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9  Fear the Lord, all you his holy ones, ♦︎
   for those who fear him lack nothing.
10  Lions may lack and suffer hunger, ♦︎
   but those who seek the Lord
      lack nothing that is good.
11  Come, my children, and listen to me; ♦︎
   I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12  Who is there who delights in life ♦︎
   and longs for days to enjoy good things?
13  Keep your tongue from evil ♦︎
   and your lips from lying words.
14  Turn from evil and do good; ♦︎
   seek peace and pursue it.

Zophar Speaks: Job’s Guilt Deserves Punishment

11Then Zophar the Naamathite answered:
² ‘Should a multitude of words go unanswered,
   and should one full of talk be vindicated?
³ Should your babble put others to silence,
   and when you mock, shall no one shame you?
⁴ For you say, “My conduct^* is pure,
   and I am clean in God’s^* sight.”
⁵ But O that God would speak,
   and open his lips to you,
⁶ and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom!
   For wisdom is many-sided.^*
Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves.

⁷ ‘Can you find out the deep things of God?
   Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?^*
8 It is higher than heaven^*—what can you do?
   Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?
⁹ Its measure is longer than the earth,
   and broader than the sea.
¹⁰ If he passes through, and imprisons,
   and assembles for judgement, who can hinder him?
¹¹ For he knows those who are worthless;
   when he sees iniquity, will he not consider it?
¹² But a stupid person will get understanding,
   when a wild ass is born human.^*

¹³ ‘If you direct your heart rightly,
   you will stretch out your hands towards him.
¹⁴ If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away,
   and do not let wickedness reside in your tents.
¹⁵ Surely then you will lift up your face without blemish;
   you will be secure, and will not fear.
¹⁶ You will forget your misery;
   you will remember it as waters that have passed away.
¹⁷ And your life will be brighter than the noonday;
   its darkness will be like the morning.
¹⁸ And you will have confidence, because there is hope;
   you will be protected^* and take your rest in safety.
¹⁹ You will lie down, and no one will make you afraid;
   many will entreat your favour.
²⁰ But the eyes of the wicked will fail;
   all way of escape will be lost to them,
   and their hope is to breathe their last.’

The Arrest of Stephen

8 Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. ⁹Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and others of those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen. ¹⁰But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit^* with which he spoke. ¹¹Then they secretly instigated some men to say, ‘We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.’ ¹²They stirred up the people as well as the elders and the scribes; then they suddenly confronted him, seized him, and brought him before the council. ¹³They set up false witnesses who said, ‘This man never stops saying things against this holy place and the law; ¹⁴for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth^* will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses handed on to us.’ ¹⁵And all who sat in the council looked intently at him, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.