The Word Am I

The Book of Job

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 35 -

Elihu condemns self-righteousness

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And Elihu went on to say:
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“Do you think this is just? You say, ‘I am more righteous than God.’(a)
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For you ask, ‘What does it profit me, and what benefit do I gain apart from sin?’
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I will reply to you and to your friends as well.
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Look to the heavens and see; gaze at the clouds high above you.
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If you sin, what do you accomplish against Him? If you multiply your transgressions, what do you do to Him?
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If you are righteous, what do you give Him, or what does He receive from your hand?
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Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself, and your righteousness only a son of man.
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Men cry out under great oppression; they plead for relief from the arm of the mighty.
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But no one asks, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives us songs in the night,
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who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the air?’
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There they cry out, but He does not answer, because of the pride of evil men.
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Surely God does not listen to empty pleas, and the Almighty does not take note of it.
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How much less, then, when you say that you do not see Him, that your case is before Him and you must wait for Him,
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and further, that in His anger He has not punished or taken much notice of folly!
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So Job opens his mouth in vain and multiplies words without knowledge.”

Footnotes

(a)35:2 Or ‘I am righteous before God.’

Elihu condemns self-righteousness

1
Moreover Elihu answered,
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“Do you think this to be your right, or do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s,’
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that you ask, ‘What advantage will it be to you? What profit will I have, more than if I had sinned?’
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I will answer you, and your companions with you.
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Look to the skies, and see. See the skies, which are higher than you.
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If you have sinned, what effect do you have against him? If your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
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If you are righteous, what do you give him? Or what does he receive from your hand?
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Your wickedness may hurt a man as you are, and your righteousness may profit a son of man.
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“By reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out. They cry for help by reason of the arm of the mighty.
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But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night,
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who teaches us more than the animals of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’
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There they cry, but no one answers, because of the pride of evil men.
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Surely God will not hear an empty cry, neither will the Almighty regard it.
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How much less when you say you don’t see him. The cause is before him, and you wait for him!
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But now, because he has not visited in his anger, neither does he greatly regard arrogance,
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therefore Job opens his mouth with empty talk, and he multiplies words without knowledge.”
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