Daniel 2 Cross References - LEB

¹ Now* in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams; and his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him. ² So the king said to call the magicians* and the conjurers* and the sorcerers and the _⌊astrologers_⌋* to tell to the king his dreams. And they came in and they stood _⌊before_⌋* the king. ³ And the king said to them, "_⌊I have had a dream_⌋* and my spirit is anxious to know the dream." ⁴ And the _⌊astrologers_⌋* said to the king in Aramaic,* "O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants and we will reveal the explanation." ⁵ The king answered and said to the _⌊astrologers_⌋,* "The command from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its explanation,* then you will be broken into pieces and your houses will be laid in ruins. ⁶ But if you tell me the dream and its explanation, you will receive gifts and rewards* and great honor from me. Therefore, tell me the dream and its explanation."* ⁷ They answered once more and said, "Let the king tell the dream to his servants and we will make the explanation known." ⁸ The king answered and said, "_⌊Certainly_⌋* I know that _⌊you are trying to gain time_⌋* _⌊because_⌋* you have seen _⌊that this matter is firmly decreed by me_⌋,* ⁹ for if you do not make the dream known to me, _⌊your verdict is fixed_⌋,* and you have conspired to say a lying and deceitful word to me until the _⌊circumstances_⌋* will change. Therefore, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can tell me its explanation." ¹⁰ The _⌊astrologers_⌋* answered the king and said, "There is not a man on earth that is able to reveal the word of the king; _⌊in fact_⌋,* no great and powerful king has ever asked a thing like this of any magician* or conjurer* or _⌊astrologer_⌋.* ¹¹ And the thing that the king is asking is too difficult and _⌊there is no one who_⌋* can reveal it to the king except the gods _⌊whose dwelling is not with mortals_⌋."* ¹² Because of this the king became angry, and he became very much enraged, and he said that all the wise men of Babylon are to be destroyed. ¹³ And the decree was issued, and the wise men _⌊were on the verge of being executed_⌋,* and they searched for Daniel and his companions to be executed. ¹⁴ Then Daniel responded prudently and discretely to Arioch, the commander of the imperial guard of the king, who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon. ¹⁵ _⌊He asked_⌋* and said to Arioch, the royal official of the king, "_⌊Why_⌋* is the decree from the king so severe?" Then Arioch explained the matter* to Daniel. ¹⁶ And Daniel went in and requested from the king that he would give him time, and _⌊he would tell the king_⌋* the explanation.* ¹⁷ Then Daniel went to his home, and he made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, his companions, ¹⁸ and told them to seek mercy _⌊from the God of heaven_⌋* concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions, along with the remainder of the wise men of Babylon, would not be killed. ¹⁹ Then in a vision of the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel; then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. ²⁰ Daniel _⌊said_⌋:*
"Let his name, the name of God,* be blessed _⌊throughout the ages_⌋,* for the wisdom and the power _⌊are his_⌋.* ²¹ And he changes the times and the seasons, and he deposes kings and he sets up kings; he gives wisdom* to wise men and knowledge to men who know understanding. ²² He reveals the deep and the hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. ²³ To you, O God of my ancestors,* I give thanks and I give praises, for the wisdom and the power you gave to me, and now you have made known to me what we have asked from you, for you have made known to us the matter of the king." ²⁴ _⌊Therefore_⌋* Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed* to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and thus he said to him: "You must not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me in before the king and I will give the explanation* to the king." ²⁵ Then Arioch _⌊quickly_⌋* brought Daniel in before the king and thus he said to him: "I have found a man among _⌊the exiles_⌋* of Judah* who _⌊can relate_⌋* the explanation* to the king. ²⁶ _⌊The king then asked_⌋* and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, "Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its explanation?"* ²⁷ Daniel answered the king and said, "The mystery that the king asks, no wise men, conjurers,* magicians,* or diviners are able to make known to the king. ²⁸ But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what it is that will be at the end of days. This is your dream and the visions of your head on your bed. ²⁹ "As for you, king,* your thoughts on your bed _⌊turned to_⌋* what it was that would be _⌊in the future_⌋,* and the revealer of mysteries has made known to you what that would be. ³⁰ And as for me, it is not because of wisdom that is in me more than _⌊any other living person_⌋* that this mystery is revealed to me, but _⌊in order that_⌋* the explanation* may be made known to the king and you will _⌊understand_⌋* the thoughts of your _⌊mind_⌋.* ³¹ "You, O king, were looking and, look, there was one great statue. This statue was huge and its brilliance extraordinary, standing there before you, and its appearance was frightening.* ³² The head of this statue was of fine gold, its chest and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, ³³ its legs of iron, its feet, part of them of iron and part of them of clay. ³⁴ You were looking on _⌊until_⌋* a stone was chiseled out*—that not by hands—and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and it broke them in pieces. ³⁵ Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold _⌊all at once_⌋* broke into pieces* and they became like chaff from the summer threshing floor, and the wind carried them away and any trace of them could not be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and it filled the whole earth. ³⁶ "This was the dream, and now we will tell its interpretation to the king. ³⁷ You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power and the might and the glory, ³⁸ and also _⌊human beings wherever they dwell_⌋,* the animals of the field and the birds* of heaven*—he has given into your hand and made you ruler over all of them—you are the head of gold. ³⁹ And after you another kingdom inferior to yours will arise, and another third kingdom of bronze that will rule over the whole earth. ⁴⁰ And a fourth kingdom will be strong as iron, and _⌊just as_⌋* iron crushes and smashes _⌊everything_⌋,* and as iron shatters all of these other metals, so it will crush and it will shatter these nations. ⁴¹ _⌊And just as_⌋* you saw the feet and the toes, _⌊partly potter's clay_⌋* and _⌊partly iron_⌋,* it will be a divided kingdom; and _⌊some hardness_⌋* of the iron will be in it, _⌊just as_⌋* you have seen the iron mixed with the wet clay. ⁴² And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so part of the kingdom will be strong _⌊and partly brittle_⌋.* ⁴³ And in that you saw the iron was mixed with wet clay, so _⌊they will mix in marriage_⌋* and they will not cling _⌊to one another_⌋,* just as iron does not mix with clay. ⁴⁴ And _⌊in the day of those kings_⌋,* the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will _⌊never_⌋* be destroyed, and the kingdom will not be left for another nation,* and it will bring an end to all these kingdoms, but it will stand _⌊forever_⌋.* ⁴⁵ _⌊Inasmuch as_⌋* you saw that a stone from the mountain was chiseled out* but not by hands, and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, thereby the great God made known to the king what will be _⌊in the future_⌋,* and the dream is certain and its explanation trustworthy." ⁴⁶ Then the king, Nebuchadnezzar, fell on his face and he paid homage to Daniel; and he commanded them to offer a grain offering and incense offering to him. ⁴⁷ The king answered Daniel and said, "_⌊Truly_⌋* your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings, and he reveals mysteries, for you are able to reveal this mystery." ⁴⁸ Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and the chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. ⁴⁹ And Daniel made a request from the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the court of the king.

⁵ And the two of them, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, dreamed a dream, each his own dream, with its own interpretation. ⁶ When Joseph came to them in the morning he looked at them, and behold, they were troubled. ⁷ And he asked the court officials of Pharaoh that were with him in the custody of his master's house, "Why are your faces sad today?" ⁸ And they said to him, "We each dreamed a dream, but there is no one to interpret it." And Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me."

¹ And it happened that after _⌊two full years_⌋* Pharaoh dreamed, and behold, he was standing by the Nile. ² And behold, seven cows, _⌊well built and fat_⌋,* were coming up from the Nile, and they grazed among the reeds. ³ And behold, seven other cows came up after them from the Nile, _⌊ugly and gaunt_⌋,* and they stood beside those* cows on the bank of the Nile. ⁴ And the _⌊ugly and gaunt_⌋* cows ate the seven _⌊well built and fat_⌋* cows. Then Pharaoh awoke. ⁵ And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time, and behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were coming out of one stalk. ⁶ And behold, seven thin ears of grain, scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them. ⁷ And the thin ears of grain swallowed up the seven plump and full ears of grain. Then Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. ⁸ And it happened that in the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called all of the magicians* of Egypt, and all its wise men, and Pharaoh told his dream to them. But _⌊they had no interpretation_⌋* for Pharaoh. ⁹ Then the chief of the cupbearers spoke with Pharaoh, saying, "I remember my sins today. ¹⁰ Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and he put me and the chief baker in the custody of the house of the chief of the guard. ¹¹ And we dreamed a dream one night, I and he, _⌊each with a dream that had a meaning_⌋.* ¹² And there with us was a young man, a Hebrew servant of the chief of the guard, and we told him the dream, and he interpreted our dreams for us, each according to his dream he interpreted. ¹³ And it happened just as he interpreted to us, so it was. He* restored me to my office, and him* he* hanged." ¹⁴ Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they brought him quickly from the prison. And he shaved and changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh. ¹⁵ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I dreamed a dream, but there is none to interpret it. Now, I have heard concerning you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it." ¹⁶ Then Joseph answered Pharaoh saying, "_⌊It is not in my power_⌋;* God will answer concerning the well-being of Pharaoh." ¹⁷ And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Now in my dream, behold, I was standing on the bank of the Nile, ¹⁸ and behold, seven cows, _⌊well built and fat_⌋,* were coming up from the Nile, and they grazed among the reeds. ¹⁹ And behold, seven other cows came up after them from the Nile, very _⌊ugly and gaunt_⌋*—never have I seen any as them in all the land of Egypt for ugliness. ²⁰ And the thin and ugly cows ate the former seven healthy cows. ²¹ But when they went into their bellies* it could not be known that they went into their bellies,* for their appearance was as ugly as at the beginning. Then I awoke. ²² Then I saw in my dream and behold, seven ears of grain were coming out of one stalk, full and good. ²³ And behold, seven withered ears of grain, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them. ²⁴ And the thin ears of grain swallowed up the seven good ears of grain. And I told the magicians,* but there was none to explain it to me." ²⁵ Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "The dreams of Pharaoh are one. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. ²⁶ The seven good cows, they are seven years, and the seven good ears of grain, they are seven years. The dreams are one. ²⁷ And the seven thin and ugly cows coming up after them, they are seven years, and the seven empty ears of grain, scorched by the east wind, they are also seven years of famine. ²⁸ This is the word that I have spoken to Pharaoh; God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. ²⁹ Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the whole land of Egypt. ³⁰ Then seven years of famine will arise after them, and all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. The famine will consume the land. ³¹ Abundance in the land will not be known because of the famine _⌊that follows_⌋,* for it will be very heavy. ³² Now concerning the repetition of the dream twice to Pharaoh, it is because the matter is established by God, and God will do it quickly. ³³ Now then, let Pharaoh select a man who is discerning and wise, and let him set him over the land of Egypt. ³⁴ Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint supervisors over the land, and let him take one-fifth from the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance. ³⁵ Then let them gather all the food of these coming good years and let them pile up grain under the hand of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. ³⁶ Then the food shall be as a deposit for the land for the seven years of the famine that will be in the land of Egypt, that the land will not perish on account of the famine."

