Job 33

Chapter 33

Elihu Presents His Case against Job

1 “Listen to my words, Job;
pay attention to what I have to say.2 Now that I have begun to speak,
let me continue.3 I speak with all sincerity;
I speak the truth.4 For the Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.5 Answer me, if you can;
make your case and take your stand.6 Look, you and I both belong to God.
I, too, was formed from clay.7 So you don’t need to be afraid of me.
I won’t come down hard on you.8 “You have spoken in my hearing,
and I have heard your very words.9 You said, ‘I am pure; I am without sin;
I am innocent; I have no guilt.10 God is picking a quarrel with me,
and he considers me his enemy.11 He puts my feet in the stocks
and watches my every move.’12 “But you are wrong, and I will show you why.
For God is greater than any human being.13 So why are you bringing a charge against him?
Why say he does not respond to people’s complaints?14 For God speaks again and again,
though people do not recognize it.15 He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night,
when deep sleep falls on people
as they lie in their beds.16 He whispers in their ears
and terrifies them with warnings.17 He makes them turn from doing wrong;
he keeps them from pride.18 He protects them from the grave,
from crossing over the river of death.19 “Or God disciplines people with pain on their sickbeds,
with ceaseless aching in their bones.20 They lose their appetite
for even the most delicious food.21 Their flesh wastes away,
and their bones stick out.22 They are at death’s door;
the angels of death wait for them.23 “But if an angel from heaven appears—
a special messenger to intercede for a person
and declare that he is upright—24 he will be gracious and say,
‘Rescue him from the grave,
for I have found a ransom for his life.’25 Then his body will become as healthy as a child’s,
firm and youthful again.26 When he prays to God,
he will be accepted.
And God will receive him with joy
and restore him to good standing.27 He will declare to his friends,
‘I sinned and twisted the truth,
but it was not worth it.t28 God rescued me from the grave,
and now my life is filled with light.’29 “Yes, God does these things
again and again for people.30 He rescues them from the grave
so they may enjoy the light of life.31 Mark this well, Job. Listen to me,
for I have more to say.32 But if you have anything to say, go ahead.
Speak, for I am anxious to see you justified.33 But if not, then listen to me.
Keep silent and I will teach you wisdom!”

JOB 33

Elihu Speaks

Job, Listen to Me!

1 Job, listen to me!
Pay close attention.
*

2 Everything I will say

3 is true and sincere,

4 just as surely as the Spirit
of God All-Powerfult
gave me the breath of life.

5 Now line up your arguments
and prepare to face me.

6 We each were made from clay,
and God has no favorites,

7 so don't be afraid of me
or what I might do.

I Have Heard You Argue

8 I have heard you argue

9 that you are innocent,
guilty of nothing.

10 You claim that God
has made you his enemy,

11  t that he has bound your feet
and blocked your path.

12 But, Job, you're wrong—
God is greater
than any human.

13 So why do you challenge God
to answer you?t

14 God speaks in different ways,
and we don't always
recognize his voice.
*

15 t Sometimes in the night,
he uses terrifying dreams

16 to give us warnings.

17 God does this to make us turn
from sin and pride

18 and to protect us
from being swept away
to the world of the dead.

19 Sometimes we are punished
with a serious illness
and aching joints.

20 Merely the thought
of our favorite food
makes our stomachs sick,

21 and we become so skinny
that our bones stick out.

22 We feel death and the grave
taking us in their grip.

23 One of a thousand angels
then comes to our rescue
by saying we are innocent.

24 The angel shows kindness,
commanding death to release us,
because the price was paid.

25 Our health is restored,
we feel young again,

26 and we ask God to accept us.
Then we joyfully worship God,
and we are rewarded
because we are innocent.

27 When that happens,
we tell everyone,
“I sinned and did wrong,
but God forgave me

28 and rescued me from death!
Now I will see the light.”

29 God gives each of us
chance after chance

30 to be saved from death
and brought into the light
that gives life.

31 So, Job, pay attention
and don't interrupt,

32 though I would gladly listen
to anything you say
that proves you are right.

33 Otherwise, listen in silence
to my wisdom.