Who denounces his behavior to his face? Who repays him for what he has done?
Parallel translations
- WEB Who shall declare his way to his face? Who shall repay him what he has done?
- KJV Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?
- NKJV Who condemns his way to his face? And who repays him for what he has done?
- NASB “Who confronts him with his actions, And who repays him for what he has done?
- NLT No one criticizes them openly or pays them back for what they have done.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Job asks who dares to confront the powerful wicked man to his face or repay him for his deeds. In this life, no one holds him accountable.
Overview
Job observes that the prosperous wicked often escape human accountability; no one rebukes or punishes them. This deepens the problem he raises. Yet Scripture assures that what no human court achieves, God will accomplish, for He will repay each according to his deeds (Rom 2:6), ensuring that no evil finally goes unanswered.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Deut 7:10But those who hate Him He repays to their faces with destruction; He will not hesitate to repay to his face the one who hates Him.
- Gal 2:11When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he stood to be condemned.
- Rom 12:19Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”
- Isa 59:13rebelling and denying the LORD, turning away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering lies from the heart.
- Job 41:11Who has given to Me that I should repay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.
- Jer 2:33–35How skillfully you pursue love! Even the most immoral of women could learn from your ways.
- Mark 6:18For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife!”
- Acts 24:25As Paul expounded on righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, “You may go for now. When I find the time, I will call for you.”
- Jas 2:13For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
- Ps 50:21You have done these things, and I kept silent; you thought I was just like you. But now I rebuke you and accuse you to your face.
- Job 21:19It is said that God lays up one’s punishment for his children. Let God repay the man himself, so he will know it.
- 1 Kgs 21:19–24Tell him that this is what the LORD says: ‘Have you not murdered a man and seized his land?’ Then tell him that this is also what the LORD says: ‘In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, there also the dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!’”
- 2 Sam 12:7–12Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.
How Job 21:31 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.