⁵ Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And he did evil in the eyes of Yahweh his God. ⁶ Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon went up against him, and he bound him with bronze fetters to bring him to Babylon. ⁷ And Nebuchadnezzar brought to Babylon the objects of the house of Yahweh and put them into the temple in Babylon.

¹ During that night the king's sleep escaped him, and he gave orders to bring the _⌊scroll of records and chronicles_⌋,* and they were read before the king.

¹⁵ "In a dream, a vision of the night, when a deep sleep falls on men slumbering on their bed, ¹⁶ then he opens the ear of men, and _⌊he frightens them with a warning_⌋* ¹⁷ to turn human beings aside from their deeds, and he keeps man from pride.

¹ The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, the king of Judah, that was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon,

¹ In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. ² And the Lord gave Jehoiakim the king of Judah into his hand and _⌊some of_⌋* of the utensils of the temple of God,* and he brought them to the land of Shinar to the temple of his gods, and he brought the utensils to _⌊the treasury_⌋* of his gods. ³ And the king _⌊ordered_⌋* Ashpenaz, the commander of his court officials, to bring _⌊some of the Israelites_⌋* from _⌊the royal family_⌋* and from the lords,* ⁴ youths who _⌊have no physical defect_⌋,* and who are _⌊handsome_⌋,* and who are prudent* in all wisdom and _⌊endowed with knowledge_⌋,* and who understand insight, and who have the _⌊ability_⌋* in them to serve in the palace of the king. And the king ordered him to teach them the literature and the language of the Chaldeans. ⁵ And the king assigned to them _⌊his daily portion_⌋* from the fine food of the king, and from _⌊the wine that he drank_⌋,* and instructed that _⌊they were to be educated for three years_⌋.* And at the end of their training, _⌊they were to be stationed_⌋* _⌊before_⌋* the king.

³ And the king said to them, "_⌊I have had a dream_⌋* and my spirit is anxious to know the dream."

⁵ And I saw a dream and a revelation on my bed and it frightened me, and the visions of my head terrified me.

¹⁸ Then the king went to his palace and spent the night in fasting, and no food was brought in before him and his sleep fled from him.

⁸ And it happened that in the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called all of the magicians* of Egypt, and all its wise men, and Pharaoh told his dream to them. But _⌊they had no interpretation_⌋* for Pharaoh.

¹¹ And Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did likewise with their secret arts.

¹⁰ There shall not be found among you one who makes his son or his daughter go through the fire, or _⌊one who practices divination_⌋,* or an interpreter of signs,* or an augur,* or sorcerer, ¹¹ or one who casts magic spells, or one who consults a spirit of the dead,* or spiritist, or one who inquires of the dead.* ¹² For everyone doing these things is detestable to Yahweh, and because of these detestable things Yahweh your God is driving them out from _⌊before you_⌋.*

¹⁹ Now if they tell you, "Consult the ghosts and the spirits, those who chirp and those who mutter. Should not a people consult its gods, the dead on behalf of the living,

³ And the spirit of _⌊the Egyptians_⌋* will be disturbed in his midst, and I will _⌊confuse_⌋* his plans,* and they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead, and the ghosts and the spiritists.

¹² Stand, now, in your enchantments, and in your many sorceries with which you have labored from your youth. Perhaps you may be able to benefit; perhaps you may _⌊scare away_⌋.* ¹³ You struggle with your many consultations;* let them stand, now, and save you— those who see the stars, divide the _⌊celestial sphere_⌋,* who inform by new moons— from those things that are coming upon you.

²⁰ And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired from them, he found them ten times better than all of the magicians* and conjurers* that _⌊were in his entire kingdom_⌋.*

¹⁰ The _⌊astrologers_⌋* answered the king and said, "There is not a man on earth that is able to reveal the word of the king; _⌊in fact_⌋,* no great and powerful king has ever asked a thing like this of any magician* or conjurer* or _⌊astrologer_⌋.*

⁶ And a decree was _⌊sent out_⌋,* ordering that all the wise men of Babylon were to be brought in before me so that they may make known to me the explanation of the dream.

⁷ The king cried _⌊aloud_⌋* to bring in the conjurers,* the _⌊astrologers_⌋* and the diviners; the king _⌊spoke_⌋* and said to the wise men of Babylon, "Any man that can read this writing and can tell me its explanation will be clothed in purple and will have a necklace of gold hung around his neck and he will rule as third in authority in the kingdom."

⁸ And they said to him, "We each dreamed a dream, but there is no one to interpret it." And Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me."

¹⁵ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I dreamed a dream, but there is none to interpret it. Now, I have heard concerning you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it."

¹ Now* in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams; and his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him.

⁴⁷ And Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha,* but Jacob called it Galeed.*

²⁴ Then Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see him whom Yahweh has chosen? For there is no one like him among all the people!" And all the people shouted and said, "Long live the king!"

²⁵ "For he went down today and sacrificed oxen, sheep, and fattened animals _⌊in abundance_⌋.* He invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest, and look, they are eating and drinking before him. They have also said, "Long live King Adonijah!

³¹ Then Bathsheba knelt with her face to the ground and did obeisance to the king, and she said, "May my lord, King David, live forever."

⁷ And in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated from Aramaic.

³ I said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should my face not be sad when the city of my ancestors'* burial site* is ruined and her gates are consumed by fire?"

¹¹ And Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to Rabshakeh, "Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we can understand* it, and you must not speak to us in Judean in the _⌊hearing_⌋* of the people who are on the wall."

²⁵ who frustrates* the signs of oracle priests and makes a fool of diviners, who drives the wise men back and makes their knowledge foolish,

⁹ _⌊They responded and said_⌋* to Nebuchadnezzar the king, "O king, may you live _⌊forever_⌋!*

⁷ Then the magicians,* the conjurers,* the _⌊astrologers_⌋* and the diviners came in and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its explanation.*

¹⁹ "Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was distressed _⌊for some time_⌋,* and his thoughts disturbed him. The king answered and he said, 'Belteshazzar, let the dream and its explanation not disturb you.' Belteshazzar answered and said, 'My lord, may the dream and its explanation be for those who hate you and for your enemies.

⁸ Then all the wise men of the king came in, but they were not able to read the writing or to make known its explanation.*

¹⁰ Because of the words of the king and his lords,* the queen came into _⌊the banqueting hall_⌋* and the queen _⌊spoke up_⌋* and said, "O king, live _⌊forever_⌋,* and let not your thoughts terrify you and do not let your facial expressions _⌊grow pale_⌋.*

⁶ So the administrators and the satraps conspired _⌊with respect to_⌋* the king and so they said to him, "Darius, O king, live _⌊forever_⌋!*

²¹ Then Daniel spoke to* the king, "O king, live _⌊forever_⌋!*

⁹ And the crowds who went ahead of him and the ones who followed were shouting, saying,
"Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!* Hosanna in the highest heaven!"*

⁹ And those who went ahead and those who were following were shouting,
"Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!* ¹⁰ Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!"*

¹⁶ And then you shall gather all of its booty into the middle of its public square, and you shall burn the town and all of its war-booty totally for Yahweh your God, and it shall be _⌊a pile of rubble forever_⌋;* it shall not be built again.

²⁶ And Joshua swore at that time, saying, "Cursed is anyone before Yahweh who gets up and builds Jericho, this city. At the cost of his firstborn he will lay its foundation, and at the cost of his youngest he will set up its gates."

³³ Samuel said,
"Just as your sword bereaved women, so will your mother be bereaved among women!"
Then Samuel hacked Agag to pieces in the presence of Yahweh at Gilgal.

²⁷ So they broke down the stone pillars of Baal and destroyed the temple of Baal and made it into a latrine until this day.

¹¹ Furthermore, I issue forth a decree that if any person violates this decree, let a beam be pulled out from his house and let him be impaled on it. And let his house be made a pile of rubble on account of this.

²² Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there will be none to deliver.

⁷ Let them run away like water that runs off. When he bends the bow, let his arrows be as though they were cut off.*

¹² Because of this the king became angry, and he became very much enraged, and he said that all the wise men of Babylon are to be destroyed.

²⁹ And from me _⌊is set forth_⌋* a decree that any people, nation, or language that may utter criticism against their God—the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—will be broken into pieces and their* house will be made like ruins. _⌊For_⌋* there is not another God who is able to rescue like this God."

⁷ So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went with a fee for divination in their hand; they came to Balaam and spoke the words of Balak to him.

¹⁷ because I will surely honor you greatly, and all that you say to me I will do. Please, come; curse this people for me.'"

³⁷ And Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not urgently send to meet with you? Why did you not come to me? Am I really not able to honor you?"

¹¹ _⌊Flee_⌋* to your place now. I said I would richly honor you, but look, Yahweh has withheld honor from you."

⁴⁸ Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and the chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.

¹⁶ But I have heard concerning you that you are able _⌊to produce interpretations_⌋* and to solve riddles; now if you are able to read the writing and to make known its explanation* to me, you will be clothed in purple and a necklace of gold will be placed around your neck and you will rule as third in command in the kingdom." ¹⁷ Then Daniel answered and said before the king, "Let your gifts be for yourself or your rewards give to another; nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and I will make known to him the explanation.*

²⁹ Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple and placed a necklace of gold around his neck, and they made a proclamation concerning him that he would be the third ruler in authority in the kingdom.

⁴ If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your post, for calmness can undo great offenses.

⁴ And the _⌊astrologers_⌋* said to the king in Aramaic,* "O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants and we will reveal the explanation."

⁹ for if you do not make the dream known to me, _⌊your verdict is fixed_⌋,* and you have conspired to say a lying and deceitful word to me until the _⌊circumstances_⌋* will change. Therefore, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can tell me its explanation."

¹⁶ making the most of the time because the days are evil.

