Formation Journal Reading Plan

36:1 Elihu also continued, and said,

36:2 “Bear with me a little, and I will show you; for I still have something to say on God’s behalf.

36:3 I will get my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

36:4 For truly my words are not false. One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

36:5 “Behold, God is mighty, and doesn’t despise anyone. He is mighty in strength of understanding.

36:6 He doesn’t preserve the life of the wicked, but gives to the afflicted their right.

36:7 He doesn’t withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne, he sets them forever, and they are exalted.

36:8 If they are bound in fetters, and are taken in the cords of afflictions,

36:9 then he shows them their work, and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.

36:10 He also opens their ears to instruction, and commands that they return from iniquity.

36:11 If they listen and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.

36:12 But if they don’t listen, they shall perish by the sword; they shall die without knowledge.

36:13 “But those who are godless in heart lay up anger. They don’t cry for help when he binds them.

36:14 They die in youth. Their life perishes among the unclean.

36:15 He delivers the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear in oppression.

36:16 Yes, he would have allured you out of distress, into a broad place, where there is no restriction. That which is set on your table would be full of fatness.

36:17 “But you are full of the judgment of the wicked. Judgment and justice take hold of you.

36:18 Don’t let riches entice you to wrath, neither let the great size of a bribe turn you aside.

36:19 Would your wealth sustain you in distress, or all the might of your strength?

36:20 Don’t desire the night, when people are cut off in their place.

36:21 Take heed, don’t regard iniquity; for you have chosen this rather than affliction.

36:22 Behold, God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him?

36:23 Who has prescribed his way for him? Or who can say, ‘You have committed unrighteousness?’

36:24 “Remember that you magnify his work, whereof men have sung.

36:25 All men have looked thereon. Man sees it afar off.

36:26 Behold, God is great, and we don’t know him. The number of his years is unsearchable.

36:27 For he draws up the drops of water, which distill in rain from his vapor,

36:28 Which the skies pour down and which drop on man abundantly.

36:29 Yes, can any understand the spreading of the clouds, and the thunderings of his pavilion?

36:30 Behold, he spreads his light around him. He covers the bottom of the sea.

36:31 For by these he judges the people. He gives food in abundance.

36:32 He covers his hands with the lightning, and commands it to strike the mark.

36:33 Its noise tells about him, and the livestock also concerning the storm that comes up.

64:1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. Hear my voice, God, in my complaint. Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

64:2 Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from the noisy crowd of the ones doing evil;

64:3 who sharpen their tongue like a sword, and aim their arrows, deadly words,

64:4 to shoot innocent men from ambushes. They shoot at him suddenly and fearlessly.

64:5 They encourage themselves in evil plans. They talk about laying snares secretly. They say, “Who will see them?”

64:6 They plot injustice, saying, “We have made a perfect plan!” Surely man’s mind and heart are cunning.

64:7 But God will shoot at them. They will be suddenly struck down with an arrow.

64:8 Their own tongues shall ruin them. All who see them will shake their heads.

64:9 All mankind shall be afraid. They shall declare the work of God, and shall wisely ponder what he has done.

64:10 The righteous shall be glad in Yahweh, and shall take refuge in him. All the upright in heart shall praise him!

14:1 Follow after love, and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

14:2 For he who speaks in another language speaks not to men, but to God; for no one understands; but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries.

14:3 But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhortation, and consolation.

14:4 He who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the assembly.

14:5 Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but rather that you would prophesy. For he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the assembly may be built up.

14:6 But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking with other languages, what would I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching?

14:7 Even things without life, giving a voice, whether pipe or harp, if they didn’t give a distinction in the sounds, how would it be known what is piped or harped?

14:8 For if the trumpet gave an uncertain sound, who would prepare himself for war?

14:9 So also you, unless you uttered by the tongue words easy to understand, how would it be known what is spoken? For you would be speaking into the air.

14:10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of sounds in the world, and none of them is without meaning.

14:11 If then I don’t know the meaning of the sound, I would be to him who speaks a foreigner, and he who speaks would be a foreigner to me.

14:12 So also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek that you may abound to the building up of the assembly.

14:13 Therefore let him who speaks in another language pray that he may interpret.

14:14 For if I pray in another language, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

14:15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also. I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

14:16 Otherwise if you bless with the spirit, how will he who fills the place of the unlearned say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, seeing he doesn’t know what you say?

14:17 For you most certainly give thanks well, but the other person is not built up.

14:18 I thank my God, I speak with other languages more than you all.

14:19 However in the assembly I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in another language.

14:20 Brothers, don’t be children in thoughts, yet in malice be babies, but in thoughts be mature.

14:21 In the law it is written, “By men of strange languages and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people. Not even thus will they hear me, says the Lord.”

14:22 Therefore other languages are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to the unbelieving; but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to those who believe.

14:23 If therefore the whole assembly is assembled together and all speak with other languages, and unlearned or unbelieving people come in, won’t they say that you are crazy?

14:24 But if all prophesy, and someone unbelieving or unlearned comes in, he is reproved by all, and he is judged by all.

14:25 And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed. So he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed.