Elihu Justifies God

34¹ Moreover Elihu answered, ² “Hear my words, you wise men.
Give ear to me, you who have knowledge. ³ For the ear tries words,
as the palate tastes food. ⁴ Let us choose for us that which is right.
Let us know among ourselves what is good. ⁵ For Job has said, ‘I am righteous,
God has taken away my right: ⁶ Notwithstanding my right I am considered a liar.
My wound is incurable, though I am without disobedience.’ ⁷ What man is like Job,
who drinks scorn like water, ⁸ Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity,
and walks with wicked men? ⁹ For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing
that he should delight himself with God.’

¹⁰ “Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding:
far be it from God, that he should do wickedness,
from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity. ¹¹ For the work of a man he will render to him,
and cause every man to find according to his ways. ¹² Yes surely, God will not do wickedly,
neither will the Almighty pervert justice. ¹³ Who put him in charge of the earth?
or who has appointed him over the whole world? ¹⁴ If he set his heart on himself,
If he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath, ¹⁵ all flesh would perish together,
and man would turn again to dust.

¹⁶ “If now you have understanding, hear this.
Listen to the voice of my words. ¹⁷ Shall even one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty?— ¹⁸ Who says to a king, ‘Vile!’
or to nobles, ‘Wicked!’? ¹⁹ Who doesn’t respect the persons of princes,
nor respects the rich more than the poor;
for they all are the work of his hands. ²⁰ In a moment they die, even at midnight.
The people are shaken and pass away.
The mighty are taken away without a hand. ²¹ “For his eyes are on the ways of a man.
He sees all his goings. ²² There is no darkness, nor thick gloom,
where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. ²³ For he doesn’t need to consider a man further,
that he should go before God in judgment. ²⁴ He breaks in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out,
and sets others in their place. ²⁵ Therefore he takes knowledge of their works.
He overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed. ²⁶ He strikes them as wicked men
in the open sight of others; ²⁷ because they turned aside from following him,
and wouldn’t pay attention to any of his ways, ²⁸ so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him.
He heard the cry of the afflicted. ²⁹ When he gives quietness, who then can condemn?
When he hides his face, who then can see him?
Alike whether to a nation, or to a man, ³⁰ that the godless man may not reign,
that there be no one to ensnare the people.

³¹ “For has any said to God,
‘I am guilty, but I will not offend any more. ³² Teach me that which I don’t see.
If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’? ³³ Shall his recompense be as you desire, that you refuse it?
For you must choose, and not I.
Therefore speak what you know. ³⁴ Men of understanding will tell me,
yes, every wise man who hears me: ³⁵ ‘Job speaks without knowledge.
His words are without wisdom.’ ³⁶ I wish that Job were tried to the end,
because of his answering like wicked men. ³⁷ For he adds rebellion to his sin.
He claps his hands among us,
and multiplies his words against God.”

35¹ Moreover Elihu answered, ² “Do you think this to be your right,
or do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s,’ ³ That you ask, ‘What advantage will it be to you?
What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?’ ⁴ I will answer you,
and your companions with you. ⁵ Look to the heavens, and see.
See the skies, which are higher than you. ⁶ If you have sinned, what effect do you have against him?
If your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him? ⁷ If you are righteous, what do you give him?
Or what does he receive from your hand? ⁸ Your wickedness may hurt a man as you are,
and your righteousness may profit a son of man.

⁹ “By reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out.
They cry for help by reason of the arm of the mighty. ¹⁰ But none says, ‘Where is God my Maker,
who gives songs in the night, ¹¹ who teaches us more than the animals of the earth,
and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’ ¹² There they cry, but none gives answer,
because of the pride of evil men. ¹³ Surely God will not hear an empty cry,
neither will the Almighty regard it.

¹⁴ How much less when you say you don’t see him.
The cause is before him, and you wait for him! ¹⁵ But now, because he has not visited in his anger,
neither does he greatly regard arrogance. ¹⁶ Therefore Job opens his mouth with empty talk,
and he multiplies words without knowledge.”

The Council at Jerusalem

15¹ Some men came down from Judea and taught the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised after the custom of Moses, you can’t be saved.” ² Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas, and some others of them, to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question. ³ They, being sent on their way by the assembly, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. They caused great joy to all the brothers. [1] ⁴ When they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all things that God had done with them. ⁵ But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”

⁶ The apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter. ⁷ When there had been much discussion, Peter rose up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the nations should hear the word of the Good News, and believe. ⁸ God, who knows the heart, testified about them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just like he did to us. ⁹ He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. ¹⁰ Now therefore why do you tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? ¹¹ But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, [2] just as they are.” ¹² All the multitude kept silence, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul reporting what signs and wonders God had done among the nations through them. ¹³ After they were silent, James answered, “Brothers, listen to me. ¹⁴ Simeon has reported how God first visited the nations, to take out of them a people for his name. ¹⁵ This agrees with the words of the prophets. As it is written, ¹⁶ ‘After these things I will return.
I will again build the tabernacle of David, which has fallen.
I will again build its ruins.
I will set it up, ¹⁷ That the rest of men may seek after the Lord;
All the Gentiles who are called by my name,
Says the Lord, who does all these things. [3] ¹⁸ All his works are known to God from eternity.’ ¹⁹ “Therefore my judgment is that we don’t trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God, ²⁰ but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood. ²¹ For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”