⁵ Live with wisdom toward those outside, making the most of the time.

⁶ Then the king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four hundred men, and he said to them, "Shall I go against Ramoth-Gilead for the battle, or should I refrain?" Then they said, "Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king."

²² He said, 'I will go out and I will be a false spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And he* said, 'You shall entice and succeed, go out and do so.'

¹¹ "All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if any man or woman who goes to the king to the inner courtyard, who is not called, he has one law, to be killed, except if the king extends to him the gold scepter so that he may live. I have not been called to come to the king _⌊for thirty days_⌋."*

¹⁹ A lip of truth endures forever, but a tongue of deception lasts only a moment.

²³ tell us the things coming _⌊hereafter_⌋,* that* we may know that you are gods. Indeed, do good or* do evil, that* we may be afraid and see* together.

⁶ They saw falseness and _⌊a lying divination_⌋,* the ones saying, 'Declaration of Yahweh!' and Yahweh did not send them, and they wait _⌊for the confirmation of their word_⌋.*

¹⁷ "And you, son of man,* place your face toward the daughters of your people who prophesy from their _⌊imagination_⌋,* and prophesy against them!

¹⁹ And you defiled me among my people for a handful of barley and for morsels of bread to kill persons who should not die and to keep alive persons who should not live by means of your lies to my people who are listening to your lies." '*

²¹ And he changes the times and the seasons, and he deposes kings and he sets up kings; he gives wisdom* to wise men and knowledge to men who know understanding.

¹⁵ Now if you are ready so that _⌊when_⌋* you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp and the drum and all kinds of music, you fall down and you worship the statue that I have made, that will be good. But if you do not worship it, _⌊immediately_⌋* you will be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire, and _⌊who is the god_⌋* who* will rescue you from my hands?"

²⁸ " 'Peres'—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.'"

³¹ * And Darius the Mede received the kingdom _⌊when he was about sixty-two years old_⌋.*

²⁵ And he will speak words against the Most High, and he will wear out the holy ones* of the Most High, and he will attempt to change times and law, and they will be given into his hand for a time and two times and half a time.

¹⁷ For we are not like the majority who peddle the word of God, but as from pure motives—but as from God—we speak before God in Christ.

²⁷ Daniel answered the king and said, "The mystery that the king asks, no wise men, conjurers,* magicians,* or diviners are able to make known to the king.

³⁹ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all of this known to you there is no one as discerning and wise as you.

¹⁹ And the magicians said to Pharaoh, "It is the finger of God." But the heart of Pharaoh was hard, and he did not listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken.

⁴⁵ And I will dwell in the midst of the _⌊Israelites_⌋,* and I will be their God.

³⁴ You will not defile the land on which you are living because I am living in the midst of it; I am Yahweh; I am living in the midst of the _⌊Israelites_⌋.'"*

²⁷ For will God really dwell on the earth? Behold, the heavens and the heaven of heavens could not contain you! _⌊How could_⌋* this house that I have built?

¹⁸ "But will God indeed dwell with humankind upon the earth? Look, the heavens and _⌊the highest heavens_⌋* cannot contain you! Surely then this house that I have built will not contain you!

¹⁸ You have ascended on high; you have led away captives. You have received gifts from among humankind, and even from the rebellious, so that Yah* God may dwell there.

⁵ Who is like Yahweh our God, who is enthroned on high,* ⁶ who _⌊condescends to look at_⌋* what is in the heavens and in the earth?

¹⁴ "This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.

¹⁸ Look! I and the children whom Yahweh has given to me are like signs and portents in Israel from Yahweh of hosts, the one who dwells on the mountain of Zion.

¹⁵ For thus says the high and lofty one who resides forever, and whose name is holy:
"I reside in a high and holy place, and with the _⌊contrite_⌋* and humble of spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the _⌊contrite_⌋.*

¹ Thus says Yahweh:
"Heaven is my throne, and the earth is the footstool for my feet. Where is this house that you would build for me? And where is this resting place for me? ² And my hand has made all these things, and all these _⌊came to be_⌋,"*
_⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, "but* I look to this one:
to the humble and the contrite of spirit and the one frightened at my word.

²⁷ Daniel answered the king and said, "The mystery that the king asks, no wise men, conjurers,* magicians,* or diviners are able to make known to the king. ²⁸ But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what it is that will be at the end of days. This is your dream and the visions of your head on your bed.

¹¹ There is a man in your kingdom _⌊who has the spirit of the holy gods in him_⌋.* And in the days of your _⌊predecessor_⌋,* enlightenment and insight and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods was found in him; and, O king, Nebuchadnezzar your _⌊predecessor_⌋* appointed him as chief of the magicians,* the conjurers,* the _⌊astrologers_⌋,* and the diviners. Your _⌊predecessor_⌋* the king did this

²¹ _⌊I will cleanse their bloodguilt_⌋* that _⌊I did not cleanse_⌋,* for Yahweh is dwelling in Zion.

²⁶ But Jesus looked at them* and* said to them, "With human beings this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² This one was in the beginning with God. ³ All things came into being through him, and apart from him not one thing came into being that* has come into being.

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and took up residence among us, and we saw his glory, glory as of the one and only from the Father, full of grace and truth.

¹⁷ the Spirit of truth, whom the world is not able to receive, because it does not see him or know him.* You know him, because he resides with you and will be in you.

²³ Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and _⌊will take up residence with him_⌋.*

¹⁶ And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said,
"I will live in* them and will walk about among them, and I will be their God and they will be my people."*

³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
"Behold, the dwelling of God is with humanity, and he will take up residence with them, and they will be his people and God himself will be with them.*

² For vexation will slay the fool, and jealousy will kill the simple.

¹⁰ For the anger of humankind will praise you. You will put on the remnant of anger.*

¹⁴ The wrath of a king is a messenger of death, but one who is wise will appease* it.

¹² The rage of a king growls like a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

² Roaring like the lion is the dreaded anger of a king; he who provokes him forfeits his life.*

³ Heavy is a stone and weighty is sand, but the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them. ⁴ Cruel is wrath and overwhelming is anger, but who will stand before jealousy?

²² A man of anger will stir strife, and the owner of anger, much transgression.

⁵ The king answered and said to the _⌊astrologers_⌋,* "The command from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its explanation,* then you will be broken into pieces and your houses will be laid in ruins.

¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar said in rage and anger to bring in Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego; then they brought in these men before the king.

¹⁹ Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with anger and the image of his face was changed _⌊toward_⌋* Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, so he _⌊ordered and said_⌋* to heat up the one furnace seven times what was usual to heat it up.

¹⁶ Then Herod, when he* saw that he had been deceived by the wise men, became very angry, and he sent soldiers* and* executed all the children in Bethlehem and in all the region around it from the age of two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined precisely from the wise men.

²² But I say to you that everyone who is angry at his brother will be subject to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, 'Stupid fool!'* will be subject to the council, and whoever says, 'Obstinate fool!'* will be subject to fiery hell.

¹² And the king's secretaries were called in the first month on the thirteenth day, and a decree was issued, according to all that Haman commanded, to the satraps of the king and to the governors who were over all the provinces, and to the officials of all the people, to each province according to its own script and to all people according to their own language; it was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and was sealed with the king's ring. ¹³ Letters were sent by couriers* to all the provinces of the king to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, _⌊both young and old_⌋,* women and children, on one day, the thirteenth day of the month, that is Adar, and to plunder their goods. ¹⁴ A copy of the edict was presented as law in every province making it known to all the people to be ready for that day. ¹⁵ The couriers went out quickly by order of the king, and the law was issued in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink; and the city of Susa was bewildered.*

²⁰ Can there be allied with you a throne of destruction, one that forms trouble based on statute?

¹⁵ Like a roaring lion and a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people. ¹⁶ A ruler who lacks understanding is* a cruel oppressor, but those who hate unjust gain will have long* days. ¹⁷ A person who is burdened with the blood of _⌊another_⌋,* until death he will flee; do not take hold of him.

¹ Ah! Those who decree decrees of evil, and writers who have written harm,

¹⁹ And the king spoke with them, _⌊and among all of them no one was found like_⌋* Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; then they stood _⌊before_⌋* the king. ²⁰ And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired from them, he found them ten times better than all of the magicians* and conjurers* that _⌊were in his entire kingdom_⌋.*

⁹ _⌊So_⌋* the king, Darius, signed the writing and the interdict.* ¹⁰ Now _⌊when_⌋* Daniel realized that the document was signed, he went to his house (_⌊now he had windows in his upper room that were open_⌋* toward Jerusalem), and three times _⌊daily_⌋* he knelt on his knees and prayed and gave praise before his God, _⌊just as_⌋* he had been doing _⌊previously_⌋.* ¹¹ Then these men came as a group and they found Daniel praying and pleading for mercy before his God. ¹² Then they approached _⌊and spoke with the king_⌋* concerning the edict of the king, "_⌊Did you not sign an edict_⌋* that any person who would seek anything from any God or human within thirty days except from you, O king, would be thrown into _⌊the lion pit_⌋?"* The king answered and said, "The matter as you have just stated is certain according to the law of the Medes and Persians which cannot be revoked." ¹³ Then _⌊they responded_⌋* and said before the king, "Daniel, who is from _⌊the exiles_⌋* of Judah,* _⌊is not paying any attention_⌋* to you, O king, or to the decree that you have signed, _⌊and three times daily_⌋* he says his prayer." ¹⁴ Then the king, when* he heard that _⌊report_⌋,* he was extremely distressed over it; and _⌊concerning Daniel_⌋* _⌊he was determined_⌋* to rescue him. And until the setting of the sun he was making every effort to deliver him. ¹⁵ Then these men came as a group to the king and _⌊said_⌋,* "Recall, O king, that with respect to the law of* the Medes and Persians that _⌊any_⌋* decree or edict that the king establishes cannot be changed."

³⁶ And the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, a court official of Pharaoh, a commander of the imperial guard.

