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Job 33-34
The Message
Job 33-34
The Message
33 1-4 “So please, Job, hear me out,
honor me by listening to me.
What I’m about to say
has been carefully thought out.
I have no ulterior motives in this;
I’m speaking honestly from my heart.
The Spirit of God made me what I am,
the breath of God Almighty gave me life!
God Always Answers, One Way or Another
5-7 “And if you think you can prove me wrong, do it.
Lay out your arguments. Stand up for yourself!
Look, I’m human—no better than you;
we’re both made of the same kind of mud.
So let’s work this through together;
don’t let my aggressiveness overwhelm you.
8-11 “Here’s what you said.
I heard you say it with my own ears.
You said, ‘I’m pure—I’ve done nothing wrong.
Believe me, I’m clean—my conscience is clear.
But God keeps picking on me;
he treats me like I’m his enemy.
He’s thrown me in jail;
he keeps me under constant surveillance.’
12-14 “But let me tell you, Job, you’re wrong, dead wrong!
God is far greater than any human.
So how dare you haul him into court,
and then complain that he won’t answer your charges?
God always answers, one way or another,
even when people don’t recognize his presence.
15-18 “In a dream, for instance, a vision at night,
when men and women are deep in sleep,
fast asleep in their beds—
God opens their ears
and impresses them with warnings
To turn them back from something bad they’re planning,
from some reckless choice,
And keep them from an early grave,
from the river of no return.
19-22 “Or, God might get their attention through pain,
by throwing them on a bed of suffering,
So they can’t stand the sight of food,
have no appetite for their favorite treats.
They lose weight, wasting away to nothing,
reduced to a bag of bones.
They hang on the cliff-edge of death,
knowing the next breath may be their last.
23-25 “But even then an angel could come,
a champion—there are thousands of them!—
to take up your cause,
A messenger who would mercifully intervene,
canceling the death sentence with the words:
‘I’ve come up with the ransom!’
Before you know it, you’re healed,
the very picture of health!
26-28 “Or, you may fall on your knees and pray—to God’s delight!
You’ll see God’s smile and celebrate,
finding yourself set right with God.
You’ll sing God’s praises to everyone you meet,
testifying, ‘I messed up my life—
and let me tell you, it wasn’t worth it.
But God stepped in and saved me from certain death.
I’m alive again! Once more I see the light!’
29-30 “This is the way God works.
Over and over again
He pulls our souls back from certain destruction
so we’ll see the light—and live in the light!
31-33 “Keep listening, Job.
Don’t interrupt—I’m not finished yet.
But if you think of anything I should know, tell me.
There’s nothing I’d like better than to see your name cleared.
Meanwhile, keep listening. Don’t distract me with interruptions.
I’m going to teach you the basics of wisdom.”
Elihu’s Second Speech
It’s Impossible for God to Do Evil
34 1-4 Elihu continued:
“So, my fine friends—listen to me,
and see what you think of this.
Isn’t it just common sense—
as common as the sense of taste—
To put our heads together
and figure out what’s going on here?
5-9 “We’ve all heard Job say, ‘I’m in the right,
but God won’t give me a fair trial.
When I defend myself, I’m called a liar to my face.
I’ve done nothing wrong, and I get punished anyway.’
Have you ever heard anything to beat this?
Does nothing faze this man Job?
Do you think he’s spent too much time in bad company,
hanging out with the wrong crowd,
So that now he’s parroting their line:
‘It doesn’t pay to try to please God’?
10-15 “You’re veterans in dealing with these matters;
certainly we’re of one mind on this.
It’s impossible for God to do anything evil;
no way can the Mighty One do wrong.
He makes us pay for exactly what we’ve done—no more, no less.
Our chickens always come home to roost.
It’s impossible for God to do anything wicked,
for the Mighty One to subvert justice.
He’s the one who runs the earth!
He cradles the whole world in his hand!
If he decided to hold his breath,
every man, woman, and child would die for lack of air.
God Is Working Behind the Scenes
16-20 “So, Job, use your head;
this is all pretty obvious.
Can someone who hates order, keep order?
Do you dare condemn the righteous, mighty God?
Doesn’t God always tell it like it is,
exposing corrupt rulers as scoundrels and criminals?
