Job 28; Job 29; Acts 13:1-25

1 There is a sure source of silver, a place where gold is refined.

2 Iron is taken from the earth; rock is smelted into copper.

3 Humans put an end to darkness, dig for ore to the farthest depths, into stone in utter darkness,

4 open a shaft away from any inhabitant, places forgotten by those on foot, apart from any human they hang and sway.

5 Earth—from it comes food— is turned over below ground as by fire.

6 Its rocks are the source for lapis lazuli; there is gold dust in it.

7 A path— no bird of prey knows it; a hawk's eye hasn't seen it;

8 proud beasts haven't trodden on it; a lion hasn't crossed over it.

9 Humans thrust their hands into flint, pull up mountains from their roots,

10 cut channels into rocks; their eyes see everything precious.

11 They dam up the sources of rivers; hidden things come to light.

12 But wisdom, where can it be found; where is the place of understanding?

13 Humankind doesn't know its value; it isn't found in the land of the living.

14 The Deep says, "It's not with me"; the Sea says, "Not alongside me!"

15 It can't be bought with gold; its price can't be measured in silver,

16 can't be weighed against gold from Ophir, with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.

17 Neither gold nor glass can compare with it; she can't be acquired with gold jewelry.

18 Coral and jasper shouldn't be mentioned; the price of wisdom is more than rubies.

19 Cushite topaz won't compare with her; she can't be set alongside pure gold.

20 But wisdom, where does she come from? Where is the place of understanding?

21 She's hidden from the eyes of all the living, concealed from birds of the sky.

22 Destruction and Death have said, "We've heard a report of her."

23 God understands her way; he knows her place;

24 for he looks to the ends of the earth and surveys everything beneath the heavens.

25 In order to weigh the wind, to prepare a measure for waters,

26 when he made a decree for the rain, a path for thunderbolts,

27 then he observed it, spoke of it, established it, searched it out,

28 and said to humankind: "Look, the fear of the LORD is wisdom; turning from evil is understanding."

1 Job took up his subject again:

2 Oh, that life was like it used to be, like days when God watched over me;

3 when his lamp shone on my head, I walked by his light in the dark;

4 when I was in my prime; when God's counsel was in my tent;

5 when the Almighty was with me, my children around me;

6 when my steps were washed with cream and a rock poured out pools of oil for me.

7 When I went out to the city gate, took my seat in the square,

8 the young saw me and drew back; the old rose and stood;

9 princes restrained speech, put their hand on their mouth;

10 the voices of officials were hushed, their tongue stuck to their palate.

11 Indeed, the ear that heard blessed me; the eye that looked commended me,

12 because I rescued the weak who cried out, the orphans who lacked help.

13 The blessing of the perishing reached me; I made the widow's heart sing;

14 I put on justice, and it clothed me, righteousness as my coat and turban;

15 I was eyes to the blind, feet to the lame.

16 I was a father to the needy; the case I didn't know, I examined.

17 I shattered the fangs of the wicked, rescued prey from their teeth.

18 I thought, I'll die in my nest, multiply days like sand,

19 my roots opening to water, dew lingering on my branches,

20 my honor newly with me, my bow ever successful in my hand.

21 People listened to me and waited, were silent for my advice.

22 After my speech, they didn't respond. My words fell gently on them;

23 they waited for me as for rain, opened their mouth as for spring rain.

24 I smiled on them; they couldn't believe it. They never showed me disfavor.

25 I decided their path, sat as chief. I lived like a king with his troops, like one who comforts mourners.

1 The church at Antioch included prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon (nicknamed Niger), Lucius from Cyrene, Manaen (a childhood friend of Herod the ruler), and Saul.

2 As they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Appoint Barnabas and Saul to the work I have called them to undertake."

3 After they fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on these two and sent them off.

4 After the Holy Spirit sent them on their way, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus.

5 In Salamis they proclaimed God's word in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their assistant.

6 They traveled throughout the island until they arrived at Paphos. There they found a certain man named Bar-Jesus, a Jew who was a false prophet and practiced sorcery.

7 He kept company with the governor of that province, an intelligent man named Sergius Paulus. The governor sent for Barnabas and Saul since he wanted to hear God's word.

8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for that's what people understood his name meant) opposed them, trying to steer the governor away from the faith.

9 Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Saul, also known as Paul, glared at Bar-Jesus and

10 said, "You are a deceiver and trickster! You devil! You attack anything that is right! Will you never stop twisting the straight ways of the Lord into crooked paths?

11 Listen! The Lord's power is set against you. You will be blind for a while, unable even to see the daylight." At once, Bar-Jesus' eyes were darkened, and he began to grope about for someone to lead him around by the hand.

12 When the governor saw what had taken place, he came to believe, for he was astonished by the teaching about the Lord.

13 Paul and his companions sailed from Paphos to Perga in Pamphylia. John deserted them there and returned to Jerusalem.

14 They went on from Perga and arrived at Antioch in Pisidia. On the Sabbath, they entered and found seats in the synagogue there.

15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders invited them, "Brothers, if one of you has a sermon for the people, please speak."

16 Standing up, Paul gestured with his hand and said, “Fellow Israelites and Gentile God-worshippers, please listen to me.

17 The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors. God made them a great people while they lived as strangers in the land of Egypt. With his great power, he led them out of that country.

18 For about forty years, God put up with them in the wilderness.

19 God conquered seven nations in the land of Canaan and gave the Israelites their land as an inheritance.

20 This happened over a period of about four hundred fifty years. “After this, he gave them judges until the time of the prophet Samuel.

21 The Israelites requested a king, so God gave them Saul, Kish's son, from the tribe of Benjamin, and he served as their king for forty years.

22 After God removed him, he raised up David to be their king. God testified concerning him, ‘I have found David, Jesse's son, a man who shares my desires. Whatever my will is, he will do.'

23 From this man's descendants, God brought to Israel a savior, Jesus, just as he promised.

24 Before Jesus' appearance, John proclaimed to all the Israelites a baptism to show they were changing their hearts and lives.

25 As John was completing his mission, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I'm not the one you think I am, but he is coming after me. I'm not worthy to loosen his sandals.'