Day 144 – May 24, 2021

Job 34; Psalm 117:17–29; Proverbs 25:12–16; John 8:3–30

Job 34

Elihu Proclaims God’s Justice

1 Elihu continued and said:†

2 “Hear me, O wise men who are present, And pay close attention to what is good. 

3 For the ear tests words as the palate tastes food. 

4 Let us choose judgment for ourselves; Let us know among ourselves what is good. 

5 For Job has said, ‘I am righteous, And the Lord has taken away my judgment.’† 

6 But he spoke untruth in my judgment when he said, ‘My wound is severe, though I am without wrongdoing.’ 

7 What man is like Job, Who drinks scorn like water? 

8 For he says, ‘I have not sinned, nor committed ungodliness, Nor had anything in common with the workers of lawlessness, So as to walk with ungodly men.’ 

9 For you should not say, ‘There shall be no visitation of a man,’ Whereas there is a visitation on him from the Lord. 

10 “Therefore listen to me, you wise in heart: May it be far from me to act in an ungodly way before the Lord And to pervert righteousness before the Almighty. 

11 Yes, He renders to a man as each one of them does, And in a man’s path He will find him. 

12 Do you think the Lord will do wrong, Or will the Almighty who made the earth pervert judgment? 

13 Who is He who created everything under heaven And all things therein? 

14 If He should wish to hold and restrain His breath within Himself, 

15 All flesh would die together, And every mortal would return to the ground From which he was formed. 

16 Take heed to this, lest He warn you; Pay close attention to the voice of His words. 

17 Behold then the one who hates lawless things And destroys the evil ones. He is forever righteous. 

18 He is ungodly who says to a king, ‘You act contrary to the law,’ And to rulers, ‘O, most ungodly one.’ 

19 Such a man is not ashamed Before the face of an honorable man, Nor does he know how to give honor to the great, So as to show proper respect. 

20 But it will prove to be in vain for them to cry out And beg the favor of a man; For they dealt unlawfully when they turned aside the weak. 

21 “For He is the observer of the works of man, And nothing of what they do escapes Him. 

22 There is no place for the workers of lawlessness to hide themselves. 

23 He need not further consider a man, For the Lord gazes upon all men. 

24 He comprehends unsearchable things, Glorious also and extraordinary things without number. 

25 He discloses their works; And He will overthrow them in the night, And they will be brought low. 

26 He extinguishes the ungodly, For they are visible before Him, 

27 Because they turned aside from the law of God And would not regard His ordinances, 

28 So as to bring before Him the cry of the needy; For He will hear the cry of the poor. 

29 He will provide quietness, and who shall condemn Him? And He will hide His face, and who shall see Him? Whether it be done against a nation or a man jointly, 

30 To cause a hypocrite to be king, Because of the discontent of the people. 

31 “For there is one that says to the Mighty One, ‘I have received blessings; I will not take in pledge; 

32 I will see apart from myself; Show me if I have done unrighteousness, And I will do so no more.’ 

33 Will He not take vengeance for it from you, Because you failed to listen to your conscience? For you will choose, and not I; Therefore, speak what you know. 

Elihu Rebukes Job Sternly

34 “For this reason wise men in heart shall say this, And a wise man listens to my word. 

35 But Job has spoken without understanding, And his words are without knowledge. 

36 But learn, Job, and no longer answer like that of foolish men, 

37 That we add not to our sins; For lawlessness will be counted against us If we speak many words against the Lord.”

Psalms 117

17 I shall not die, but live, And tell of the Lord’s works. 

18 The Lord chastened and corrected me, But He did not give me up to death. 

19 Open the gates of righteousness to me; I will enter therein and give thanks to the Lord. 

20 This is the gate of the Lord; The righteous shall go in through it. 

21 I will give thanks to You, for You heard me, And You became my salvation. 

22 The stone the builders rejected, the same became the head of the corner; 

23 And this came about from the Lord, And it is wonderful in our eyes. 

24 This is the day the Lord made; Let us greatly rejoice, and be glad therein. 

25 O Lord, save us now; O Lord, prosper us now. 

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; We blessed you from the house of the Lord. 

27 God is the Lord, and He revealed Himself to us; Appoint a feast for yourselves, decked with branches, Even to the horns of the altar. 

28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to You; You are my God, and I shall exalt You; I will give thanks to You, for You heard me; And You became my salvation. 

29 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His mercy endures forever.

Proverbs of Solomon 25

12 Grace and friendship free a man; Keep these for yourself, that you may not be reproached, But guard your ways peaceably. 

13 As a golden apple in a small necklace of sardius stone, Thus it is to speak a wise word. 

14 As a very expensive sardius stone set in a golden earring, So is a wise word to an obedient ear. 

15 As the falling of snow in harvest is beneficial against the heat, So is a faithful messenger to those who send him; For he benefits the souls of those who use him. 

16 As winds, clouds, and rains are evident, So are those who boast in a false gift.

John 8

3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,

4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.

5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?Ӡ

6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”†

8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”

11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

Jesus, Light of the World

12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”†

13 The Pharisees therefore said to Him, “You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.”†

14 Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going.

15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.

16 And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me.

17 It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true.

18 I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.”

19 Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.”†

20 These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.

21 Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.”†

22 So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?”

23 And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.

24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

25 Then they said to Him, “Who are You?” And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning.

26 I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.”

27 They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.

28 Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.†

29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”

30 As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.

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