terror of warm seas, the giant of the family and the great traveler of the family. It makes vast excursions from one shore to another, and large ones are often seen from ships when out of sight of land. From the seagoing crocodile’s nonchalant motions, it appears that it is in no danger of tiring or ultimately drowning. On the other hand, sometimes this sea monster goes far inland as a river rover, lying in wait to devour some unwary animal.

Because of its size, armor and offensive weapons at both ends, the crocodile is king of reptiles. The dangerous cobra? Just a tasty snack, an appetizer for the crocodile. It has no natural enemies in the wild state and knows no terror. After this description of leviathan, Job says to Jehovah:

“I have come to know that you are able to do all things, and there is no idea that is unattainable for you. ‘Who is this that is obscuring counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I talked, but I was not understanding things too wonderful for me, which I do not know.”—Job 42:2, 3.

Job declares God can do all things; he realizes now that whatever God does is wise, loving and just. He repeats the very question Jehovah had asked at the beginning of the series of questions about creative marvels; Job does this to admit the justice of the rebuke implied by it and to admit, ‘I was the man!’

Job had said some things he should not have uttered; but now he confesses he had argued his case without understanding. “I make a retraction,” he said, “and I do repent in dust and ashes.” As Job did, we should take this lesson to heart. Lest we find ourselves contending against God, we should think hard before we let the outward appearance of our circumstances induce us to believe or declare that God is directly responsible for our sufferings. Behold behemoth and leviathan! They and other creative marvels should impress us with God’s great wisdom and power, adding force to the inspired words: “As for the Almighty, we have not found him out; he is exalted in power, and justice and abundance of righteousness he will not belittle. Therefore let men fear him.”—Job 42:6; 37:23, 24.

Proving Ourselves Approved by Accepting Responsibility

THE mature Christian is concerned with proving himself approved by God. Why? Because he knows that without that approval he stamps himself as a failure and cannot hope to get life everlasting in God’s new world. He therefore takes to heart the words of the apostle Paul: “Keep proving what you yourselves are . . . we are not disapproved.”—2 Cor. 13:5, 6.a

That this old world is not concerned with proving itself approved is apparent by its flight from responsibility. Look where we will we see evidence of it. Its prevalence is underscored by such expressions as “Carry the can” and “Passing the buck.” This refusal to accept responsibility is especially to be seen in the field of religion. The leaders of Christendom have refused to accept the responsibility of teaching the people the Word of God and as a result religious illiteracy is widespread. Because parents refuse to accept the responsibilities that come with parenthood juvenile delinquency is rampant.

One of the big tasks of the Christian minister is to persuade the persons whom he meets in the field ministry to accept responsibility by being willing to discuss religion, by obtaining Bible literature, by having the minister make return visits upon them and by having a Bible study in their home. Some agree to a Bible study in their home, but when it becomes apparent that they have an obligation to tell others about it, they too flee responsibility by dropping the study in their home.

Not that the matter of accepting responsibility is fully met when a Christian begins to preach the good news. That is only the beginning. He must continually prove himself to be approved by accepting whatever responsibility comes his way. If he can arrange his affairs so as to accept the full-time ministry he is under obligation to accept this responsibility. If he is able to serve where the need for Kingdom preachers is greater he must meet that obligation. And then there are organizational privileges for the male ministers in the local congregation that cannot be refused with impunity.

In fact, every Christian minister should seek to improve his ministry so that he will be in line to be offered more responsibility. Love, not vain ambition, should cause him to want to be used more fully because of the added privileges of helping others. Let none refuse, saying it cannot be done. Let him remember that Jehovah was not well pleased when Moses gave that excuse. Rather, let him have faith that God’s spirit will enable him to discharge faithfully the added responsibility he accepts, even as it has helped others.

True, organizational privileges are limited. But every Christian minister can accept the responsibility of seeing that each householder in his certain area has received the witness. That means keeping a house-to-house record. Further, he must accept responsibility by calling back on all who have shown interest, endeavoring to nourish that interest so that it will result in another person’s taking his stand for Jehovah and his kingdom.

There is much joy and satisfaction in store for those who prove themselves approved by accepting responsibility, both now and in the coming new world. And by each one’s accepting his responsibility the result will be a strong, effective organization of united worshipers, effectively guiding people of goodwill in the way of life.

[Footnotes]

Questions From Readers

● I understand that a group of Bible scholars made a comparison of various Bible translations. Was the New World Translation included in this study?—D. M., United States.

It appears that what your letter inquires about is a book written by Professor Ernest Cadman Colwell, entitled “What Is the Best New Testament?” This book is published by the Chicago University Press and was first printed in 1952. In 1947 Professor Colwell made a study of a number of translations and put them to the test as to sixty-four citations in the book of John. The book contains what Professor Colwell considers the correct rendering of each of those sixty-four citations. The New World Translation was not released until 1950, hence Professor Colwell could not include this translation in his list of tested ones.

However, if any reader will look up what Professor Colwell has to say about these sixty-four citations and will compare these with the New World Translation he will see that the New World Translation merits a score of sixty-four along with Dr. Goodspeed’s translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, which the book gives a perfect score of sixty-four. Colwell’s book being first published in 1952, it was not available until two years after the release of the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, which occurred in 1950 at Yankee Stadium. Consequently the New World Bible Translation Committee did not have Colwell’s book for reference when work on the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures was being done.

● How many miracles did the prophet Elisha perform, and what are they?—K. B., England.

The prophet Elisha is to be credited with sixteen miracles; fifteen during his lifetime and one after his death. His first miracle was that of causing the waters of the Jordan to divide right after Elijah had been taken away from him. (2 Ki. 2:14) His second miracle was that of healing the water supply of the city of Jericho that had been bad, causing miscarriages. (2 Ki. 2:19-22) His calling down evil upon a band of juvenile delinquents, which resulted in forty-two of them being torn to pieces by two she-bears, was his third miracle. (2 Ki. 2:23, 24) Elisha’s fourth miracle was the supplying