Job 35:8 Made Simple

KJV ORIGINAL

Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.

Close to the original. Clear modern English.

✦ MADE SIMPLE

Your wickedness can only hurt other people like yourself, and your righteousness can only benefit other human beings.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

This verse is saying that our good and bad actions primarily affect other people, not God himself.

📚 Historical Context

This is part of Elihu's speech to Job, where he's arguing that God is so great and transcendent that human actions don't directly affect Him. Elihu was trying to correct both Job's complaints against God and his friends' oversimplified views of divine justice. In ancient Near Eastern thought, there was often debate about whether human behavior could influence the gods.

Explore Similar Verses

Luke 11:39

Jesus called them out: 'You Pharisees are obsessed with looking perfect on the outside — scrubbing every cup and plate spotless. But inside? You're full of greed and evil.'

Ezekiel 33:12

So listen, tell your people this: if someone who's been living right messes up, their past good behavior won't save them from the consequences. And if someone who's been doing wrong decides to change and turn their life around, their past mistakes won't drag them down. Being 'good' before doesn't give you a free pass when you choose to do wrong.

Job 34:10

So listen to me, you wise people: God would never do anything evil or wrong. It's impossible for the Almighty to commit sin or act unjustly.

Ask the AI Assistant

Have a question about this chapter or verse? Ask below for a clear explanation.

Share or Save

📚 Historical Context

Explore Similar Verses

Ask the AI Assistant

Translation & Methodology Sources