“God Remains Faithful Then what’s the advantage of being a Jew? Is there any value in the ceremony of circumcision? 2 Yes, there are great benefits! First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the whole revelation of God.[a]
3 True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful? 4 Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him,
“You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.”[b]
5 “But,” some might say, “our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn’t it unfair, then, for him to punish us?” (This is merely a human point of view.) 6 Of course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world? 7 “But,” someone might still argue, “how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?” 8 And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, “The more we sin, the better it is!” Those who say such things deserve to be condemned.
All People Are Sinners 9 Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles,[c] are under the power of sin. 10 As the Scriptures say,
“No one is righteous— not even one. 11 No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. 12 All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.”[d] 13 “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with lies.” “Snake venom drips from their lips.”[e] 14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”[f] 15 “They rush to commit murder.”
ENCOURAGEMENT
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“Eliphaz’s Response Continues “Cry for help, but will anyone answer you? Which of the angels[a] will help you? 2 Surely resentment destroys the fool, and jealousy kills the simple. 3 I have seen that fools may be successful for the moment, but then comes sudden disaster. 4 Their children are abandoned far from help; they are crushed in court with no one to defend them. 5 The hungry devour their harvest, even when it is guarded by brambles.[b] The thirsty pant after their wealth.[c] 6 But evil does not spring from the soil, and trouble does not sprout from the earth. 7 People are born for trouble as readily as sparks fly up from a fire.
8 “If I were you, I would go to God and present my case to him. 9 He does great things too marvelous to understand. He performs countless miracles. 10 He gives rain for the earth and water for the fields. 11 He gives prosperity to the poor and protects those who suffer. 12 He frustrates the plans of schemers so the work of their hands will not succeed. 13 He traps the wise in their own cleverness so their cunning schemes are thwarted. 14 They find it is dark in the daytime, and they grope at noon as if it were night. 15 He rescues the poor from the cutting words of the strong, and rescues them from the clutches of the powerful. 16 And so at last the poor have hope, and the snapping jaws of the wicked are shut.
17 “But consider the joy of those corrected by God! Do not despise the discipline of the Almighty when you sin. 18 For though he wounds, he also bandages. He strikes, but his hands also heal. 19 From six disasters he will rescue you; even in the seventh, he will keep you from evil. 20 He will save you from death in time of famine, from the power of the sword in time of war. 21 You will be safe from slander and have no fear when destruction comes. 22 You will laugh at destruction and famine; wild animals will not terrify you. 23 You will be at peace with the stones of the field, and its wild animals will be at peace with you. 24 You will know that your home is safe. When you survey your possessions, nothing will be missing. 25 You will have many children; your descendants will be as plentiful as grass! 26 You will go to the grave at a ripe old age, like a sheaf of grain harvested at the proper time!
27 “We have studied life and found all this to be true. Listen to my counsel, and apply it to yourself.”
