He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not;
Parallel translations
- WEB He sings before men, and says, ‘I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it didn’t profit me.
- BSB Then he sings before men with these words: ‘I have sinned and perverted what was right; yet I did not get what I deserved.
- NKJV Then he looks at men and says, ‘I have sinned, and perverted what was right, And it did not profit me.’
- NASB “He will sing to people and say, ‘I have sinned and perverted what is right, And it is not proper for me.
- NLT He will declare to his friends, ‘I sinned and twisted the truth, but it was not worth it.
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
The delivered man openly confesses that he sinned and that his sin profited him nothing. It models the repentance that accompanies God's grace.
Overview
Elihu describes the rescued man publicly acknowledging his guilt, admitting he perverted what was right and gained nothing by it. Genuine confession is presented as the fruit of God's gracious dealing, not its cause. This honest repentance echoes the gospel pattern in which God's kindness leads sinners to repentance (Romans 2:4) and free confession of sin.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 27
- Rom 6:21What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
- 2 Sam 12:13And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
- Ps 14:2The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
- 1 Jn 1:8–10If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
- Matt 16:26For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
- Jer 31:18–19I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.
- Rom 7:22For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
- Luke 15:18–22I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
- Num 12:11And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned.
- Ps 11:4The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.
- Job 7:20I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?
- Prov 28:13He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
- Jer 3:13Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.
- 2 Chr 16:9For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
- Ps 139:1–4O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
- Rom 7:16If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
- Ps 19:7–8The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
- Luke 18:13And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
- Jer 23:24Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.
- Jer 2:8The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.
- Eccl 5:8If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.
- Prov 5:21For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.
- Job 34:9For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.
- Ps 119:128Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.
- Prov 15:3The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
- Rom 7:12–14Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
- Gen 16:13And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
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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 33:27 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
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