one who makes us smarter than the animals and wiser than the birds of the sky?’

12 And when they cry out, God does not answer because of their pride.

13 But it is wrong to say God doesn’t listen, to say the Almighty isn’t concerned.

14 You say you can’t see him, but he will bring justice if you will only wait.

15 You say he does not respond to sinners with anger and is not greatly concerned about wickedness.

16 But you are talking nonsense, Job. You have spoken like a fool.”

The Message Bible MSG

1 Elihu lit into Job again:

2 "Does this kind of thing make any sense? First you say, 'I'm perfectly innocent before God.'

3 And then you say, 'It doesn't make a bit of difference whether I've sinned or not.'

4 "Well, I'm going to show you that you don't know what you're talking about, neither you nor your friends.

5 Look up at the sky. Take a long hard look. See those clouds towering above you?

6 If you sin, what difference could that make to God? No matter how much you sin, will it matter to him?

7 Even if you're good, what would God get out of that? Do you think he's dependent on your accomplishments?

8 The only ones who care whether you're good or bad are your family and friends and neighbors. God's not dependent on your behavior.

9 "When times get bad, people cry out for help. They cry for relief from being kicked around,

10 But never give God a thought when things go well, when God puts spontaneous songs in their hearts,

11 When God sets out the entire creation as a science classroom, using birds and beasts to teach wisdom.

12 People are arrogantly indifferent to God - until, of course, they're in trouble, and then God is indifferent to them.

13 There's nothing behind such prayers except panic; the Almighty pays them no mind.

14 So why would he notice you just because you say you're tired of waiting to be heard,

15 Or waiting for him to get good and angry and do something about the world's problems?

16 "Job, you talk sheer nonsense - nonstop nonsense!"