Job 38; Job 39; Job 40; Acts 16:1-21

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Job 38

1 The LORD spoke to Job out of a storm. He said,

2 "Who do you think you are to disagree with my plans? You do not know what you are talking about.

3 Get ready to stand up for yourself. I will ask you some questions. Then I want you to answer me.

4 "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you know.

5 Who measured it? I am sure you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?

6 What was it built on? Who laid its most important stone?

7 When it happened, the morning stars sang together. All of the angels shouted with joy.

8 "Who created the ocean? Who caused it to be born?

9 I put clouds over it as if they were its clothes. I wrapped it in thick darkness.

10 I set limits for it. I put its doors and metal bars in place.

11 I said, 'You can come this far. But you can't come any farther. Here is where your proud waves have to stop.'

12 "Job, have you ever commanded the morning to come? Have you ever shown the sun where to rise?

13 The daylight takes the earth by its edges as if it were a blanket. Then it shakes sinful people out of it.

14 The earth takes shape like clay under a seal. Its features stand out like the different parts of your clothes.

15 Sinners would rather have darkness than light. When the light comes, their power is broken.

16 "Have you traveled to the springs at the bottom of the ocean? Have you walked in its deepest parts?

17 Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of darkness?

18 Do you understand how big the earth is? Tell me, if you know all of those things.

19 "Where does light come from? And where does darkness live?

20 Can you take them to their places? Do you know the paths to their houses?

21 I am sure you know! After all, you were already born! You have lived so many years!

22 "Have you entered the places where the snow is kept? Have you seen the storerooms for the hail?

23 I store up snow and hail for times of trouble. I keep them for days of war and battle.

24 Where does lightning come from? Where do the east winds that blow across the earth live?

25 Who tells the rain where it should fall? Who makes paths for the thunderstorms?

26 They bring water to places where no one lives. They water deserts that do not have anyone in them.

27 They satisfy the needs of dry and empty lands. They make grass start growing there.

28 Does the rain have a father? Who is the father of the drops of dew?

29 Does the ice have a mother? Who is the mother of the frost from the heavens?

30 The waters become as hard as stone. The surface of the ocean freezes over.

31 "Can you tie up the beautiful Pleiades? Can you untie the ropes that hold Orion together?

32 Can you bring out all of the stars in their seasons? Can you lead out the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper?

33 Do you know the laws that govern the heavens? Can you rule over the earth the way I do?

34 "Can you give orders to the clouds? Can you make them pour rain down on you?

35 Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, 'Here we are'?

36 Who put wisdom in people's hearts? Who gave understanding to their minds?

37 Who is wise enough to count the clouds? Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens?

38 I tip them over when the ground becomes hard. I do it when the dirt sticks together.

39 "Do you hunt for food for mother lions? Do you satisfy the hunger of their cubs?

40 Some of them lie low in their dens. Others lie waiting in the bushes.

41 Who provides food for ravens when their babies cry out to me? They wander around because they do not have anything to eat.

Job 39

1 "Job, do you know when mountain goats have their babies? Do you watch when female deer give birth?

2 Do you count the months until the animals have their babies? Do you know the time when they give birth?

3 They bend their back legs and have their babies. Then their labor pains stop.

4 Their little ones grow strong and healthy in the wild. They leave and do not come home again.

5 "Who let the wild donkeys go free? Who untied their ropes?

6 I gave them the dry and empty land as their home. I gave them salt flats to live in.

7 They laugh at all of the noise in town. They do not hear the shouts of the donkey drivers.

8 They wander over the hills to look for grass. They search for anything green to eat.

9 "Job, will wild oxen agree to serve you? Will they stay by your feed box at night?

10 Can you keep them in straight rows with harnesses? Will they plow the valleys behind you?

11 Will you depend on them for their great strength? Will you let them do your heavy work?

12 Can you trust them to bring in your grain? Will they take it to your threshing floor?

13 "The wings of ostriches flap with joy. But they can't compare with the wings and feathers of storks.

14 Ostriches lay their eggs on the ground. They let them get warm in the sand.

15 They do not know that something might step on them. A wild animal might walk all over them.

16 Ostriches are mean to their little ones. They treat them as if they did not belong to them. They do not care that their work was useless.

17 I did not provide ostriches with wisdom. I did not give them good sense.

18 But when they spread their feathers to run, they laugh at a horse and its rider.

19 "Job, do you give horses their strength? Do you put flowing manes on their necks?

20 Do you make them jump like locusts? They terrify others with their proud snorting.

21 They paw the ground wildly. They are filled with joy. They charge at their enemies.

22 They laugh at fear. They are not afraid of anything. They do not run away from swords.

23 Many arrows rattle at their sides. Flashing spears and javelins are also there.

24 They are so stirred up that they eat up the ground. They can't stand still when trumpets are blown.

25 When they hear the trumpets they snort, 'Aha!' They catch the smells of battle far away. They hear the shouts of commanders and the battle cries.