¹⁶ Then a wise woman from the city called out, "Listen, listen! Please speak to Joab to come near here so that I may speak to you." ¹⁷ Then he came near to her, and the woman asked, "Are you Joab?" And he said, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your servant." He said, "I am listening." ¹⁸ Then she said, "In former times, _⌊they would always say_⌋,* 'By all means, let them inquire in Abel,' and so they settled things. ¹⁹ I am one of the faithful representatives of Israel. You are seeking to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow the inheritance of Yahweh?" ²⁰ Then Joab answered and said, "Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow or I should destroy. ²¹ That is not the matter. But a man from the mountains of Ephraim, whose name is Sheba the son Bicri, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Give only him to us, and I will depart from the city." The woman said to Joab, "Look, his head is being thrown down to you over the wall." ²² The woman went to all of the people with her wise plan, so they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bicri and threw it to Joab. Then he blew the horn and dispersed from the city, each to his tent. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

¹³ I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. ¹⁴ There was a small city with few people in it. A great king came and besieged it, building great siege works against it. ¹⁵ Now, a poor wise man was found in it, and he delivered the city by his wisdom. ¹⁶ So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, yet the wisdom of the poor is despised, and his words are not heard. ¹⁷ The words of the wise are heard in peace more than the shouting of a ruler is heard among the fools. ¹⁸ Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

⁹ Then the rest of the people who were left in the city, and those deserting who had deserted to him, and the rest of the people who remained, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard,* deported to Babylon.

¹² Now in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard,* who stood _⌊before_⌋* the king of Babylon, entered into Jerusalem.

¹⁴ And all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard* broke down all the walls of Jerusalem all around.

²⁴ _⌊Therefore_⌋* Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed* to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and thus he said to him: "You must not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me in before the king and I will give the explanation* to the king."

¹⁸ And at the end of the time the king had set to bring them, the commander of the court officials brought them in _⌊before_⌋* Nebuchadnezzar. ¹⁹ And the king spoke with them, _⌊and among all of them no one was found like_⌋* Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; then they stood _⌊before_⌋* the king.

⁹ for if you do not make the dream known to me, _⌊your verdict is fixed_⌋,* and you have conspired to say a lying and deceitful word to me until the _⌊circumstances_⌋* will change. Therefore, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can tell me its explanation." ¹⁰ The _⌊astrologers_⌋* answered the king and said, "There is not a man on earth that is able to reveal the word of the king; _⌊in fact_⌋,* no great and powerful king has ever asked a thing like this of any magician* or conjurer* or _⌊astrologer_⌋.* ¹¹ And the thing that the king is asking is too difficult and _⌊there is no one who_⌋* can reveal it to the king except the gods _⌊whose dwelling is not with mortals_⌋."*

⁶ Now there was among them _⌊from the Judeans_⌋,* Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. ⁷ And the commander of the court officials gave them names, and he called Daniel, Belteshazzar; and Hananiah, Shadrach; and Mishael, Meshach; and Azariah, Abednego.

¹¹ Then* Daniel asked the guard* whom the commander of the court officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

¹² However there are Judean men whom you have appointed* over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—these men, O king, _⌊pay you no heed_⌋* and were not serving your god, and the statue of gold* that you set up they are not worshiping."

²⁸ Perhaps the fifty righteous are lacking five—will you destroy the whole city on account of the five?" And he answered, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there."

³⁷ And David said, "Yahweh, who rescued me from the hand of the lion and from the hand of the bear, will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine!" Then Saul said to David, "Go and may Yahweh be with you!"

¹⁵ Esther replied to Mordecai: ¹⁶ "Go, gather all the Jews that are found in Susa and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, both night and day. I and my young girls will fast likewise, and then I will go to the king, which is not according to the law; if I perish, I perish. ¹⁷ And Mordecai went away and he did everything that Esther commanded him.

¹⁵ And call me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will glorify me."

¹⁵ He will call upon me and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue and honor him.

⁵ _⌊Trust Yahweh_⌋* with all your heart; do not lean toward your own understanding. ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will straighten your paths.

⁴ Maybe Yahweh your God heard the words of Rabshakeh whom the king of Assyria, his master, has sent to taunt the living God, and he will rebuke the words that Yahweh your God hears. And you must lift up a prayer for the benefit of the remnant that is found.'"

³ 'Call to me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great things and inaccessible things that you have not known.'

¹⁷ _⌊If it is so_⌋,* our God, whom we serve, is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire. And from your hand, O king, let him rescue us. ¹⁸ You will return and see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not serve him.

¹² What do you think? If _⌊a certain man has_⌋* a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go and* look for the one that wandered away?

¹⁹ Again, truly I say to you that if two of you agree on earth about any matter that they ask, it will be done for them from my Father who is in heaven.

²⁴ And when they* heard it,* they lifted their voices with one mind to God and said, "Master, you are the one who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all the things in them, ²⁵ the one who said by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of our father David, your servant,
'Why do the nations* rage, and the peoples conspire in vain? ²⁶ The kings of the earth stood opposed, and the rulers assembled together at the same place, against the Lord and against his Christ.'* ²⁷ For in truth both Herod and Pontius Pilate, together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, assembled together in this city against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed, ²⁸ to do all that your hand and plan* had predestined to take place. ²⁹ And now, Lord, concern yourself with their threats and grant your slaves to speak your message with all boldness, ³⁰ as you extend your hand to heal and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus." ³¹ And when* they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak* the word* of God with boldness.

⁴ After he* had arrested _⌊him_⌋,* he also put him* in prison, handing him* over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him _⌊out for public trial_⌋* after the Passover.

³⁰ Now I exhort you, brothers, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to contend along with me in your prayers on my behalf to God,

¹⁷ But the Lord helped me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fulfilled and all the Gentiles might hear, and he rescued me from the lion's mouth. ¹⁸ The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will save me for his heavenly kingdom, to whom be the glory _⌊forever and ever_⌋*. Amen.

⁹ then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to reserve the unrighteous to be punished at* the day of judgment,

⁶ and he said,
"Please hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I, Yahweh, will make myself known to him in a vision. I will speak to him in a dream.*

⁸ The king of Aram was fighting with Israel, so he consulted with his officers, saying, "My camp is _⌊at such and such a place_⌋."* ⁹ Then the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, "Take care while crossing over to this place, because the Arameans are descending there." ¹⁰ So the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God said to him and warned him, so he was on guard there _⌊continually_⌋.* ¹¹ Then the heart of the king of Aram was stormy because of this matter, so he called his servants and said to them, "Can you not tell me _⌊who among us sides with the king of Israel_⌋?"* ¹² Then one of his servants said, "No, my lord the king, but Elisha the prophet who is in Israel tells the king of Israel things which you speak _⌊in your own bedchamber_⌋."*

¹³ Amid troubling thoughts from night visions, at the falling of deep sleep on men,

¹⁵ "In a dream, a vision of the night, when a deep sleep falls on men slumbering on their bed, ¹⁶ then he opens the ear of men, and _⌊he frightens them with a warning_⌋*

¹⁴ Intimate fellowship with Yahweh is for those who fear him, and he makes known his covenant to them.

¹⁷ _⌊And as for these four young men_⌋,* God* gave to them knowledge and insight into all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had insight into all visions* and dreams.

²² He reveals the deep and the hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.

²⁷ Daniel answered the king and said, "The mystery that the king asks, no wise men, conjurers,* magicians,* or diviners are able to make known to the king. ²⁸ But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what it is that will be at the end of days. This is your dream and the visions of your head on your bed. ²⁹ "As for you, king,* your thoughts on your bed _⌊turned to_⌋* what it was that would be _⌊in the future_⌋,* and the revealer of mysteries has made known to you what that would be.

⁹ " 'O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians,* I myself know that the spirit* of the holy gods is in you, and _⌊no mystery is too difficult_⌋* for you. Now tell me the visions of my dream that I saw, and its explanation.*

⁷ After this in the visions of the night I was looking and there was a fourth beast, terrifying and frightful and exceedingly strong, and _⌊it had_⌋* _⌊great iron teeth_⌋,* and it was devouring and crushing, and it stamped the remainder* with its feet; and it was different from all the other beasts _⌊that preceded it_⌋* _⌊and it had ten horns_⌋.*

⁷ Surely my Lord does not do anything unless he has revealed his secret to his servants the prophets.

¹² And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country by another route. ¹³ Now after they had gone away, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph, saying, "Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to seek the child to destroy him."

⁹ But just as it is written,
"Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and have not entered into the heart of man, all that* God has prepared for those who love him."* ¹⁰ For* to us God has revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

²⁰ And blessed be God Most High who delivered your enemies into your hand."
And he* gave to him a tenth of everything.

⁵⁶ "Blessed be Yahweh who gave a resting place to his people Israel. According to all that he promised, not one word has fallen from all of his promises concerning the good which he spoke through the hand of Moses his servant.

¹⁰ Then David blessed Yahweh in the sight of all the assembly, and David said, "Blessed are you, O Yahweh, God of Israel, our father forever and ever! ¹¹ To you, O Yahweh, is the greatness and the power and the splendor and the glory and the strength, for everything in the heavens and in the earth. Yours, O Yahweh, is the kingdom and exaltation over all as head! ¹² And wealth and glory are from you, and you rule over all. And in your hand is power and might. And in your hand is power to make great and to give strength to all.

²⁰ And David said to all the assembly, "Bless Yahweh your God!" And all the assembly blessed Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.* And they bowed down and prostrated themselves before Yahweh and the king.

²¹ And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed singers to Yahweh who were giving praise to the splendor of his holiness when they went out before the army. And they said, "Give thanks to Yahweh, for his loyal love is everlasting!"

¹³ "With him are wisdom and powerful deeds, and to him belong counsel and understanding.

¹⁶ "Strength and sound wisdom are with him; the deceived and the deceiver are his.* ¹⁷ He leads counselors away stripped, and he makes fools of judges. ¹⁸ He loosens the fetters of kings, and he binds a loincloth on their loins. ¹⁹ He leads priests away stripped, and he overthrows _⌊the members of ancient families_⌋.* ²⁰ He deprives the trustworthy of speech, and he takes away the discretion of elders. ²¹ He pours contempt on noblemen, and he loosens the girdle of the mighty. ²² "He uncovers mysteries out of darkness, and he brings deep shadow to the light.

¹³ Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.

²³ He who sacrifices a thank offering honors me, and he who orders his way; I will show him the salvation of God."

¹¹ Once God has spoken; twice I have heard this: that strength belongs to God.

¹⁸ Blessed be Yahweh God, the God of Israel, who alone does wonderful things. ¹⁹ And blessed be his glorious name forever, and may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.

¹ Of David.*
Bless Yahweh, O my soul, and all within me, bless his holy name. ² Bless Yahweh, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits:

² Let the name of Yahweh be blessed, from now until forever.

