NETtext - Job - 33

33:1  "But now, O Job, listen to my words, and hear everything I have to say!

33:2  See now, I have opened my mouth; my tongue in my mouth has spoken.

33:3  My words come from the uprightness of my heart, and my lips will utter knowledge sincerely.

33:4  The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

33:5  Reply to me, if you can; set your arguments in order before me and take your stand!

33:6  Look, I am just like you in relation to God; I too have been molded from clay.

33:7  Therefore no fear of me should terrify you, nor should my pressure be heavy on you.

33:8  "Indeed, you have said in my hearing (I heard the sound of the words!):

33:9  'I am pure, without transgression; I am clean and have no iniquity.

33:10  Yet God finds occasions with me; he regards me as his enemy!

33:11  He puts my feet in shackles; he watches closely all my paths.'

33:12  Now in this, you are not right - I answer you, for God is greater than a human being.

33:13  Why do you contend against him, that he does not answer all a person's words?

33:14  "For God speaks, the first time in one way, the second time in another, though a person does not perceive it.

33:15  In a dream, a night vision, when deep sleep falls on people as they sleep in their beds.

33:16  Then he gives a revelation to people, and terrifies them with warnings,

33:17  to turn a person from his sin, and to cover a person's pride.

33:18  He spares a person's life from corruption, his very life from crossing over the river.

33:19  Or a person is chastened by pain on his bed, and with the continual strife of his bones,

33:20  so that his life loathes food, and his soul rejects appetizing fare.

33:21  His flesh wastes away from sight, and his bones, which were not seen, are easily visible.

33:22  He draws near to the place of corruption, and his life to the messengers of death.

33:23  If there is an angel beside him, one mediator out of a thousand, to tell a person what constitutes his uprightness;

33:24  and if God is gracious to him and says, 'Spare him from going down to the place of corruption, I have found a ransom for him,'

33:25  then his flesh is restored like a youth's; he returns to the days of his youthful vigor.

33:26  He entreats God, and God delights in him, he sees God's face with rejoicing, and God restores to him his righteousness.

33:27  That person sings to others, saying: 'I have sinned and falsified what is right, but I was not punished according to what I deserved.

33:28  He redeemed my life from going down to the place of corruption, and my life sees the light!'

33:29  "Indeed, God does all these things, twice, three times, in his dealings with a person,

33:30  to turn back his life from the place of corruption, that he may be enlightened with the light of life.

33:31  Pay attention, Job - listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.

33:32  If you have any words, reply to me; speak, for I want to justify you.

33:33  If not, you listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom."