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.”

ROMANS 3

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God’s Righteousness Upheld  3:1 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3 What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written,

“That you may be justified in your words,

and prevail when you are judged.” 5 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) 6 By no means! For then how could God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just. No One Is Righteous9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one; 11

no one understands;

no one seeks for God. 12

All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;

no one does good,

not even one.” 13

“Their throat is an open grave;

they use their tongues to deceive.”

“The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14

“Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 15

“Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16

in their paths are ruin and misery, 17

and the way of peace they have not known.” 18

“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
    19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. The Righteousness of God Through Faith21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
    27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.