¹⁸ It is we, we will bless Yah* from now until forever. Praise Yah!*

¹ A praise of David.*
I will exalt you, my God, O king, and I will bless* your name forever and ever. ² Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever.

⁵ Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is unlimited.

¹⁴ _⌊Advice and sound judgment_⌋* are mine; I am understanding, _⌊strength is mine_⌋.*

¹⁹ great in counsel and great in deed, whose eyes are opened to all the ways of the children of humankind, to give to each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds,

²¹ And he changes the times and the seasons, and he deposes kings and he sets up kings; he gives wisdom* to wise men and knowledge to men who know understanding. ²² He reveals the deep and the hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. ²³ To you, O God of my ancestors,* I give thanks and I give praises, for the wisdom and the power you gave to me, and now you have made known to me what we have asked from you, for you have made known to us the matter of the king."

¹³ And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.*

²⁴ Now to the one who is able to protect you from stumbling and make you to stand before his glory blameless* with exultation,

¹² saying with a loud voice,
"Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!"

³ And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom and with skill* and with knowledge and with every kind of craftsmanship,

⁶ And, look, I have given with him Oholiab the son of Ahisamach, from the tribe of Dan, and I have put skill in the heart of all the skilled of heart, and they will make all that I have commanded you—

⁷ Yahweh makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and also exalts. ⁸ He raises up the poor from the dust. From the ash heap he lifts up the needy, to cause them to sit with noble people and to cause them to inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth belong to Yahweh and he has set the inhabited world on them.

⁸ Your servant is in the middle of your people whom you have chosen; a great people who cannot be counted or numbered because of abundance. ⁹ Give to your servant a listening heart to judge your people, to discern between good and bad, because who is able to judge this, your difficult people?" ¹⁰ The word was good in the eyes of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. ¹¹ And God said to him, "Because you have asked this thing and you did not ask for yourself _⌊a long life_⌋* and you did not ask riches for yourself and you did not ask for the life of your enemies, but you have asked for yourself _⌊the ability to make wise judgments_⌋;* ¹² behold, I do hereby do according to your word. I hereby give you a wise and discerning heart; there was no one like you before you, nor afterwards will one like you arise.

²⁸ When all of Israel heard the judgment that the king had rendered, they _⌊stood in awe_⌋* of the king, because they realized that the wisdom of God was in him to execute justice.

²⁹ God gave wisdom to Solomon and very great discernment, as well as _⌊breadth of understanding_⌋,* as the sand which is on the edge of the seashore.

²⁴ All of the earth was seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart.

¹² Only may Yahweh give to you understanding and insight that he might give you charge over Israel and the keeping of the law of Yahweh your God.

³⁰ with all the accounts of his kingdom, his power, and the times that came upon him, and upon Israel, and upon all the kingdoms of the earth.

¹⁰ Now, give to me wisdom and knowledge that I may go out and come in before this people, for who can judge this, your great people?" ¹¹ Then God said to Solomon, "Because this was with your heart and you did not ask for wealth, possessions, honor, and the lives of your enemies, and also did not ask for _⌊long life_⌋,* but have asked for wisdom and knowledge that you might judge my people over whom I have made you king, ¹² wisdom and knowledge is given to you. And I will also give to you wealth, possessions, and honor, the like of which was not had by the kings who were before you, nor will there be the like after you." ¹³ And the king said to the wise men, _⌊the ones who know the times_⌋*—for it was the procedure of the king before all those who knew law and rights;*

¹⁸ He loosens the fetters of kings, and he binds a loincloth on their loins.

²⁴ He shatters the mighty without investigation, and he sets others in their place. ²⁵ Therefore he knows their works, and he overturns them in the night _⌊so that_⌋* they are crushed. ²⁶ He strikes them _⌊where the wicked stood_⌋,* _⌊where there are onlookers_⌋,* ²⁷ because they have turned aside from him and have not understood any of his ways, ²⁸ so that they cause the cry of distress from the helpless to come to him, and he hears the cry of distress from the needy, ²⁹ but he remains quiet, and who can condemn? And he hides his face, and who can behold him? Yet* he is over a nation and over a person alike,

¹⁴ But as for me, I trust you, O Yahweh. I say, "You are my God." ¹⁵ My times* are in your hand. Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who pursue me.

⁵ Do not lift up high your* horn. Do not speak with _⌊arrogant pride_⌋.'"* ⁶ For it is not from the east or the west and not from the south* that lifting up comes, ⁷ rather God is the judge; one he brings low, and another he lifts up.

⁷ He raises the helpless from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap, ⁸ to seat them with princes, with the princes of his people.

⁶ For Yahweh will give wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. ⁷ For the upright, he stores* sound judgment, a shield for those who walk uprightly,

¹⁵ By me kings reign, and rulers decree righteousness. ¹⁶ By me rulers rule, and nobles—all judges of righteousness.

¹ For everything there is an appointed time, a time for every matter under heaven: ² a time to bear* and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to root up what is planted; ³ a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to break down and a time to build up; ⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; ⁵ a time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing; ⁶ a time to seek and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to throw away; ⁷ a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to be silent and a time to speak; ⁸ a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace.

⁵ "I have made the earth with humankind and animals* that are on the face of the earth by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and I give it to whomever is right in my eyes. ⁶ And now I myself have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and also the animals* of the field I have given to him to serve him. ⁷ And all the nations will serve him, and his son, and _⌊his grandson_⌋,* until the coming of the time of _⌊his own_⌋* land. Then many nations and great kings will let him work.

¹⁷ The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the decision by the command of the holy ones, _⌊in order that_⌋* the living will know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of humankind, and _⌊to whomever_⌋* he wills he gives it, and he even sets the humblest of men over it."

³² and you will be driven away from _⌊human society_⌋* and your dwelling will be with the animals* of the field and they will cause you to graze the grass like oxen, and seven times will pass over you, until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of humankind and that he gives it to whom he wills.'

⁶ And at the end of some years they will make an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the south will come to the king of the north to make a peace treaty, but _⌊she will not retain her position of power_⌋,* and his offspring* will not endure, and she will be given up, she and her attendants and her child supporting her, in those times.*

⁵¹ He has done a mighty deed with his arm; he has dispersed the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. ⁵² He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted the lowly.

¹⁵ for I will give you a mouth and wisdom that all your opponents will not be able to resist or contradict.

²¹ And then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. ²² And after* removing him, he raised up David for their king, about whom he also said, testifying, 'I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man in accordance with my heart, who will carry out all my will.'*

³⁰ But from him you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom to us from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption,

⁵ Now if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask for it from God, who gives to all without reservation and not reproaching, and it will be given to him.

¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of change.

¹⁵ This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice. ¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, obedient, full of mercy and good fruits, nonjudgmental, without hypocrisy,

¹⁶ And he has a name written on his outer garment and on his thigh: "King of kings and Lord of lords."

⁵ And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers. And _⌊they hated him even more_⌋.* ⁶ And he said to them, "Listen now to this dream that I dreamed. ⁷ Now behold, we were binding sheaves in the midst of the field and, behold, my sheaf stood up and it remained standing. Then behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf." ⁸ Then his brothers said to him, "Will you really rule over us?" And _⌊they hated him even more_⌋* on account of his dream and because of his words. ⁹ Then he dreamed yet another dream and told it to his brothers. And he said, "Behold, I dreamed a dream again, and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me."

¹⁶ Then Joseph answered Pharaoh saying, "_⌊It is not in my power_⌋;* God will answer concerning the well-being of Pharaoh."

²⁵ Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "The dreams of Pharaoh are one. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. ²⁶ The seven good cows, they are seven years, and the seven good ears of grain, they are seven years. The dreams are one. ²⁷ And the seven thin and ugly cows coming up after them, they are seven years, and the seven empty ears of grain, scorched by the east wind, they are also seven years of famine. ²⁸ This is the word that I have spoken to Pharaoh; God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.

²² "He uncovers mysteries out of darkness, and he brings deep shadow to the light.

⁶ Sheol is naked before him, and there is no covering for Abaddon.

⁹ For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.

² you who cover yourself with light as with a garment, who stretch out the heavens like a tent curtain,

¹¹ And if I should say, "Surely darkness will cover me, and the light around me will be as night," ¹² even the darkness is not too dark for you,* and the night shines as the day— the darkness and the light are alike for you.

²² Let them bring them, and let them tell us what will happen. Tell us what the former things are _⌊so that_⌋* we may take them to our heart and know their outcome.* Declare to us the things to come;

²⁶ Who declared it from the _⌊beginning_⌋* _⌊so that_⌋* we might know, and _⌊beforehand_⌋* _⌊so that_⌋* we might say, "He is _⌊right_⌋!"* Indeed, there was no one who declared it; Indeed, there was no one who proclaimed it. Indeed there was no one who heard your words.

⁹ Look! the former things have come, and I declare new things. I _⌊announce_⌋* them to you before they sprout up."

⁷ I form light and I create darkness; I make peace and I create evil; I am Yahweh; I do all these things.

²⁴ Or can a person hide himself in secret places and I cannot see him?" _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh. "Do I not fill up the heaven and the earth?" _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh.

¹¹ And the thing that the king is asking is too difficult and _⌊there is no one who_⌋* can reveal it to the king except the gods _⌊whose dwelling is not with mortals_⌋."*

¹⁴ And I have heard that a spirit of the gods is in you and enlightenment and insight and excellent wisdom was found in you.

¹³ For this reason I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand,

² But nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, and secret that will not be made known. ³ Therefore everything that you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what _⌊you have whispered_⌋* in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

⁹ The true light, who gives light to every person, was coming into the world.

¹² Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world! The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

⁴⁵ and the one who sees me sees the one who sent me. ⁴⁶ I have come as a light into the world, in order that everyone who believes in me will not remain in the darkness.

¹⁷ He said to him a third time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was distressed because he said to him a third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything! You know that I love you!" Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep!

⁹ But just as it is written,
"Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and have not entered into the heart of man, all that* God has prepared for those who love him."* ¹⁰ For* to us God has revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. ¹¹ For who among men knows the things of a man, except the spirit of the man that is in him? Thus also no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.

⁵ Therefore do not judge anything before the time, until the Lord should come, who will both enlighten the hidden things of darkness and will reveal the counsels of hearts, and then praise will come to each one from God.

⁵ (which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit):

¹⁶ the one who alone possesses immortality, who lives in unapproachable light, whom no human being has seen nor is able to see, to whom be honor and eternal power. Amen.