26 "Job, are you wise enough to teach hawks where to fly? They spread their wings and fly toward the south.

27 Do you command eagles to fly so high? They build their nests as high as they can.

28 They live on cliffs and stay there at night. High up on the rocks they think they are safe.

29 From there they look for their food. They can see it from far away.

30 Their little ones like to eat blood. Eagles gather where they see dead bodies."

Job 40

1 The LORD continued,

2 "I am the Mighty One. Will the man who argues with me correct me? Let him who brings charges against me answer me!"

3 Job replied to the Lord,

4 "I'm not worthy. How can I reply to you? I'm putting my hand over my mouth. I'll stop talking.

5 I spoke once. But I really don't have any answer. I spoke twice. But I won't say anything else."

6 Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said,

7 "Get ready to stand up for yourself. I will ask you some more questions. Then I want you to answer me.

8 "Would you dare to claim that I am not being fair? Would you judge me in order to make yourself seem right?

9 Is your arm as powerful as mine is? Can your voice thunder as mine does?

10 Then put on glory and beauty as if they were your clothes. Also put honor and majesty on.

11 Let loose your great anger. Look at those who are proud and bring them low.

12 Look at proud people and bring them down. Crush those who are evil right where they are.

13 Bury their bodies in the dust together. Cover their faces in the grave.

14 Then I myself will admit to you that your own right hand can save you.

15 "Look at the behemoth. It is a huge animal. I made both of you. It eats grass like an ox.

16 Look at the strength it has in its hips! What power it has in the muscles of its stomach!

17 Its tail sways back and forth like a cedar tree. The tendons of its thighs are close together.

18 Its bones are like tubes made out of bronze. Its legs are like rods made out of iron.

19 It ranks first among my works. I made it. I can approach it with my sword.

20 The hills produce food for it. All of the other wild animals play near it.

21 It lies under lotus plants. It hides in tall grass in the swamps.

22 The lotus plants hide it in their shade. Poplar trees near streams surround it.

23 It is not afraid when the river roars. It is secure even when the Jordan River rushes against its mouth.

24 Can anyone capture it by its eyes? Can anyone trap it and poke a hole through its nose?

Acts 16:1-21

1 Paul came to Derbe. Then he went on to Lystra. A believer named Timothy lived there. His mother was Jewish and a believer. His father was a Greek.

2 The believers at Lystra and Iconium said good things about Timothy.

3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey. So he circumcised Timothy because of the Jews who lived in that area. They all knew that Timothy's father was a Greek.

4 Paul and his companions traveled from town to town. They reported what the apostles and elders in Jerusalem had decided. The people were supposed to obey what was in the report.

5 So the churches were made strong in the faith. The number of believers grew every day.

6 Paul and his companions traveled all through the area of Phrygia and Galatia. The Holy Spirit had kept them from preaching the word in Asia Minor.

7 They came to the border of Mysia. From there they tried to enter Bithynia. But the Spirit of Jesus would not let them.

8 So they passed by Mysia. Then they went down to Troas.

9 During the night Paul had a vision. He saw a man from Macedonia standing and begging him. "Come over to Macedonia!" the man said. "Help us!"

10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia. We decided that God had called us to preach the good news there.

11 At Troas we got into a boat. We sailed straight for Samothrace. The next day we went on to Neapolis.

12 From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony. It is an important city in that part of Macedonia. We stayed there several days.

13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate. We walked down to the river. There we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered together.

14 One of those listening was a woman named Lydia. She was from the city of Thyatira. Her business was selling purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to accept Paul's message.

15 She and her family were baptized. Then she invited us to her home. "Do you consider me a believer in the Lord?" she asked. "If you do, come and stay at my house." She succeeded in getting us to go home with her.

16 One day we were going to the place of prayer. On the way we were met by a female slave. She had a spirit that helped her to tell ahead of time what was going to happen. She earned a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes.

17 The woman followed Paul and the rest of us around. She shouted, "These men serve the Most High God. They are telling you how to be saved."

18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became upset. Turning around, he spoke to the spirit. "In the name of Jesus Christ," he said, "I command you to come out of her!" At that very moment the spirit left her.

19 The female slave's owners realized that their hope of making money was gone. So they grabbed Paul and Silas. They dragged them into the market place to face the authorities.

20 They brought them to the judges. "These men are Jews," her owners said. "They are making trouble in our city.

21 They are suggesting practices that are against Roman law. These are practices we can't accept or take part in."