Job 4:17 “‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God, or a man more pure than his…”

Job 4:17

‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God, or a man more pure than his Maker?

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?

World English Bible

‘Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

American Standard Version

Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

Geneva Bible 1599

Shall man be more iust then God? or shall a man be more pure then his maker?

Darby Translation

Shall [mortal] man be more just than God? Shall a man be purer than his Maker?

Young's Literal Translation

'Is mortal man than God more righteous? Than his Maker is a man cleaner?

Bible in Basic English

May a man be upright before God? or a man be clean before his Maker?

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Cross references

“Shall mortal”

Job 9:2 Ecclesiastes 7:20 Psalm 143:2 Romans 11:33 Job 35:2 Job 40:8

Job 9:2 · BSB

“Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God?

Ecclesiastes 7:20 · BSB

Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

Psalm 143:2 · BSB

Do not bring Your servant into judgment, for no one alive is righteous before You.

Romans 11:33 · BSB

O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!

Job 35:2 · BSB

“Do you think this is just? You say, ‘I am more righteous than God.’

Job 40:8 · BSB

Would you really annul My justice? Would you condemn Me to justify yourself?

“shall a man”

Job 25:4 Jeremiah 17:9 Job 15:14 Mark 7:20–23 Revelation 4:8 Job 14:4

Job 25:4 · BSB

How then can a man be just before God? How can one born of woman be pure?

Jeremiah 17:9 · BSB

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

Job 15:14 · BSB

What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?

Mark 7:20–23 · BSB

He continued: “What comes out of a man, that is what defiles him.

Revelation 4:8 · BSB

And each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around and within. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

Job 14:4 · BSB

Who can bring out clean from unclean? No one!

Also

Job 35:10

Job 35:10 · BSB

But no one asks, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives us songs in the night,

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

16It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance; a form loomed before my eyes, and I heard a whispering voice:

18If God puts no trust in His servants, and He charges His angels with error,

Read Job 4