¹³ And no creature is hidden in the sight of him, but all things are naked and laid bare to the eyes of him to whom _⌊we must give our account_⌋*.

⁵ And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light and there is no darkness in him at all.

¹⁷ Then Yahweh said, "Shall I conceal from Abraham what I am going to do?

⁹ Then Jacob said, "O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, O Yahweh, who said to me, 'Return to your land and to your family, and I will deal well with you.' ¹⁰ _⌊I am not worthy_⌋* of all the loyal love and all the faithfulness that you have shown* your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. ¹¹ Please rescue me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, lest he come and attack mother and children alike.

¹⁵ And God said again to Moses, "So you must say to the _⌊Israelites_⌋,* 'Yahweh, the God of your ancestors,* the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is my name forever, and this is my remembrance from generation to generation.'

⁵⁷ May Yahweh our God be with us as he was with our ancestors,* and may he not leave us or abandon us,

³⁶ It happened at the offering of the evening oblation, Elijah the prophet went near, and he said, "O Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and that I have done all of these things by your words.

¹⁰ Then David blessed Yahweh in the sight of all the assembly, and David said, "Blessed are you, O Yahweh, God of Israel, our father forever and ever!

¹³ And now, our God, we give thanks to you and offer praise to the name of your splendor.

⁶ And he said, "O Yahweh, God of our ancestors,* are you not God in heaven? Now you rule in all the kingdoms of the nations, and in your hand are power and might, and there is none who can resist against you.

¹⁴ Offer to God a thank offering and pay your vows to the Most High.

¹ Of David.*
Bless Yahweh, O my soul, and all within me, bless his holy name. ² Bless Yahweh, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits: ³ who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, ⁴ who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with loyal love and mercies,

²² To a city of warriors, the wise ascends, and he will bring down the stronghold—its object of trust.

⁵ The warrior of wisdom is in strength, and a man of knowledge is strong in power.

¹⁹ Wisdom gives more strength to the wise than ten rulers who are in the city.

¹⁶ So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, yet the wisdom of the poor is despised, and his words are not heard.

¹⁸ Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

¹ And you will say on that day, "I will give you thanks, Yahweh, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, and you comforted me.

¹⁸ and told them to seek mercy _⌊from the God of heaven_⌋* concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions, along with the remainder of the wise men of Babylon, would not be killed.

²⁰ Daniel _⌊said_⌋:*
"Let his name, the name of God,* be blessed _⌊throughout the ages_⌋,* for the wisdom and the power _⌊are his_⌋.* ²¹ And he changes the times and the seasons, and he deposes kings and he sets up kings; he gives wisdom* to wise men and knowledge to men who know understanding.

²⁹ "As for you, king,* your thoughts on your bed _⌊turned to_⌋* what it was that would be _⌊in the future_⌋,* and the revealer of mysteries has made known to you what that would be. ³⁰ And as for me, it is not because of wisdom that is in me more than _⌊any other living person_⌋* that this mystery is revealed to me, but _⌊in order that_⌋* the explanation* may be made known to the king and you will _⌊understand_⌋* the thoughts of your _⌊mind_⌋.*

²⁵ At that time Jesus answered and* said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to young children.*

²¹ At that same time he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to young children. Yes, Father, for this was pleasing before you.

⁴¹ So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his* eyes above and said, "Father, I give thanks to you that you hear me.

¹⁵ No longer do I call you slaves, because the slave does not know what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything that I have heard from my Father I have revealed to you.

¹ The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his slaves the things which must take place in a short time, and communicated it by* sending it through his angel to his slave John,

⁵ And one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.

¹² Because of this the king became angry, and he became very much enraged, and he said that all the wise men of Babylon are to be destroyed. ¹³ And the decree was issued, and the wise men _⌊were on the verge of being executed_⌋,* and they searched for Daniel and his companions to be executed. ¹⁴ Then Daniel responded prudently and discretely to Arioch, the commander of the imperial guard of the king, who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon.

²⁴ saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul! It is necessary for you to stand before Caesar, and behold, God has graciously granted you all who are sailing with you.'

⁶ These are the people of the province who came up from captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, each one to his city.

¹¹ Rescue those who are led away to the death and those who stagger to the slaughter. If you hold back,

¹⁰ Whatever your hand finds to do—do it with all your might; for in Sheol—where you are going—no one works, plans, knows, or thinks about anything.

⁶ Now there was among them _⌊from the Judeans_⌋,* Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.

¹³ Then Daniel was brought in before the king, and the king _⌊spoke_⌋* and said to Daniel, "You are Daniel _⌊who are one of the exiles_⌋* of Judah* whom my _⌊predecessor_⌋,* the king, brought from Judah.*

¹³ Then _⌊they responded_⌋* and said before the king, "Daniel, who is from _⌊the exiles_⌋* of Judah,* _⌊is not paying any attention_⌋* to you, O king, or to the decree that you have signed, _⌊and three times daily_⌋* he says his prayer."

²⁷ But the foolish things of the world God chose in order that he might put to shame the wise, and the weak things of the world God chose in order that he might put to shame the strong, ²⁸ and the insignificant of the world, and the despised, God chose, the things that are not, in order that he might abolish the things that are,

³³ But Saul said to David, "You will not be able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, because you are only a boy, whereas he has been a man of war since his childhood!"

⁷ And the commander of the court officials gave them names, and he called Daniel, Belteshazzar; and Hananiah, Shadrach; and Mishael, Meshach; and Azariah, Abednego.

³ And the king said to them, "_⌊I have had a dream_⌋* and my spirit is anxious to know the dream." ⁴ And the _⌊astrologers_⌋* said to the king in Aramaic,* "O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants and we will reveal the explanation." ⁵ The king answered and said to the _⌊astrologers_⌋,* "The command from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its explanation,* then you will be broken into pieces and your houses will be laid in ruins. ⁶ But if you tell me the dream and its explanation, you will receive gifts and rewards* and great honor from me. Therefore, tell me the dream and its explanation."* ⁷ They answered once more and said, "Let the king tell the dream to his servants and we will make the explanation known."

⁸ Then _⌊at last_⌋* Daniel came before me _⌊whose name was_⌋* Belteshazzar, _⌊according to_⌋* the name of my god, and _⌊in whom was the spirit of the holy gods_⌋,* _⌊and I related the dream to him_⌋.*

¹⁸ " 'This is the dream that I, Nebuchadnezzar the king, saw. Now* you, Belteshazzar, declare its explanation, _⌊for_⌋* all of the wise men of my kingdom were not able to make the explanation known to me, but you are able because the spirit of holy gods is in you.' ¹⁹ "Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was distressed _⌊for some time_⌋,* and his thoughts disturbed him. The king answered and he said, 'Belteshazzar, let the dream and its explanation not disturb you.' Belteshazzar answered and said, 'My lord, may the dream and its explanation be for those who hate you and for your enemies.

¹² _⌊because_⌋* there was found in him an excellent spirit and understanding and insight for interpreting dreams and explaining riddles and solving riddles; that is, in Daniel _⌊whom the king named_⌋* Belteshazzar. Now, let Daniel be called and he will tell the explanation."*

¹⁶ But I have heard concerning you that you are able _⌊to produce interpretations_⌋* and to solve riddles; now if you are able to read the writing and to make known its explanation* to me, you will be clothed in purple and a necklace of gold will be placed around your neck and you will rule as third in command in the kingdom."

¹² He is frustrating the devices of the crafty, and their hands do not achieve success. ¹³ He is capturing the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are rushed.

¹² Stand, now, in your enchantments, and in your many sorceries with which you have labored from your youth. Perhaps you may be able to benefit; perhaps you may _⌊scare away_⌋.* ¹³ You struggle with your many consultations;* let them stand, now, and save you— those who see the stars, divide the _⌊celestial sphere_⌋,* who inform by new moons— from those things that are coming upon you. ¹⁴ Look! They are like stubble; the fire burns them completely. They cannot deliver _⌊themselves_⌋* from the _⌊power_⌋* of the flame; there is no coal _⌊for warming oneself_⌋,* no fire before which to sit.

² So the king said to call the magicians* and the conjurers* and the sorcerers and the _⌊astrologers_⌋* to tell to the king his dreams. And they came in and they stood _⌊before_⌋* the king.

⁷ The king cried _⌊aloud_⌋* to bring in the conjurers,* the _⌊astrologers_⌋* and the diviners; the king _⌊spoke_⌋* and said to the wise men of Babylon, "Any man that can read this writing and can tell me its explanation will be clothed in purple and will have a necklace of gold hung around his neck and he will rule as third in authority in the kingdom." ⁸ Then all the wise men of the king came in, but they were not able to read the writing or to make known its explanation.*

¹ Then Jacob called his sons and said, "Gather together so that I can tell you what will happen with you in _⌊days to come_⌋.*

¹⁴ And now, look, I am about to go to my people; I will advise you what this people will do to your people _⌊in the following days_⌋."*

³⁰ _⌊In your distress_⌋* when* all these things have found you in the _⌊latter days_⌋,* then* you will return to Yahweh your God, and you will listen to his voice.

¹⁹ "And so then write this song for yourselves and teach it to the _⌊Israelites_⌋;* put it in their mouth, so that this song may be for me as a witness against the _⌊Israelites_⌋.*

³ But our God is in the heavens; all that he desires, he does.

² And it shall happen in the future of the days the mountain of the house* of Yahweh shall be established; it will be among the highest* of the mountains, and it shall be raised from the hills. All of the nations shall travel to him;

²² Let them bring them, and let them tell us what will happen. Tell us what the former things are _⌊so that_⌋* we may take them to our heart and know their outcome.* Declare to us the things to come; ²³ tell us the things coming _⌊hereafter_⌋,* that* we may know that you are gods. Indeed, do good or* do evil, that* we may be afraid and see* together.

²⁴ _⌊The burning anger of Yahweh_⌋* will not turn back until his doing, and until his accomplishing the plans of his _⌊mind_⌋.* In the last of the days you will understand it.

⁴⁷ Yet I will restore the fortunes* of Moab in the last of the days," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh.
_⌊Thus far_⌋* is the judgment of Moab.

⁸ After many days you will be mustered; _⌊in the last years_⌋* you will come to a restored land from the sword, gathered from many peoples on the mountains of Israel which were as _⌊permanent ruins_⌋* but from peoples it was brought out, and they will dwell _⌊in safety_⌋,* all of them.

