Job Muses on the Brevity of Life

141 Man, that is born of a woman, Is of few days, and full of trouble. 2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. 3 And dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one, And bringest me into judgment with thee? 4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. 5 Seeing his days are determined, The number of his months is with thee, And thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass; 6 Look away from him, that he may rest, Till he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day.

7 For there is hope of a tree, If it be cut down, that it will sprout again, And that the tender branch thereof will not cease. 8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, And the stock thereof die in the ground; 9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, And put forth boughs like a plant. 10 But man dieth, and is laid low: Yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? 11 [As] the waters fail from the sea, And the river wasteth and drieth up; 12 So man lieth down and riseth not: Till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, Nor be roused out of their sleep. 13 Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol, That thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, That thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! 14 If a man die, shall he live [again]? All the days of my warfare would I wait, Till my release should come. 15 Thou wouldest call, and I would answer thee: Thou wouldest have a desire to the work of thy hands.

16 But now thou numberest my steps: Dost thou not watch over my sin? 17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, And thou fastenest up mine iniquity. 18 But the mountain falling cometh to nought; And the rock is removed out of its place; 19 The waters wear the stones; The overflowings thereof wash away the dust of the earth: So thou destroyest the hope of man. 20 Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away. 21 His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; And they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them. 22 But his flesh upon him hath pain, And his soul within him mourneth.

Eliphaz Reprimands Job

151 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said, 2 Should a wise man make answer with vain knowledge, And fill himself with the east wind? 3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk, Or with speeches wherewith he can do no good? 4 Yea, thou doest away with fear, And hinderest devotion before God. 5 For thine iniquity teacheth thy mouth, And thou choosest the tongue of the crafty. 6 Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I; Yea, thine own lips testify against thee. 7 Art thou the first man that was born? Or wast thou brought forth before the hills? 8 Hast thou heard the secret counsel of God? And dost thou limit wisdom to thyself? 9 What knowest thou, that we know not? What understandest thou, which is not in us? 10 With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men, Much elder than thy father. 11 Are the consolations of God too small for thee, Even the word that is gentle toward thee? 12 Why doth thy heart carry thee away? And why do thine eyes flash, 13 That against God thou turnest thy spirit, And lettest words go out of thy mouth? 14 What is man, that he should be clean? And he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? 15 Behold, he putteth no trust in his holy ones; Yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight: 16 How much less one that is abominable and corrupt, A man that drinketh iniquity like water!

17 I will show thee, hear thou me; And that which I have seen I will declare: 18 (Which wise men have told From their fathers, and have not hid it; 19 Unto whom alone the land was given, And no stranger passed among them): 20 The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, Even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor. 21 A sound of terrors is in his ears; In prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him. 22 He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, And he is waited for of the sword. 23 He wandereth abroad for bread, [saying], Where is it? He knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand. 24 Distress and anguish make him afraid; They prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle. 25 Because he hath stretched out his hand against God, And behaveth himself proudly against the Almighty; 26 He runneth upon him with a [stiff] neck, With the thick bosses of his bucklers; 27 Because he hath covered his face with his fatness, And gathered fat upon his loins; 28 And he hath dwelt in desolate cities, In houses which no man inhabited, Which were ready to become heaps; 29 He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, Neither shall their possessions be extended on the earth. 30 He shall not depart out of darkness; The flame shall dry up his branches, And by the breath of [God's] mouth shall he go away. 31 Let him not trust in vanity, deceiving himself; For vanity shall be his recompense. 32 It shall be accomplished before his time, And his branch shall not be green. 33 He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, And shall cast off his flower as the olive-tree. 34 For the company of the godless shall be barren, And fire shall consume the tents of bribery. 35 They conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity, And their heart prepareth deceit.

Job Complains of God's Dealings

161 Then Job answered and said, 2 I have heard many such things: Miserable comforters are ye all. 3 Shall vain words have an end? Or what provoketh thee that thou answerest? 4 I also could speak as ye do; If your soul were in my soul's stead, I could join words together against you, And shake my head at you. 5 [But] I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the solace of my lips would assuage [your grief].

6 Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged; And though I forbear, what am I eased? 7 But now he hath made me weary: Thou hast made desolate all my company. 8 And thou hast laid fast hold on me, [which] is a witness [against me]: And my leanness riseth up against me, It testifieth to my face. 9 He hath torn me in his wrath, and persecuted me; He hath gnashed upon me with his teeth: Mine adversary sharpeneth his eyes upon me. 10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; They have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully: They gather themselves together against me. 11 God delivereth me to the ungodly, And casteth me into the hands of the wicked. 12 I was at ease, and he brake me asunder; Yea, he hath taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces: He hath also set me up for his mark. 13 His archers compass me round about; He cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; He poureth out my gall upon the ground. 14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach; He runneth upon me like a giant. 15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, And have laid my horn in the dust. 16 My face is red with weeping, And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

17 Although there is no violence in my hands, And my prayer is pure. 18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, And let my cry have no [resting] -place. 19 Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, And he that voucheth for me is on high. 20 My friends scoff at me: [But] mine eye poureth out tears unto God, 21 That he would maintain the right of a man with God, And of a son of man with his neighbor! 22 For when a few years are come, I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews that dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

Saul Escapes from the Jews

23 And when many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel together to kill him: 24 but their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates also day and night that they might kill him: 25 but his disciples took him by night, and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.

