JOB 33

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Elihu Claims to Speak for God33:1 “However now, Job, please hear my speech,

And listen to all my words.

2 “Behold now, I open my mouth,

My tongue in my mouth speaks.

3 “My words are from the uprightness of my heart,

And my lips speak knowledge sincerely.

4 “The Spirit of God has made me,

And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

5 “Refute me if you can;

Array yourselves before me, take your stand.

6 “Behold, I belong to God like you;

I too have been formed out of the clay.

7 “Behold, no fear of me should terrify you,

Nor should my pressure weigh heavily on you.

8 “Surely you have spoken in my hearing,

And I have heard the sound of your words:

9 ‘I am pure, without transgression;

I am innocent and there is no guilt in me.

10 ‘Behold, He invents pretexts against me;

He counts me as His enemy.

11 ‘He puts my feet in the stocks;

He watches all my paths.’

12 “Behold, let me tell you, you are not right in this,

For God is greater than man.

13 “Why do you complain against Him

That He does not give an account of all His doings?

14 “Indeed God speaks once,

Or twice, yet no one notices it.

15 “In a dream, a vision of the night,

When sound sleep falls on men,

While they slumber in their beds,

16 Then He opens the ears of men,

And seals their instruction,

17 That He may turn man aside from his conduct,

And keep man from pride;

18 He keeps back his soul from the pit,

And his life from passing over into Sheol.

19 “Man is also chastened with pain on his bed,

And with unceasing complaint in his bones;

20 So that his life loathes bread,

And his soul favorite food.

21 “His flesh wastes away from sight,

And his bones which were not seen stick out.

22 “Then his soul draws near to the pit,

And his life to those who bring death.

23 “If there is an angel as mediator for him,

One out of a thousand,

To remind a man what is right for him,

24 Then let him be gracious to him, and say,

‘Deliver him from going down to the pit,

I have found a ransom’;

25 Let his flesh become fresher than in youth,

Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor;

26 Then he will pray to God, and He will accept him,

That he may see His face with joy,

And He may restore His righteousness to man.

27 “He will sing to men and say,

‘I have sinned and perverted what is right,

And it is not proper for me.

28 ‘He has redeemed my soul from going to the pit,

And my life shall see the light.’

29 “Behold, God does all these oftentimes with men,

30 To bring back his soul from the pit,

That he may be enlightened with the light of life.

31 “Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;

Keep silent, and let me speak.

32 “Then if you have anything to say, answer me;

Speak, for I desire to justify you.

33 “If not, listen to me;

Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”

ROMANS 2

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The Impartiality of God  2:1 Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. 3 But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God.
    12 For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; 13 for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.
The Jew Is Condemned by the Law    17 But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely upon the Law and boast in God, 18 and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, 21 you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? 24 For “THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU,” just as it is written.
    25 For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.