¹⁶ and you will advance against my people Israel like a cloud _⌊covering_⌋* the land; it will be* in the last days, and I will bring you against my land, so that the nations know me, _⌊when I show myself holy through you_⌋ before their eyes, O Gog!" '

⁴⁷ The king answered Daniel and said, "_⌊Truly_⌋* your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings, and he reveals mysteries, for you are able to reveal this mystery."

¹⁴ And I have come* to instruct you about what* will happen to your people _⌊in the future_⌋,* for there is a further vision here _⌊for the future_⌋.*

⁵ Afterward the children of Israel will return and seek Yahweh their God and David their king. They will come in fear to Yahweh and to his goodness at the end of days.

¹³ Yes, here is the one who forms the mountains, and the one who creates the wind, and the one who reveals to humans what his thoughts are, and the one who treads on the heights of the earth; Yahweh, the God of hosts, is his name!"

¹ And it will be that at the end of those days, the mountain of Yahweh will be established as the highest of the mountains, and it will be lifted up above the hills, and people will stream to it. ² And many nations will come and say, "Come! Let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, and to the _⌊temple_⌋* of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways, and that we may walk in his paths," for the law will go out from Zion, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.

⁹ Therefore you pray in this way:
"Our Father who is in heaven, may your name be treated as holy.

¹ But know this, that in the last days difficult times will come,

¹ Although* God spoke long ago in many parts* and in many ways to the fathers by the prophets,

³ above all knowing this, that in the last days scoffers will come with scoffing, following according to their own desires

¹⁰ " 'Thus says the Lord Yahweh: "_⌊And then_⌋* on that day, things* will come up on* your mind, and you will devise evil plans.

²⁸ But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what it is that will be at the end of days. This is your dream and the visions of your head on your bed.

³ For I am Yahweh, your God, the holy one of Israel, your savior. I give you Egypt as ransom, Cush and Seba in place of you. ⁴ Because you are precious in my eyes, you are honored, and I myself love you, and I give people in place of you, and nations in place of your life.

⁴ for the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen one. And I call you by your name; I give you a name of honor, though* you do not know me.

¹⁷ Then Daniel went to his home, and he made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, his companions, ¹⁸ and told them to seek mercy _⌊from the God of heaven_⌋* concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions, along with the remainder of the wise men of Babylon, would not be killed.

⁴⁹ And Daniel made a request from the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the court of the king.

²² And unless those days had been shortened, _⌊no human being would be saved_⌋.* But for the sake of the elect, those days will be shortened.

²⁰ And if the Lord had not shortened the days, _⌊no human being would be saved_⌋.* But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he has shortened the days.

¹² And when he* saw it,* Peter replied to the people, "Men and Israelites, why are you astonished at this? Or why are you staring at us, as if by our own power or godliness we have made him walk?

²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose,

²¹ So then, let no one boast in people. For all things are yours, ²² whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come, all things are yours, ²³ and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

⁸ and last of all, as it were to one born at the wrong time, he appeared also to me. ⁹ For I am the least of the apostles, not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been in vain, but I labored even more than all of them, and not I, but the grace of God with me. ¹¹ Therefore whether I or those, in this way we preached, and in this way you believed. ¹² Now if Christ is preached as raised up from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

¹⁵ For all these things _⌊are for your sake_⌋*, in order that the grace that is increasing through the many may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

¹¹ And I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. And I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant, and I will bring the haughtiness of tyrants low.

³ Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; a city of ruthless nations, they will fear you. ⁴ For you have been a refuge to the poor, a refuge to the needy in his distress, a shelter from the rainstorm, a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless was like a rainstorm against a wall,* ⁵ the noise of foreigners like heat in a dry land. You subdued the heat with the shade of a cloud; the song of the ruthless was silenced.

⁷ therefore look! I am bringing strangers over you, the most ruthless of the peoples, and they will draw their swords against the beauty* of your wisdom, and they will defile your splendor.

³ And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, differing _⌊from one another_⌋.* ⁴ The first was like a lion and _⌊had_⌋* the wings of an eagle. I was watching until its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the earth and it was raised on its feet like a human, and a human heart was given to it. ⁵ And look, another beast, a second one, looking like a bear. And it was raised up on one side and three tusks* were in its mouth between its teeth, and so _⌊it was told_⌋,* "Arise, eat much flesh!" ⁶ After this I was watching and look, another beast like a leopard; _⌊it had four wings_⌋* of a bird on its back, and _⌊the beast had_⌋* four heads, and dominion was given to it. ⁷ After this in the visions of the night I was looking and there was a fourth beast, terrifying and frightful and exceedingly strong, and _⌊it had_⌋* _⌊great iron teeth_⌋,* and it was devouring and crushing, and it stamped the remainder* with its feet; and it was different from all the other beasts _⌊that preceded it_⌋* _⌊and it had ten horns_⌋.* ⁸ I was considering the horns, and look, another little horn came up _⌊among_⌋* them, and three of the earlier horns _⌊were rooted out_⌋* from before it, and there were eyes like the eyes of a human* in this horn and also a mouth that was speaking boastfully. ⁹ "_⌊I continued watching_⌋* until thrones were placed and an Ancient of Days sat; his clothing was like white snow and the hair of his head was like pure wool and his throne was a flame* of fire and its wheels* were burning fire. ¹⁰ A stream of fire issued forth and flowed _⌊from his presence_⌋;* thousands upon thousands served him and ten thousand upon ten thousand stood before him. The judge sat, and the books were opened. ¹¹ "_⌊I continued watching_⌋* then* because of the noise of the boastful words of the horn who was speaking; _⌊I continued watching_⌋* until the beast was slain and its body was destroyed, and it was given over to burning with fire. ¹² And as for the remainder of the beasts, _⌊their dominion was taken away_⌋,* but a prolongation _⌊of their life_⌋* was given to them for a season and a time. ¹³ "_⌊I continued watching_⌋* in the visions of the night, and look, with the clouds of heaven one like a son of man* was coming, and he came to the Ancient of Days, and _⌊was presented_⌋* before him. ¹⁴ And to him was given dominion and glory and kingship that* all the peoples, the nations, and languages would serve him; his dominion is a dominion _⌊without end_⌋* that will not cease, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed. ¹⁵ "_⌊As for me, Daniel_⌋,* my spirit was troubled _⌊within me_⌋,* and the visions of my head terrified me. ¹⁶ So I approached one of the attendants and I asked him* about the truth concerning all this; and he told me* that he would make known to me the explanation of the matter. ¹⁷ 'These great beasts which are four in number are four kings who will arise from the earth.

⁷ They* are dreadful and awesome; their* justice and their* dignity proceed from themselves.*

⁸ Again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory,

⁵ And he led him up and* showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

⁴ that you will take this taunt against the king of Babylon, and you will say: "How the oppressor has ceased! his insolence* has ceased.

⁷ Babylon was a cup of gold in the hand of Yahweh, making drunk all the earth. The nations drank of her wine. _⌊Therefore_⌋* the nations acted like madmen.

³⁷ You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power and the might and the glory, ³⁸ and also _⌊human beings wherever they dwell_⌋,* the animals of the field and the birds* of heaven*—he has given into your hand and made you ruler over all of them—you are the head of gold. ³⁹ And after you another kingdom inferior to yours will arise, and another third kingdom of bronze that will rule over the whole earth.

²² —it is you, O king, who have grown great and you have grown strong, and so your greatness has increased and it has reached to heaven* and your sovereignty to the end of the earth.

³⁰ And the king answered and said, "Is this not the great Babylon which I have built as a royal palace by the strength of my own power, and for the glory of my own majesty?"

⁴ The first was like a lion and _⌊had_⌋* the wings of an eagle. I was watching until its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the earth and it was raised on its feet like a human, and a human heart was given to it. ⁵ And look, another beast, a second one, looking like a bear. And it was raised up on one side and three tusks* were in its mouth between its teeth, and so _⌊it was told_⌋,* "Arise, eat much flesh!" ⁶ After this I was watching and look, another beast like a leopard; _⌊it had four wings_⌋* of a bird on its back, and _⌊the beast had_⌋* four heads, and dominion was given to it.

³ And I lifted up my eyes and I saw, and look! A ram* standing _⌊before_⌋* the stream, and _⌊it had_⌋* two horns, and the horns were long, but the one was longer than the second, and the longer one came up _⌊after the other one_⌋.* ⁴ I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward, and _⌊none of the beasts stood before it_⌋,* and there was no rescuing from _⌊its power_⌋,* and it did _⌊what it wanted_⌋* and it became strong.* ⁵ And I was considering this, and look, a he-goat coming from the west across the face of the whole earth, and it was not touching the ground;* and the he-goat had _⌊a conspicuous horn_⌋* between its eyes. ⁶ Then it came toward the ram _⌊that had the two horns_⌋* that I saw standing _⌊before_⌋* the stream, and it ran at it with* the rage of its power. ⁷ And I saw it approaching the ram and it was furious at it, and it struck the ram, and it broke its two horns, and _⌊there was not strength in the ram to stand before him_⌋,* and he threw it down to the ground and trampled it, _⌊and there was no one who could rescue the ram_⌋* from its power. ⁸ And the he-goat grew _⌊exceedingly great_⌋,* and _⌊at the height of its power_⌋* the great horn was broken, and four conspicuous horns* came up in place of it toward the four winds of heaven.