Saul at Jerusalem

26 And when he was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 And he was with them going in and going out at Jerusalem, 29 preaching boldly in the name of the Lord: and he spake and disputed against the Grecian Jews; but they were seeking to kill him. 30 And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. 31 So the church throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being edified; and, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, was multiplied.

Aeneas Healed

32 And it came to pass, as Peter went throughout all parts, he came down also to the saints that dwelt at Lydda. 33 And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had kept his bed eight years; for he was palsied. 34 And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ healeth thee: arise and make thy bed. And straightway he arose. 35 And all that dwelt at Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

Dorcas Restored to Life

36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. 37 And it came to pass in those days, that she fell sick, and died: and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper chamber. 38 And as Lydda was nigh unto Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men unto him, entreating him, Delay not to come on unto us. 39 And Peter arose and went with them. And when he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down and prayed; and turning to the body, he said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes; and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand, and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa: and many believed on the Lord. 43 And it came to pass, that he abode many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Acts 9:22-43

Commentary on Acts 9:10-22

(Read Acts 9:10-22)

A good work was begun in Saul, when he was brought to Christ's feet with those words, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And never did Christ leave any who were brought to that. Behold, the proud Pharisee, the unmerciful oppressor, the daring blasphemer, prayeth! And thus it is even now, and with the proud infidel, or the abandoned sinner. What happy tidings are these to all who understand the nature and power of prayer, of such prayer as the humbled sinner presents for the blessings of free salvation! Now he began to pray after another manner than he had done; before, he said his prayers, now, he prayed them. Regenerating grace sets people on praying; you may as well find a living man without breath, as a living Christian without prayer. Yet even eminent disciples, like Ananias, sometimes stagger at the commands of the Lord. But it is the Lord's glory to surpass our scanty expectations, and show that those are vessels of his mercy whom we are apt to consider as objects of his vengeance. The teaching of the Holy Spirit takes away the scales of ignorance and pride from the understanding; then the sinner becomes a new creature, and endeavours to recommend the anointed Saviour, the Son of God, to his former companions.

Commentary on Acts 9:23-31

(Read Acts 9:23-31)

When we enter into the way of God, we must look for trials; but the Lord knows how to deliver the godly, and will, with the temptation, also make a way to escape. Though Saul's conversion was and is a proof of the truth of Christianity, yet it could not, of itself, convert one soul at enmity with the truth; for nothing can produce true faith, but that power which new-creates the heart. Believers are apt to be too suspicious of those against whom they have prejudices. The world is full of deceit, and it is necessary to be cautious, but we must exercise charity, 21. Christ's witnesses cannot be slain till they have finished their testimony. The persecutions were stayed. The professors of the gospel walked uprightly, and enjoyed much comfort from the Holy Ghost, in the hope and peace of the gospel, and others were won over to them. They lived upon the comfort of the Holy Ghost, not only in the days of trouble and affliction, but in days of rest and prosperity. Those are most likely to walk cheerfully, who walk circumspectly.

Commentary on Acts 9:32-35

(Read Acts 9:32-35)

Christians are saints, or holy people; not only the eminent ones, as Saint Peter and Saint Paul, but every sincere professor of the faith of Christ. Christ chose patients whose diseases were incurable in the course of nature, to show how desperate was the case of fallen mankind. When we were wholly without strength, as this poor man, he sent his word to heal us. Peter does not pretend to heal by any power of his own, but directs Eneas to look up to Christ for help. Let none say, that because it is Christ, who, by the power of his grace, works all our works in us, therefore we have no work, no duty to do; for though Jesus Christ makes thee whole, yet thou must arise, and use the power he gives thee.

Commentary on Acts 9:36-43

(Read Acts 9:36-43)

Many are full of good words, who are empty and barren in good works; but Tabitha was a great doer, no great talker. Christians who have not property to give in charity, may yet be able to do acts of charity, working with their hands, or walking with their feet, for the good of others. Those are certainly best praised whose own works praise them, whether the words of others do so or not. But such are ungrateful indeed, who have kindness shown them, and will not acknowledge it, by showing the kindness that is done them. While we live upon the fulness of Christ for our whole salvation, we should desire to be full of good works, for the honour of his name, and for the benefit of his saints. Such characters as Dorcas are useful where they dwell, as showing the excellency of the word of truth by their lives. How mean then the cares of the numerous females who seek no distinction but outward decoration, and who waste their lives in the trifling pursuits of dress and vanity! Power went along with the word, and Dorcas came to life. Thus in the raising of dead souls to spiritual life, the first sign of life is the opening of the eyes of the mind. Here we see that the Lord can make up every loss; that he overrules every event for the good of those who trust in him, and for the glory of his name.