New International Version NIV
New Living Translation NLT
1 Elihu continued:
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Elihu continued speaking:
2 “Bear with me a little longer and I will show you that there is more to be said in God’s behalf.
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“Let me go on, and I will show you the truth. For I have not finished defending God!
3 I get my knowledge from afar; I will ascribe justice to my Maker.
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I will present profound arguments for the righteousness of my Creator.
4 Be assured that my words are not false; one who has perfect knowledge is with you.
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I am telling you nothing but the truth, for I am a man of great knowledge.
5 “God is mighty, but despises no one; he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.
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“God is mighty, but he does not despise anyone! He is mighty in both power and understanding.
6 He does not keep the wicked alive but gives the afflicted their rights.
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He does not let the wicked live but gives justice to the afflicted.
7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous; he enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.
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He never takes his eyes off the innocent, but he sets them on thrones with kings and exalts them forever.
8 But if people are bound in chains, held fast by cords of affliction,
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If they are bound in chains and caught up in a web of trouble,
9 he tells them what they have done— that they have sinned arrogantly.
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he shows them the reason. He shows them their sins of pride.
10 He makes them listen to correction and commands them to repent of their evil.
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He gets their attention and commands that they turn from evil.
11 If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.
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“If they listen and obey God, they will be blessed with prosperity throughout their lives. All their years will be pleasant.
12 But if they do not listen, they will perish by the swordand die without knowledge.
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But if they refuse to listen to him, they will cross over the river of death, dying from lack of understanding.
13 “The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.
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For the godless are full of resentment. Even when he punishes them, they refuse to cry out to him for help.
14 They die in their youth, among male prostitutes of the shrines.
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They die when they are young, after wasting their lives in immoral living.
15 But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction.
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But by means of their suffering, he rescues those who suffer. For he gets their attention through adversity.
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.
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“God is leading you away from danger, Job, to a place free from distress. He is setting your table with the best food.
17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have taken hold of you.
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But you are obsessed with whether the godless will be judged. Don’t worry, judgment and justice will be upheld.
18 Be careful that no one entices you by riches; do not let a large bribe turn you aside.
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But watch out, or you may be seduced by wealth. Don’t let yourself be bribed into sin.
19 Would your wealth or even all your mighty efforts sustain you so you would not be in distress?
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Could all your wealth or all your mighty efforts keep you from distress?
20 Do not long for the night, to drag people away from their homes.
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Do not long for the cover of night, for that is when people will be destroyed.
21 Beware of turning to evil, which you seem to prefer to affliction.
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Be on guard! Turn back from evil, for God sent this suffering to keep you from a life of evil.
22 “God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him?
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“Look, God is all-powerful. Who is a teacher like him?
23 Who has prescribed his ways for him, or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?
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No one can tell him what to do, or say to him, ‘You have done wrong.’
24 Remember to extol his work, which people have praised in song.
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Instead, glorify his mighty works, singing songs of praise.
25 All humanity has seen it; mortals gaze on it from afar.
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Everyone has seen these things, though only from a distance.
26 How great is God—beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out.
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“Look, God is greater than we can understand. His years cannot be counted.
27 “He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams ;
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He draws up the water vapor and then distills it into rain.
28 the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind.
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The rain pours down from the clouds, and everyone benefits.
29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion?
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Who can understand the spreading of the clouds and the thunder that rolls forth from heaven?
30 See how he scatters his lightning about him, bathing the depths of the sea.
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See how he spreads the lightning around him and how it lights up the depths of the sea.
31 This is the way he governs the nations and provides food in abundance.
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By these mighty acts he nourishes the people, giving them food in abundance.
32 He fills his hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark.
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He fills his hands with lightning bolts and hurls each at its target.
33 His thunder announces the coming storm; even the cattle make known its approach.
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The thunder announces his presence; the storm announces his indignant anger.
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.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.