Job 14–16
1 “Man who is born of a woman
is of few days and full of trouble.
2 He comes forth like a flower and withers;
he flees like a shadow and does not continue.
3 Do You open Your eyes on such a one,
and bring me into judgment with You?
4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?
There is no one.
5 Seeing his days are determined,
the number of his months are with You;
You have appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
6 turn from him, that he may rest,
until he, as a hired man, finishes his day.
7 “For there is hope for a tree,
if it is cut down, that it will sprout again,
and that its tender shoots will not cease.
8 Though its root may grow old in the earth,
and its stump may die in the ground,
9 yet at the scent of water it will bud
and bring forth boughs like a plant.
10 But man dies and wastes away;
yes, man gives up his breath, and where is he?
11 As the waters disappear from the sea,
and the flood shrivels and dries up,
12 so man lies down and does not rise;
until the heavens are no more, he will not awake,
nor be raised out of his sleep.
13 “Oh, that You would hide me in the grave,
that You would conceal me until Your wrath is past,
that You would appoint me a set time
and remember me!
14 If a man dies, will he live again?
All the days of my service I will wait,
until my relief comes.
15 You will call, and I will answer You;
You will long for the work of Your hands.
16 For now You number my steps;
do You not observe my sin?
17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag,
and You plaster over my iniquity.
18 “Surely the mountain falling comes to nothing,
and the rock is removed out of its place.
19 The waters wear away the stones;
its overflow washes away the dust of the earth;
and You destroy the hope of man.
20 You prevail forever against him, and he passes on;
changing his countenance, You send him away.
21 His sons come to honor, and he does not know it;
and they are brought low, but he does not perceive it.
22 But his flesh on him will have pain,
and his soul within him will mourn.”
Chapter 15
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:
2 “Should a wise man reply with empty knowledge
and fill his lungs with the east wind?
3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk
or with speeches with which he can do no good?
4 Yes, you cast off reverence
and hinder prayer before God.
5 For your mouth utters your iniquity,
and you choose the tongue of the crafty.
6 Your own mouth condemns you, and not I;
yes, your own lips testify against you.
7 “Are you the first man who was born?
Or were you made before the hills?
8 Have you heard the counsel of God?
And do you restrict wisdom to yourself?
9 What do you know that we do not know?
What do you understand that is not in us?
10 Both the gray-haired and very aged are among us—
much older than your father.
11 Are the consolations of God too small for you?
Or the word spoken gently to you?
12 Why does your heart carry you away?
And what do your eyes wink at,
13 that you turn your spirit against God,
and let such words go out of your mouth?
14 “What is man that he should be pure?
And he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
15 Behold, He puts no trust in His holy ones,
and the heavens are not pure in His sight.
16 How much more abhorred and corrupt is man,
who drinks iniquity like water!
17 “I will tell you; hear me,
and what I have seen I will declare,
18 what wise men have told,
not hiding anything received from their fathers,
19 to whom alone the land was given,
and no foreigner passed among them:
20 The wicked man travails with pain all his days,
and numbered are the years stored up for the oppressor.
21 A dreadful sound is in his ears;
in prosperity the destroyer will come upon him.
22 He does not believe that he will return from darkness,
and a sword awaits him.
23 He wanders about for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’
He knows that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
24 Trouble and anguish will make him afraid;
they will prevail against him as a king ready to the battle.
25 For he stretches out his hand against God,
and strengthens himself against the Almighty.
26 He rushes upon Him, even on His neck,
with his thick embossed shield.
27 “He has covered his face with his fatness
and gathered fat upon his waist.
28 He dwells in desolate cities
and in houses which no man inhabits,
which are ready to become heaps.
29 He will not be rich, nor will his wealth continue,
nor will his possessions spread over the earth.
30 He will not depart out of darkness;
the flame will dry out his branches,
and by the breath of His mouth he will go away.
31 Let him who is deceived not trust in futility,
for futility will be his reward.
32 It will be accomplished before his time,
and his branch will not be green.
33 He will shake off his unripe grape like the vine,
and will cast off his blossom like the olive.
34 For the company of hypocrites will be desolate,
and fire will consume the tents of bribery.
35 They conceive mischief, and give birth to futility;
their womb prepares deceit.”
Chapter 16
1 Then Job answered:
2 “I have heard many such things;
miserable comforters are you all!
3 Will windy words have an end?
Or what provokes you that you answer?
4 I also could speak as you do,
if your soul were in my place.
I could heap up words against you
and shake my head at you;
5 but I would strengthen you with my mouth,
and the moving of my lips would
relieve your grief.
6 “Though I speak, my grief is not relieved;
and though I stop, how am I eased?
7 But now He has made me weary;
You have made desolate all my company.
8 You have filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me;
and my leanness has risen up and bears witness to my face.
9 He has torn me in His wrath, and He has carried a grudge against me.
He has gnashed me with His teeth;
my enemy sharpens His gaze upon me.
10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth;
they have struck me upon the cheek with reproach;
they have gathered themselves together against me.
11 God has delivered me to the ungodly
and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but He has shattered me.
He also has taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces,
and set me up for His target.
13 His archers surround me;
He splits open my kidneys and does not pity;
He pours out my gall upon the ground.
14 He pierces me with thrust after thrust;
He rushes upon me like a warrior.
15 “I have sewn sackcloth over my skin
and thrust my horn into the dust.
16 My face is inflamed with weeping,
and on my eyelids is the shadow of death,
17 though not for any violence in my hands,
and my prayer is pure.
18 “O earth, do not cover my blood,
and let my cry have no resting place.
19 Also now, look, my witness is in heaven,
and my record is on high.
20 My friends scorn me;
my eyes pour out tears unto God.
21 Oh, that one might plead for a man with God,
as a man pleads for his neighbor!
22 “For when a few years have passed,
I will go the way from which I will not return.”
Acts 9:22–43
22 Yet Saul increased all the more with power and confounded the Jews living in Damascus, proving that this One is the Christ.
23 After many days had passed, the Jews arranged to kill him. 24 But their scheme was known by Saul. They watched the gates day and night to kill him. 25 But the disciples took him by night, and lowered him in a basket through the wall.
26 When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples. But they all feared him, not believing he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him, and led him to the apostles, and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had boldly preached in Damascus in the name of Jesus. 28 So he stayed with them while coming in and going out of Jerusalem. 29 And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists. But they tried to kill him. 30 When the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him off to Tarsus.
31 Then the churches throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and were built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.
32 As Peter passed through every region, he came down also to the saints who lived in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years and was paralyzed. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Rise up and make your bed.” And immediately he rose up. 35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and almsgiving. 37 In those days she became ill and died. And when they had washed her, they placed her in an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, pleading, “Do not delay to come to us.”
39 Peter rose up and went with them. When he arrived, they led him into the upper room. All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.
40 Peter put them all outside and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41 He gave her his hand and lifted her up. And when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 It became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 He remained in Joppa for many days with Simon, a tanner.