Job 36

English NIRV 1996 - Copyrighted only for Website

← Chapter 35 Jump to: Chapter 37 →

1Elihu continued,

2"Put up with me a little longer. I'll show you I can speak up for God even more.

3I get my knowledge from far away. I'll announce that the One who made me is fair.

4You can be sure that my words are true. One who has perfect knowledge is talking to you.

5"God is mighty, but he doesn't hate people. He's mighty, and he knows exactly what he's going to do.

6He doesn't keep alive those who are evil. Instead, he gives suffering people their rights.

7He watches over those who do what is right. He puts them on thrones as if they were kings. He honors them forever.

8But some people are held by chains. They are tied up with painful ropes.

9God tells them what they've done. He tells them they've become proud and sinned against him.

10He makes them listen when he corrects them. He commands them to turn away from the evil things they've done.

11If they obey him and serve him, they'll enjoy a long and happy life. Things will go well with them.

12But if they don't listen to him, they'll be killed with swords. They'll die because they didn't want to know anything about him.

13"Those whose hearts are ungodly are always angry. Even when God puts them in chains, they don't cry out for help.

14They die while they are still young. They die among the male prostitutes at the temples.

15But God saves suffering people while they are suffering. He speaks to them while they are hurting.

16"Job, he wants to take you out of the jaws of trouble. He wants to bring you to a wide and safe place. He'd like to seat you at a table that is loaded with the best food.

17But now you are loaded down with the punishment sinners will receive. You have been judged fairly.

18Be careful that no one tempts you with riches. Don't take money from people who want special favors, no matter how much it is.

19Can your wealth keep you out of trouble? Can all of your mighty efforts keep you going?

20Don't long for the night to come so you can drag people away from their homes.

21Be careful not to do what is evil. You seem to like evil better than suffering!

22"God is honored because he is so powerful. He has no equal as a teacher.

23Who has told him what he can do? Who has said to him, 'You have done what is wrong'?

24Remember to thank him for what he's done. People have praised him with their songs.

25Every human being has seen his work. People can see it from far away.

26How great God is! We'll never completely understand him. We'll never find out how long he has lived.

27"He makes mist rise from the water. Then it falls as rain into the streams.

28The clouds pour down their moisture. Rain showers fall on people everywhere.

29Who can understand how God spreads out the clouds? Who can explain how he thunders from his home in heaven?

30See how he scatters his lightning around him! He lights up the deepest parts of the ocean.

31The rain he sends makes things grow for the nations. He provides them with plenty of food.

32He holds lightning bolts in his hands. He commands them to strike their marks.

33His thunder announces that a storm is coming. Even the cattle let us know it's approaching.

← Chapter 35 Jump to: Chapter 37 →

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