Does he play favorites with the rich and famous and slight the poor?
Isn’t he equally responsible to everybody?
Don’t people who deserve it die without notice?
Don’t wicked rulers tumble to their doom?
When the so-called great ones are wiped out,
we know God is working behind the scenes.
21-28 “He has his eyes on every man and woman.
He doesn’t miss a trick.
There is no night dark enough, no shadow deep enough,
to hide those who do evil.
God doesn’t need to gather any more evidence;
their sin is an open-and-shut case.
He deposes the so-called high and mighty without asking questions,
and replaces them at once with others.
Nobody gets by with anything; overnight,
judgment is signed, sealed, and delivered.
He punishes the wicked for their wickedness
out in the open where everyone can see it,
Because they quit following him,
no longer even thought about him or his ways.
Their apostasy was announced by the cry of the poor;
the cry of the afflicted got God’s attention.
Because You Refuse to Live on God’s Terms
29-30 “If God is silent, what’s that to you?
If he turns his face away, what can you do about it?
But whether silent or hidden, he’s there, ruling,
so that those who hate God won’t take over
and ruin people’s lives.
31-33 “So why don’t you simply confess to God?
Say, ‘I sinned, but I’ll sin no more.
Teach me to see what I still don’t see.
Whatever evil I’ve done, I’ll do it no more.’
Just because you refuse to live on God’s terms,
do you think he should start living on yours?
You choose. I can’t do it for you.
Tell me what you decide.
34-37 “All right-thinking people say—
and the wise who have listened to me concur—
‘Job is an ignoramus.
He talks utter nonsense.’
Job, you need to be pushed to the wall and called to account
for wickedly talking back to God the way you have.
You’ve compounded your original sin
by rebelling against God’s discipline,
Defiantly shaking your fist at God,
piling up indictments against the Almighty One.”
Job 33-34
New International Version
Job 33-34
New International Version
33 “But now, Job, listen(A) to my words;
pay attention to everything I say.(B)
2 I am about to open my mouth;
my words are on the tip of my tongue.
3 My words come from an upright heart;(C)
my lips sincerely speak what I know.(D)
4 The Spirit(E) of God has made me;(F)
the breath of the Almighty(G) gives me life.(H)
5 Answer me(I) then, if you can;
stand up(J) and argue your case before me.(K)
6 I am the same as you in God’s sight;(L)
I too am a piece of clay.(M)
7 No fear of me should alarm you,
nor should my hand be heavy on you.(N)
8 “But you have said in my hearing—
I heard the very words—
9 ‘I am pure,(O) I have done no wrong;(P)
I am clean and free from sin.(Q)
10 Yet God has found fault with me;
he considers me his enemy.(R)
11 He fastens my feet in shackles;(S)
he keeps close watch on all my paths.’(T)
12 “But I tell you, in this you are not right,
for God is greater than any mortal.(U)
13 Why do you complain to him(V)
that he responds to no one’s words[a]?(W)
14 For God does speak(X)—now one way, now another(Y)—
though no one perceives it.(Z)
15 In a dream,(AA) in a vision(AB) of the night,(AC)
when deep sleep(AD) falls on people
as they slumber in their beds,
16 he may speak(AE) in their ears
and terrify them(AF) with warnings,(AG)
17 to turn them from wrongdoing
and keep them from pride,(AH)
18 to preserve them from the pit,(AI)
their lives from perishing by the sword.[b](AJ)
19 “Or someone may be chastened(AK) on a bed of pain(AL)
with constant distress in their bones,(AM)
20 so that their body finds food(AN) repulsive
and their soul loathes the choicest meal.(AO)
21 Their flesh wastes away to nothing,
and their bones,(AP) once hidden, now stick out.(AQ)
22 They draw near to the pit,(AR)
and their life to the messengers of death.[c](AS)
23 Yet if there is an angel at their side,
a messenger,(AT) one out of a thousand,
sent to tell them how to be upright,(AU)
24 and he is gracious to that person and says to God,
‘Spare them from going down to the pit;(AV)
I have found a ransom for them(AW)—
25 let their flesh be renewed(AX) like a child’s;
let them be restored as in the days of their youth’(AY)—
26 then that person can pray to God and find favor with him,(AZ)
they will see God’s face and shout for joy;(BA)
he will restore them to full well-being.(BB)
27 And they will go to others and say,
‘I have sinned,(BC) I have perverted what is right,(BD)
but I did not get what I deserved.(BE)
28 God has delivered(BF) me from going down to the pit,(BG)
and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.’(BH)
29 “God does all these things to a person(BI)—
twice, even three times(BJ)—
30 to turn them back(BK) from the pit,(BL)
that the light of life(BM) may shine on them.(BN)
31 “Pay attention, Job, and listen(BO) to me;(BP)
be silent,(BQ) and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me;(BR)
speak up, for I want to vindicate you.(BS)
33 But if not, then listen to me;(BT)
be silent,(BU) and I will teach you wisdom.(BV)”
34 Then Elihu said:
2 “Hear my words, you wise men;
listen to me,(BW) you men of learning.
