Parallel Bible results for "job 36"

Job 36

NIV

MSG

1 Elihu continued:
1 Here Elihu took a deep breath, but kept going:
2 “Bear with me a little longer and I will show you that there is more to be said in 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 get my knowledge from afar; I will ascribe justice to my Maker.
3 I learned all this firsthand from the Source; everything I know about justice I owe to my Maker himself.
4 Be assured that my words are not false; one who has perfect knowledge is with you.
4 Trust me, I'm giving you undiluted truth; believe me, I know these things inside and out.
5 “God is mighty, but despises no one; he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.
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 rights.
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 take his eyes off the righteous; he enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.
7 He never takes his eyes off the righteous; he honors them lavishly, promotes them endlessly.
8 But if people are bound in chains, held fast by cords of affliction,
8 When things go badly, when affliction and suffering descend,
9 he tells them what they have done— that they have sinned arrogantly.
9 God tells them where they've gone wrong, shows them how their pride has caused their trouble.
10 He makes them listen to correction and commands them to repent of their evil.
10 He forces them to heed his warning, tells them they must repent of their bad life.
11 If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.
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 will perish by the swordand 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 harbor resentment; even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.
13 Angry people without God pile grievance upon grievance, always blaming others for their troubles.
14 They die in their youth, among male prostitutes of the shrines.
14 Living it up in sexual excesses, virility wasted, they die young.
15 But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction.
15 But those who learn from their suffering, God delivers from their suffering. Obsessed with Putting the Blame on God
16 “He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food.
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 now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have taken hold of you.
17 And here you are laden with the guilt of the wicked, obsessed with putting the blame on God!
18 Be careful that no one entices you by riches; do not let a large bribe turn you aside.
18 Don't let your great riches mislead you; don't think you can bribe your way out of this.
19 Would your wealth or even all your mighty efforts sustain you so you would not be in distress?
19 Did you plan to buy your way out of this? Not on your life!
20 Do not long for the night, to drag people away from their homes.
20 And don't think that night, when people sleep off their troubles, will bring you any relief.
21 Beware of turning to evil, which you seem to prefer to affliction.
21 Above all, don't make things worse with more evil - that's what's behind your suffering as it is!
22 “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 his ways for him, or said to him, ‘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, which people have praised in song.
24 Remember, then, to praise his workmanship, which is so often celebrated in song.
25 All humanity has seen it; mortals gaze on it from afar.
25 Everybody sees it; nobody is too far away to see it. No One Can Escape from God
26 How great is God—beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out.
26 "Take a long, hard look. See how great he is - infinite, greater than anything you could ever imagine or figure out!
27 “He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams ;
27 "He pulls water up out of the sea, distills it, and fills up his rain-cloud cisterns.
28 the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind.
28 Then the skies open up and pour out soaking showers on everyone.
29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion?
29 Does anyone have the slightest idea how this happens? How he arranges the clouds, how he speaks in thunder?
30 See how he scatters his lightning about him, bathing the depths of the sea.
30 Just look at that lightning, his sky-filling light show illumining the dark depths of the sea!
31 This is the way he governs the nations and provides food in abundance.
31 These are the symbols of his sovereignty, his generosity, his loving care.
32 He fills his hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark.
32 He hurls arrows of light, taking sure and accurate aim.
33 His thunder announces the coming storm; even the cattle make known its approach.
33 The High God roars in the thunder, angry against evil.
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.
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.