JOB 33

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Elihu Rebukes Job33:1

“But now, hear my speech, O Job,

and listen to all my words. 2

Behold, I open my mouth;

the tongue in my mouth speaks. 3

My words declare the uprightness of my heart,

and what my lips know they speak sincerely. 4

The Spirit of God has made me,

and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. 5

Answer me, if you can;

set your words in order before me; take your stand. 6

Behold, I am toward God as you are;

I too was pinched off from a piece of clay. 7

Behold, no fear of me need terrify you;

my pressure will not be heavy upon you.
8

“Surely you have spoken in my ears,

and I have heard the sound of your words. 9

You say, ‘I am pure, without transgression;

I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me. 10

Behold, he finds occasions against me,

he counts me as his enemy, 11

he puts my feet in the stocks

and watches all my paths.’
12

“Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you,

for God is greater than man. 13

Why do you contend against him,

saying, ‘He will answer none of man’s words’? 14

For God speaks in one way,

and in two, though man does not perceive it. 15

In a dream, in a vision of the night,

when deep sleep falls on men,

while they slumber on their beds, 16

then he opens the ears of men

and terrifies them with warnings, 17

that he may turn man aside from his deed

and conceal pride from a man; 18

he keeps back his soul from the pit,

his life from perishing by the sword.
19

“Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed

and with continual strife in his bones, 20

so that his life loathes bread,

and his appetite the choicest food. 21

His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen,

and his bones that were not seen stick out. 22

His soul draws near the pit,

and his life to those who bring death. 23

If there be for him an angel,

a mediator, one of the thousand,

to declare to man what is right for him, 24

and he is merciful to him, and says,

‘Deliver him from going down into the pit;

I have found a ransom; 25

let his flesh become fresh with youth;

let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’; 26

then man prays to God, and he accepts him;

he sees his face with a shout of joy,

and he restores to man his righteousness. 27

He sings before men and says:

‘I sinned and perverted what was right,

and it was not repaid to me. 28

He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit,

and my life shall look upon the light.’
29

“Behold, God does all these things,

twice, three times, with a man, 30

to bring back his soul from the pit,

that he may be lighted with the light of life. 31

Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;

be silent, and I will speak. 32

If you have any words, answer me;

speak, for I desire to justify you. 33

If not, listen to me;

be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”

JOB 34

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Elihu Asserts God’s Justice  34:1 Then Elihu answered and said:
2

“Hear my words, you wise men,

and give ear to me, you who know; 3

for the ear tests words

as the palate tastes food. 4

Let us choose what is right;

let us know among ourselves what is good. 5

For Job has said, ‘I am in the right,

and God has taken away my right; 6

in spite of my right I am counted a liar;

my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’ 7

What man is like Job,

who drinks up scoffing like water, 8

who travels in company with evildoers

and walks with wicked men? 9

For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing

that he should take delight in God.’
10

“Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding:

far be it from God that he should do wickedness,

and from the Almighty that he should do wrong. 11

For according to the work of a man he will repay him,

and according to his ways he will make it befall him. 12

Of a truth, God will not do wickedly,

and the Almighty will not pervert justice. 13

Who gave him charge over the earth,

and who laid on him the whole world? 14

If he should set his heart to it

and gather to himself his spirit and his breath, 15

all flesh would perish together,

and man would return to dust.
16

“If you have understanding, hear this;

listen to what I say. 17

Shall one who hates justice govern?

Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty, 18

who says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’

and to nobles, ‘Wicked man,’ 19

who shows no partiality to princes,

nor regards the rich more than the poor,

for they are all the work of his hands? 20

In a moment they die;

at midnight the people are shaken and pass away,

and the mighty are taken away by no human hand.
21

“For his eyes are on the ways of a man,

and he sees all his steps. 22

There is no gloom or deep darkness

where evildoers may hide themselves. 23

For God has no need to consider a man further,

that he should go before God in judgment. 24

He shatters the mighty without investigation

and sets others in their place. 25

Thus, knowing their works,

he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed. 26

He strikes them for their wickedness

in a place for all to see, 27

because they turned aside from following him

and had no regard for any of his ways, 28

so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him,

and he heard the cry of the afflicted— 29

When he is quiet, who can condemn?

When he hides his face, who can behold him,

whether it be a nation or a man?— 30

that a godless man should not reign,

that he should not ensnare the people.
31

“For has anyone said to God,

‘I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more; 32

teach me what I do not see;

if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’? 33

Will he then make repayment to suit you,

because you reject it?

For you must choose, and not I;

therefore declare what you know. 34

Men of understanding will say to me,

and the wise man who hears me will say: 35

‘Job speaks without knowledge;

his words are without insight.’ 36

Would that Job were tried to the end,

because he answers like wicked men. 37

For he adds rebellion to his sin;

he claps his hands among us

and multiplies his words against God.”

PROVERBS 22

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22:1

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,

and favor is better than silver or gold. 2

The rich and the poor meet together;

the Lord is the Maker of them all. 3

The prudent sees danger and hides himself,

but the simple go on and suffer for it. 4

The reward for humility and fear of the Lord

is riches and honor and life. 5

Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked;

whoever guards his soul will keep far from them. 6

Train up a child in the way he should go;

even when he is old he will not depart from it. 7

The rich rules over the poor,

and the borrower is the slave of the lender. 8

Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,

and the rod of his fury will fail. 9

Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed,

for he shares his bread with the poor. 10

Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out,

and quarreling and abuse will cease. 11

He who loves purity of heart,

and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend. 12

The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,

but he overthrows the words of the traitor. 13

The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!

I shall be killed in the streets!” 14

The mouth of forbidden women is a deep pit;

he with whom the Lord is angry will fall into it. 15

Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,

but the rod of discipline drives it far from him. 16

Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth,

or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty. Words of the Wise17

Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise,

and apply your heart to my knowledge, 18

for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,

if all of them are ready on your lips. 19

That your trust may be in the Lord,

I have made them known to you today, even to you. 20

Have I not written for you thirty sayings

of counsel and knowledge, 21

to make you know what is right and true,

that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?
22

Do not rob the poor, because he is poor,

or crush the afflicted at the gate, 23

for the Lord will plead their cause

and rob of life those who rob them. 24

Make no friendship with a man given to anger,

nor go with a wrathful man, 25

lest you learn his ways

and entangle yourself in a snare. 26

Be not one of those who give pledges,

who put up security for debts. 27

If you have nothing with which to pay,

why should your bed be taken from under you? 28

Do not move the ancient landmark

that your fathers have set. 29

Do you see a man skillful in his work?

He will stand before kings;

he will not stand before obscure men.

LUKE 23

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Jesus Before Pilate  23:1 Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” 3 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” 5 But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.” Jesus Before Herod6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 And when he learned that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. 8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. 9 So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. 11 And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. 12 And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.
    13 Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. 15 Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. 16 I will therefore punish and release him.” Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified18 But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— 19 a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. 20 Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” 23 But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will. The Crucifixion26 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. 28 But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
    32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35 And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
    39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” The Death of Jesus44 It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. 47 Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!” 48 And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. 49 And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things. Jesus Is Buried50 Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. 54 It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. 55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments.
    On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.