3 For the ear tests words
as the tongue tastes food.(BX)
4 Let us discern for ourselves what is right;(BY)
let us learn together what is good.(BZ)
5 “Job says, ‘I am innocent,(CA)
but God denies me justice.(CB)
6 Although I am right,
I am considered a liar;(CC)
although I am guiltless,(CD)
his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.’(CE)
7 Is there anyone like Job,
who drinks scorn like water?(CF)
8 He keeps company with evildoers;
he associates with the wicked.(CG)
9 For he says, ‘There is no profit
in trying to please God.’(CH)
10 “So listen to me,(CI) you men of understanding.(CJ)
Far be it from God to do evil,(CK)
from the Almighty to do wrong.(CL)
11 He repays everyone for what they have done;(CM)
he brings on them what their conduct deserves.(CN)
12 It is unthinkable that God would do wrong,(CO)
that the Almighty would pervert justice.(CP)
13 Who appointed(CQ) him over the earth?
Who put him in charge of the whole world?(CR)
14 If it were his intention
and he withdrew his spirit[d](CS) and breath,(CT)
15 all humanity would perish(CU) together
and mankind would return to the dust.(CV)
16 “If you have understanding,(CW) hear this;
listen to what I say.(CX)
17 Can someone who hates justice govern?(CY)
Will you condemn the just and mighty One?(CZ)
18 Is he not the One who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,’
and to nobles,(DA) ‘You are wicked,’(DB)
19 who shows no partiality(DC) to princes
and does not favor the rich over the poor,(DD)
for they are all the work of his hands?(DE)
20 They die in an instant, in the middle of the night;(DF)
the people are shaken and they pass away;
the mighty are removed without human hand.(DG)
21 “His eyes are on the ways of mortals;(DH)
he sees their every step.(DI)
22 There is no deep shadow,(DJ) no utter darkness,(DK)
where evildoers can hide.(DL)
23 God has no need to examine people further,(DM)
that they should come before him for judgment.(DN)
24 Without inquiry he shatters(DO) the mighty(DP)
and sets up others in their place.(DQ)
25 Because he takes note of their deeds,(DR)
he overthrows them in the night(DS) and they are crushed.(DT)
26 He punishes them for their wickedness(DU)
where everyone can see them,
27 because they turned from following him(DV)
and had no regard for any of his ways.(DW)
28 They caused the cry of the poor to come before him,
so that he heard the cry of the needy.(DX)
29 But if he remains silent,(DY) who can condemn him?(DZ)
If he hides his face,(EA) who can see him?
Yet he is over individual and nation alike,(EB)
30 to keep the godless(EC) from ruling,(ED)
from laying snares for the people.(EE)
31 “Suppose someone says to God,
‘I am guilty(EF) but will offend no more.
32 Teach me what I cannot see;(EG)
if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.’(EH)
33 Should God then reward you on your terms,
when you refuse to repent?(EI)
You must decide, not I;
so tell me what you know.
34 “Men of understanding declare,
wise men who hear me say to me,
35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge;(EJ)
his words lack insight.’(EK)
36 Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost
for answering like a wicked man!(EL)
37 To his sin he adds rebellion;
scornfully he claps his hands(EM) among us
and multiplies his words(EN) against God.”(EO)
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.