Job 5, Acts 26 - ESV Online

JOB 5

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5:1

“Call now; is there anyone who will answer you?

To which of the holy ones will you turn? 2

Surely vexation kills the fool,

and jealousy slays the simple. 3

I have seen the fool taking root,

but suddenly I cursed his dwelling. 4

His children are far from safety;

they are crushed in the gate,

and there is no one to deliver them. 5

The hungry eat his harvest,

and he takes it even out of thorns,

and the thirsty pant after his wealth. 6

For affliction does not come from the dust,

nor does trouble sprout from the ground, 7

but man is born to trouble

as the sparks fly upward.
8

“As for me, I would seek God,

and to God would I commit my cause, 9

who does great things and unsearchable,

marvelous things without number: 10

he gives rain on the earth

and sends waters on the fields; 11

he sets on high those who are lowly,

and those who mourn are lifted to safety. 12

He frustrates the devices of the crafty,

so that their hands achieve no success. 13

He catches the wise in their own craftiness,

and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end. 14

They meet with darkness in the daytime

and grope at noonday as in the night. 15

But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth

and from the hand of the mighty. 16

So the poor have hope,

and injustice shuts her mouth.
17

“Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves;

therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty. 18

For he wounds, but he binds up;

he shatters, but his hands heal. 19

He will deliver you from six troubles;

in seven no evil shall touch you. 20

In famine he will redeem you from death,

and in war from the power of the sword. 21

You shall be hidden from the lash of the tongue,

and shall not fear destruction when it comes. 22

At destruction and famine you shall laugh,

and shall not fear the beasts of the earth. 23

For you shall be in league with the stones of the field,

and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you. 24

You shall know that your tent is at peace,

and you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing. 25

You shall know also that your offspring shall be many,

and your descendants as the grass of the earth. 26

You shall come to your grave in ripe old age,

like a sheaf gathered up in its season. 27

Behold, this we have searched out; it is true.

Hear, and know it for your good.”

ACTS 26

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Paul’s Defense Before Agrippa

  26:1 So Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:
    2 “I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, 3 especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
    4 “My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. 5 They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, 7 to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! 8 Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
    9 “I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities. Paul Tells of His Conversion

12 “In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
    19 “Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: 23 that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”
    24 And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” 25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. 26 For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” 28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” 29 And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.”
    30 Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them. 31 And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, “This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”