Job 22
New International Reader's Version
The Third Speech of Eliphaz
22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied,
2 “Can any person be of benefit to God?
Can even a wise person be of any help to him?
3 Job, what pleasure would it give the Mighty One if you were right?
What would he get if you were completely honest?
4 “You say you have respect for him.
Is that why he corrects you?
Is that why he brings charges against you?
5 Haven’t you done many evil things?
Don’t you sin again and again?
6 You took clothes away from your relatives
just because they owed you some money.
You left them naked for no reason at all.
7 You didn’t give any water to people who were tired.
You held food back from those who were hungry.
8 You did it even though you were honored and powerful.
You owned land and lived on it.
9 But you sent widows away without anything.
You mistreated children whose fathers had died.
10 That’s why traps have been set all around you.
That’s why sudden danger terrifies you.
11 That’s why it’s so dark you can’t even see.
That’s why a flood covers you up.
12 “Isn’t God in the highest parts of heaven?
See how high the highest stars are!
13 But you still say, ‘What does God know?
Can he see through the darkest clouds to judge us?
14 He goes around in the highest heavens.
Thick clouds keep him from seeing us.’
15 Will you stay on the old path
that sinful people have walked on?
16 They were carried off even before they died.
Their foundations were washed away by a flood.
17 They said to God, ‘Leave us alone!
What can you do to us, you Mighty One?’
18 But he was the one who filled their houses with good things.
So I don’t pay any attention to the plans of evil people.
19 “Those who do what is right are joyful
when they see sinners destroyed.
Those who haven’t done anything wrong make fun of them.
20 They say, ‘Our enemies are completely destroyed.
Fire has burned up their wealth.’
21 “Job, obey God and be at peace with him.
Then he will help you succeed.
22 Do what he teaches you to do.
Keep his words in your heart.
23 If you return to the Mighty One,
you will have what you had before.
But first you must remove
everything that is evil far from your tent.
24 You must throw your gold nuggets away.
You must toss your gold from Ophir into a valley.
25 Then the Mighty One himself will be your gold.
He’ll be like the finest silver to you.
26 You will find delight in the Mighty One.
You will honor God and trust in him.
27 You will pray to him, and he will hear you.
You will keep the promises you made to him.
28 What you decide to do will be done.
Light will shine on the path you take.
29 When people are brought low you will say, ‘Lift them up!’
Then God will help them.
30 He’ll even save those who are guilty.
He’ll save them because your hands are clean.”
Job 22
English Standard Version
Eliphaz Speaks: Job's Wickedness Is Great
22 Then (A)Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 (B)“Can a man be profitable to God?
Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are in the right,
or is it gain to him if you (C)make your ways blameless?
4 Is it for your fear of him that he reproves you
and (D)enters into judgment with you?
5 Is not your evil abundant?
There is no end to your iniquities.
6 For you have (E)exacted pledges of your brothers for nothing
(F)and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 You have given no water to the weary to drink,
and you have (G)withheld bread from the hungry.
8 (H)The man with power possessed the land,
and (I)the favored man lived in it.
9 You have (J)sent widows away empty,
and (K)the arms of (L)the fatherless were crushed.
10 Therefore (M)snares are all around you,
and sudden terror overwhelms you,
11 or (N)darkness, so that you cannot see,
and a (O)flood of (P)water covers you.
12 “Is not God high in the heavens?
See (Q)the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13 But you say, (R)‘What does God know?
Can he judge through (S)the deep darkness?
14 (T)Thick clouds veil him, so that he does not see,
and he walks on the vault of heaven.’
15 Will you keep to the old way
that wicked men have trod?
16 They were snatched away (U)before their time;
their foundation was washed away.[a]
17 They said to God, (V)‘Depart from us,’
and (W)‘What can the Almighty do to us?’[b]
18 Yet he filled their houses with good things—
but (X)the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 (Y)The righteous see it and are glad;
the innocent one (Z)mocks at them,
20 saying, ‘Surely our adversaries are cut off,
and what they left (AA)the fire has consumed.’
21 (AB)“Agree with God, and (AC)be at peace;
thereby good will come to you.
22 Receive instruction from (AD)his mouth,
and (AE)lay up his words in your heart.
23 If you (AF)return to the Almighty you will be (AG)built up;
if you (AH)remove injustice far from your tents,
24 if you lay gold in (AI)the dust,
and gold of (AJ)Ophir among the stones of the torrent-bed,
25 then the Almighty will be your gold
and your precious silver.
26 For then you (AK)will delight yourself in the Almighty
and (AL)lift up your face to God.
27 You will (AM)make your prayer to him, and he will hear you,
and you will (AN)pay your vows.
28 You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you,
and (AO)light will shine on your ways.
29 For when they are humbled you say, ‘It is because of pride’;[c]
but he saves (AP)the lowly.
30 He (AQ)delivers even the one who is not innocent,
who will be delivered through (AR)the cleanness of your hands.”
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The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
