Old/New Testament
Zophar Answers
20 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered:
2 “My troubled thoughts cause me to answer.
I am very upset.
3 I hear you criticize, and I am insulted.
But I understand how to answer you.
4 “You know how it has been for a long time.
It has been this way since man was put on the earth.
5 The happiness of an evil person is very short.
The joy of a person without God lasts only a moment.
6 His pride may be as high as the heavens.
His head may touch the clouds.
7 But he will be gone forever, like his own dung.
People who knew him will say, ‘Where is he?’
8 He will fly away like a dream.
He will not be found again.
He will be chased away like a vision in the night.
9 Those who saw him will not see him again.
The place where he lived will see him no more.
10 His children will have to make up for how he mistreated the poor.
He will have to give his wealth back with his own hands.
11 He has the strength of his youth in his bones.
But it will lie with him in the dust of death.
12 “Evil may taste sweet in the evil person’s mouth.
He may hide it under his tongue.
13 He cannot stand to let go of it.
So he keeps it in his mouth.
14 But his food will turn sour in his stomach.
It will be like the poison of a snake inside him.
15 He has swallowed riches, but he will spit them out.
God will make the evil person’s stomach vomit them up.
16 He will suck the poison of snakes.
The snake’s poisonous fangs will kill him.
17 He will not admire the sparkling streams
or the rivers flowing with honey and cream.
18 He must give back what he worked for without eating it.
He will not enjoy the money he made from his trading.
19 This is because he has troubled the poor people and left them with nothing.
He has taken houses he did not build.
20 “The evil person has no rest from his desire.
Nothing escapes his selfishness.
21 But nothing will be left for him to eat.
His riches will not continue.
22 When he still has plenty, trouble will catch up to him.
Great misery will come down on him.
23 The evil person may eat until his stomach is full.
But then God will send his burning anger against him.
God will send blows of punishment down on him like rain.
24 The evil person may run away from an iron weapon.
But then a bronze arrow will stab him.
25 He will pull the arrow out of his back.
He will pull its point out of his liver.
Terrors will come over him.
26 Total darkness waits for his treasure.
A fire not fanned by people will destroy him.
That fire will burn up what is left of his tent.
27 The heavens will show his guilt.
The earth will rise up against him.
28 A flood will carry his house away.
The rushing waters will come on the day of God’s anger.
29 This is what God plans for evil people.
This is what he has decided they will receive.”
Job Answers Zophar
21 Then Job answered:
2 “Listen carefully to my words.
Let this be the way you comfort me.
3 Be patient while I speak.
After I have finished, you may continue to make fun of me if you wish.
4 “My complaint is not just against people.
I have reason to be impatient.
5 Look at me then and be shocked.
Put your hand over your mouth in shock.
6 When I think about this, I am terribly afraid.
My body shakes!
7 Why do evil people live a long time?
They grow old and become more powerful.
8 They see their children become strong around them.
They watch their children grow up.
9 Their homes are safe and without fear.
God does not punish them.
10 Their bulls never fail to mate.
Their cows have healthy calves.
11 Their children run and play like flocks of lambs.
Their little ones dance about.
12 They sing to the music of tambourines and harps.
The sound of the flute makes them happy.
13 Evil people enjoy success during their lives.
Then they go down in peace to where the dead are.
14 But they say to God, ‘Leave us alone!
We don’t want to know your ways.
15 Who is God All-Powerful that we should serve him?
We would gain nothing by praying to him.’
16 But the wicked think they succeed by their own strength.
Their way of thinking is not godly.
17 Yet how often is the lamp of evil people turned off?
How often does trouble come to them?
How often do they suffer the punishment God plans in his anger?
18 How often are they like straw in the wind
or like chaff that is blown away by a storm?
19 It is said, ‘God saves up a man’s punishment for the man’s children.’
God should punish the evil person himself so he will know it.
20 His eyes should see his own destruction.
He should suffer the anger of God All-Powerful.
21 He does not care about the family he leaves behind
when his life has come to an end.
22 “No one can teach knowledge to God.
He is the one who judges even the most important people.
23 One man dies while he still has all his strength.
He feels completely safe and comfortable.
24 His body was well fed.
And his bones were strong and healthy.
25 But another man dies with an unhappy heart.
He never had any happiness.
26 These two men are buried next to each other.
And worms cover both of them.
27 “I know very well what you are thinking.
I know your plans to do wrong to me.
28 You say about me, ‘Now where is this great man’s house?
And where are the tents where the evil men lived?’
29 You have never asked those who travel.
You have not listened to their stories.
30 On the day of God’s anger and punishment,
it is the evil man who is spared.
31 Who will accuse him to his face?
No one pays him back for the evil he has done.
32 He is carried to his grave.
And someone keeps watch over his tomb.
33 The dirt in the valley will seem sweet to him.
Everybody follows after him.
Many people go before him.
34 “So you cannot comfort me with this nonsense.
Your answers are still only lies!”
24 On the following day they came to Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them. He had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him. He fell at Peter’s feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter helped him up, saying, “Stand up! I too am only a man.” 27 Peter went on talking with Cornelius as they went inside. There Peter saw many people together. 28 He said, “You people understand that it is against our Jewish law for a Jew to associate with or visit anyone who is not a Jew. But God has shown me that I should not call any person ‘unholy’ or ‘unclean.’ 29 That is why I did not argue when I was asked to come here. Now, please tell me why you sent for me.”
30 Cornelius said, “Four days ago, I was praying in my house. It was at this same time—three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly, there was a man standing before me wearing shining clothes. 31 He said, ‘Cornelius! God has heard your prayer. He has seen what you give to the poor. And God remembers you. 32 So send some men to Joppa and ask Simon Peter to come. Peter is staying in the house of a man, also named Simon, who is a leatherworker. His house is beside the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you immediately, and it was very good of you to come. Now we are all here before God to hear everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”
Peter’s Speech
34 Peter began to speak: “I really understand now that to God every person is the same. 35 God accepts anyone who worships him and does what is right. It is not important what country a person comes from. 36 You know that God has sent his message to the people of Israel. That message is the Good News that peace has come through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Lord of all people! 37 You know what has happened all over Judea. It began in Galilee after John[a] preached to the people about baptism. 38 You know about Jesus from Nazareth. God made him the Christ by giving him the Holy Spirit and power. You know how Jesus went everywhere doing good. He healed those who were ruled by the devil, for God was with Jesus. 39 We saw all the things that Jesus did in Judea and in Jerusalem. But they killed him by nailing him to a cross. 40 Yet, on the third day, God raised Jesus to life and caused him to be seen. 41 But he was not seen by all the people. Only the witnesses that God had already chosen saw him, and we are those witnesses. We ate and drank with him after he was raised from death. 42 He told us to preach to the people and to tell them that he is the one whom God chose to be the judge of the living and the dead. 43 Everyone who believes in Jesus will be forgiven. God will forgive his sins through Jesus. All the prophets say this is true.”
Non-Jews Receive the Holy Spirit
44 While Peter was still saying this, the Holy Spirit came down on all those who were listening. 45 The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been given even to the non-Jewish people. 46 These Jewish believers heard them speaking in different languages and praising God. Then Peter said, 47 “Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we did!” 48 So Peter ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.