Parallel Bible results for "job 36"

Job 36

ESV

MSG

1 And Elihu continued, and said:
1 Here Elihu took a deep breath, but kept going:
2 "Bear with me a little, and I will show you, for I have yet something to say on God's behalf.
2 "Stay with me a little longer. I'll convince you. There's still more to be said on God's side.
3 I will get my knowledge from afar and ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
3 I learned all this firsthand from the Source; everything I know about justice I owe to my Maker himself.
4 For truly my words are not false; one who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
4 Trust me, I'm giving you undiluted truth; believe me, I know these things inside and out.
5 "Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise any; he is mighty in strength of understanding.
5 "It's true that God is all-powerful, but he doesn't bully innocent people.
6 He does not keep the wicked alive, but gives the afflicted their right.
6 For the wicked, though, it's a different story - he doesn't give them the time of day, but champions the rights of their victims.
7 He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne he sets them forever, and they are exalted.
7 He never takes his eyes off the righteous; he honors them lavishly, promotes them endlessly.
8 And if they are bound in chains and caught in the cords of affliction,
8 When things go badly, when affliction and suffering descend,
9 then he declares to them their work and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly.
9 God tells them where they've gone wrong, shows them how their pride has caused their trouble.
10 He opens their ears to instruction and commands that they return from iniquity.
10 He forces them to heed his warning, tells them they must repent of their bad life.
11 If they listen and serve him, they complete their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasantness.
11 If they obey and serve him, they'll have a good, long life on easy street.
12 But if they do not listen, they perish by the sword and die without knowledge.
12 But if they disobey, they'll be cut down in their prime and never know the first thing about life.
13 "The godless in heart cherish anger; they do not cry for help when he binds them.
13 Angry people without God pile grievance upon grievance, always blaming others for their troubles.
14 They die in youth, and their life ends among the cult prostitutes.
14 Living it up in sexual excesses, virility wasted, they die young.
15 He delivers the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ear by adversity.
15 But those who learn from their suffering, God delivers from their suffering. Obsessed with Putting the Blame on God
16 He also allured you out of distress into a broad place where there was no cramping, and what was set on your table was full of fatness.
16 "Oh, Job, don't you see how God's wooing you from the jaws of danger? How he's drawing you into wide-open places - inviting you to feast at a table laden with blessings?
17 "But you are full of the judgment on the wicked; judgment and justice seize you.
17 And here you are laden with the guilt of the wicked, obsessed with putting the blame on God!
18 Beware lest wrath entice you into scoffing, and let not the greatness of the ransom turn you aside.
18 Don't let your great riches mislead you; don't think you can bribe your way out of this.
19 Will your cry for help avail to keep you from distress, or all the force of your strength?
19 Did you plan to buy your way out of this? Not on your life!
20 Do not long for the night, when peoples vanish in their place.
20 And don't think that night, when people sleep off their troubles, will bring you any relief.
21 Take care; do not turn to iniquity, for this you have chosen rather than affliction.
21 Above all, don't make things worse with more evil - that's what's behind your suffering as it is!
22 Behold, God is exalted in his power; who is a teacher like him?
22 "Do you have any idea how powerful God is? Have you ever heard of a teacher like him?
23 Who has prescribed for him his way, or who can say, 'You have done wrong'?
23 Has anyone ever had to tell him what to do, or correct him, saying, 'You did that all wrong!'?
24 "Remember to extol his work, of which men have sung.
24 Remember, then, to praise his workmanship, which is so often celebrated in song.
25 All mankind has looked on it; man beholds it from afar.
25 Everybody sees it; nobody is too far away to see it. No One Can Escape from God
26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not; the number of his years is unsearchable.
26 "Take a long, hard look. See how great he is - infinite, greater than anything you could ever imagine or figure out!
27 For he draws up the drops of water; they distill his mist in rain,
27 "He pulls water up out of the sea, distills it, and fills up his rain-cloud cisterns.
28 which the skies pour down and drop on mankind abundantly.
28 Then the skies open up and pour out soaking showers on everyone.
29 Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion?
29 Does anyone have the slightest idea how this happens? How he arranges the clouds, how he speaks in thunder?
30 Behold, he scatters his lightning about him and covers the roots of the sea.
30 Just look at that lightning, his sky-filling light show illumining the dark depths of the sea!
31 For by these he judges peoples; he gives food in abundance.
31 These are the symbols of his sovereignty, his generosity, his loving care.
32 He covers his hands with the lightning and commands it to strike the mark.
32 He hurls arrows of light, taking sure and accurate aim.
33 Its crashing declares his presence; the cattle also declare that he rises.
33 The High God roars in the thunder, angry against evil.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.