² And now I will reveal the truth to you. Look! Still three kings will arise in Persia, and the fourth will get abundance and great wealth, even more than all of them, and _⌊when he becomes strong_⌋* through his wealth, then he will stir up _⌊everyone_⌋* against the kingdom of Javan.* ³ And a mighty king will arise, and he will rule with great dominion, and he will do _⌊as he pleases_⌋.* ⁴ But _⌊as he rises in power_⌋,* his kingdom will be divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, and not according to his dominion by which he ruled, for his kingdom will be uprooted and be given _⌊to others besides them_⌋.* ⁵ "Then the king of the south will grow strong and also _⌊one of his officials_⌋,* and he will grow stronger _⌊than him_⌋* and he will rule _⌊a dominion greater than his dominion_⌋.* ⁶ And at the end of some years they will make an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the south will come to the king of the north to make a peace treaty, but _⌊she will not retain her position of power_⌋,* and his offspring* will not endure, and she will be given up, she and her attendants and her child supporting her, in those times.* ⁷ And a branch from her roots* will rise up in his place, and he will come against the army and he will enter the stronghold of the king of the north and he will take action against them and he will prevail. ⁸ And also their gods with their idols and with the _⌊precious vessels_⌋,* silver and gold he will take to Egypt into captivity, and for years _⌊he will leave the king of the north alone_⌋.* ⁹ And then he* will come into the kingdom of the king of the south, but he will return to his land. ¹⁰ "But his sons will wage war and they will gather a multitude of great forces and _⌊he will advance with great force_⌋,* and he will overflow like a flood and he will pass through and he will return, and they will wage war up to his fortress. ¹¹ And the king of the south will become furious, and he will go and he will battle against him, against the king of the north; and he will muster a great multitude, and the multitude will be given into his hand. ¹² When the multitude is carried off, his heart will be exalted and he will overthrow _⌊tens of thousands_⌋,* but he will not prevail. ¹³ And the king of the north will again raise a multitude, greater than the former, and _⌊at the end of some years_⌋* he will surely come with a great army and with great supplies.* ¹⁴ "And in these times many will rise up against the king of the south, and _⌊the violent ones of your people_⌋* will lift themselves _⌊to fulfill_⌋* the vision, but they will fall. ¹⁵ And the king of the north will come, and he will throw up siege ramps* and capture a city of fortifications and the military forces of the south and _⌊his choice troops_⌋* will not stand, for* there is no strength left to resist. ¹⁶ And the one coming to him will act _⌊according to_⌋* his pleasure, and there is no one who _⌊will stand_⌋* _⌊before him_⌋,* and he will stand in _⌊the beautiful land_⌋* and complete destruction will be in his power. ¹⁷ And he will set his face to come with the authority of his whole kingdom and will form an agreement;* and he will _⌊act_⌋,* and the daughter of women he will give to him to destroy it,* but the ploy will not succeed _⌊and she will not support him_⌋.* ¹⁸ And he will turn his face to the coastlands, and he will capture many, but* a commander will end his insults to him _⌊so that instead his insults will turn back upon him_⌋.* ¹⁹ And he will turn back his face toward* the strongholds of his land, but he will stumble and he will fall and will not be found. ²⁰ "Then in his place will arise one sending an official throughout the glory* of his kingdom, and _⌊in a few days_⌋* he will be broken, but not in anger and not in battle.

⁴ And the woman was dressed in purple and scarlet and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, holding a golden cup in her hand full of detestable things and the unclean things of her sexual immorality.

⁴⁰ And a fourth kingdom will be strong as iron, and _⌊just as_⌋* iron crushes and smashes _⌊everything_⌋,* and as iron shatters all of these other metals, so it will crush and it will shatter these nations. ⁴¹ _⌊And just as_⌋* you saw the feet and the toes, _⌊partly potter's clay_⌋* and _⌊partly iron_⌋,* it will be a divided kingdom; and _⌊some hardness_⌋* of the iron will be in it, _⌊just as_⌋* you have seen the iron mixed with the wet clay. ⁴² And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so part of the kingdom will be strong _⌊and partly brittle_⌋.* ⁴³ And in that you saw the iron was mixed with wet clay, so _⌊they will mix in marriage_⌋* and they will not cling _⌊to one another_⌋,* just as iron does not mix with clay.

⁷ After this in the visions of the night I was looking and there was a fourth beast, terrifying and frightful and exceedingly strong, and _⌊it had_⌋* _⌊great iron teeth_⌋,* and it was devouring and crushing, and it stamped the remainder* with its feet; and it was different from all the other beasts _⌊that preceded it_⌋* _⌊and it had ten horns_⌋.* ⁸ I was considering the horns, and look, another little horn came up _⌊among_⌋* them, and three of the earlier horns _⌊were rooted out_⌋* from before it, and there were eyes like the eyes of a human* in this horn and also a mouth that was speaking boastfully.

¹⁹ "Then I desired to make certain concerning the fourth beast that was different from _⌊all the others_⌋*—exceedingly terrifying, with its iron teeth and its claws of bronze; it devoured and crushed and stamped the remainder with its feet— ²⁰ and concerning the horns that were on its head, and concerning the other horn that came up and _⌊before which three horns fell_⌋,* and this horn _⌊had eyes_⌋* and a mouth speaking _⌊boastfully_⌋,* and its appearance was larger than its companions. ²¹ _⌊I continued watching_⌋,* and this horn made war with the holy ones* and it prevailed over them, ²² until the Ancient of Days came and gave judgment to the holy ones* of the Most High; and the time arrived and the holy ones* took possession of the kingdom. ²³ "And he said, 'The fourth beast is the fourth kingdom that will be on the earth that will be different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth and it will trample it and it will crush it. ²⁴ And as for the ten horns coming from it, from this kingdom* ten kings will arise, and another will arise after them. And he will be different from the earlier ones, and he will subdue three kings. ²⁵ And he will speak words against the Most High, and he will wear out the holy ones* of the Most High, and he will attempt to change times and law, and they will be given into his hand for a time and two times and half a time. ²⁶ Then the court will sit, and his dominion will be removed,* to be eradicated and to be destroyed _⌊totally_⌋.*

⁸ Ask from me and I will make the nations your heritage, and your possession the ends of the earth. ⁹ You will break them with an iron rod. Like a potter's vessel you will shatter them." ¹⁰ So then, O kings, be wise. Be warned, O rulers of the earth. ¹¹ Serve Yahweh with fear, and rejoice with trembling. ¹² Kiss the Son lest he be angry and you perish on the way, for his anger burns quickly. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

⁵ O Lord, at your right hand he will shatter kings in the day of his anger. ⁶ He will judge among the nations; he will fill them with corpses. He will shatter the _⌊rulers_⌋* of many countries.

²² The stone the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

⁶ Let the extolling of God be in their throat, and a double-edged sword in their hand, ⁷ to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples,* ⁸ to bind their kings with chains and their _⌊nobles_⌋* with fetters of iron, ⁹ to execute on them the judgment that is decreed.* This will be honor for all his faithful ones; Praise Yah.*

¹⁶ Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this:
"Look! I am laying a stone in Zion, a _⌊tested_⌋* stone, a precious cornerstone, a founded foundation:
'The one who trusts will not _⌊panic_⌋.'*

¹² For the nation and the kingdom that will not serve you shall perish, and the nations shall be utterly devastated.

⁴⁴ And _⌊in the day of those kings_⌋,* the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will _⌊never_⌋* be destroyed, and the kingdom will not be left for another nation,* and it will bring an end to all these kingdoms, but it will stand _⌊forever_⌋.* ⁴⁵ _⌊Inasmuch as_⌋* you saw that a stone from the mountain was chiseled out* but not by hands, and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, thereby the great God made known to the king what will be _⌊in the future_⌋,* and the dream is certain and its explanation trustworthy."

¹³ "_⌊I continued watching_⌋* in the visions of the night, and look, with the clouds of heaven one like a son of man* was coming, and he came to the Ancient of Days, and _⌊was presented_⌋* before him. ¹⁴ And to him was given dominion and glory and kingship that* all the peoples, the nations, and languages would serve him; his dominion is a dominion _⌊without end_⌋* that will not cease, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.

²⁷ And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the nation of the holy ones* of the Most High; his kingdom _⌊is an everlasting kingdom_⌋,* and all the dominions will serve and obey him.'

²⁵ And by his planning* he will make a success of deceit by* his hand, and in his _⌊mind_⌋* he will _⌊boast_⌋,* and in their ease he will destroy many, and even against the prince of princes he will rise up, and he will be broken, but not by human hands.

⁶ And he answered and said to me, "This is the word of Yahweh to Zerubbabel, saying, 'Not by strength and not by power, but only by my Spirit,' says Yahweh of hosts.

³ _⌊And then_⌋* on that day I will make Jerusalem a stone weight* for all the peoples. All those lifting it up will grievously hurt themselves, and all the nations of the earth will assemble against it.

¹⁸ And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it!

¹³ who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a husband, but of God.

¹¹ This one* is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, that has become _⌊the cornerstone_⌋.*

¹ For we know that if our earthly house, the tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made by hands, eternal in the heavens.

²⁴ For Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf,

⁷ Therefore the honor is for you who believe, but for those who refuse to believe,
"The stone that the builders rejected, this one has become _⌊the cornerstone_⌋*,"

¹⁵ And the seventh angel blew the trumpet, and there was a loud voice in heaven saying,
"The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign _⌊forever and ever_⌋*."

¹⁴ These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful."

¹¹ And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and the one seated on it was called "Faithful" and "True," and with justice* he judges and makes war. ¹² Now his eyes were a flame of fire, and on his head were many royal headbands having a name written that no one except he himself knows. ¹³ And he was dressed in an outer garment dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. ¹⁴ And the armies that are in heaven, dressed in clean, white fine linen, were following him on white horses. ¹⁵ And out of his mouth came a sharp sword, so that with it he could strike the nations. And he will shepherd them with an iron rod,* and he stomps the winepress of the wine of the furious wrath of God, the All-Powerful. ¹⁶ And he has a name written on his outer garment and on his thigh: "King of kings and Lord of lords." ¹⁷ And I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly _⌊directly overhead_⌋*,
"Come! Assemble for the great banquet of God, ¹⁸ in order that you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of military tribunes, and the flesh of the powerful, and the flesh of horses and those seated on them, and the flesh of all people, both free and slave, and small and great!" ¹⁹ And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war with the one who is seated on the horse and with his army. ²⁰ And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs before him, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who had worshiped his image. The two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur. ²¹ And the rest were killed by the sword of the one who is seated on the horse—the sword that comes out of his mouth—and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

¹⁷ In time they dry up, they disappear; when it is hot, they vanish from their place.

⁴ Not so the wicked. Instead, they are like the chaff that the wind scatters. ⁵ Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;

²⁷ All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to Yahweh. All the families of the nations will worship before you.

¹⁰ And* yet a little while and the wicked will not be, and you will look carefully upon his place, but he will not be.

³⁶ Then he passed on* and behold, he was not. And I sought him, but he could not be found.

⁹ He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and cuts off the spear. The wagons of war he burns with fire.

⁴ All the earth will bow in worship to you, and sing praise to you. They will sing the praise of your name." Selah

¹ For the music director, with stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.*
May God be gracious to us and bless us. May he cause his face to shine toward us, Selah ² that your way may be known on the earth, your salvation among all nations.

¹⁶ May there be an abundance of grain in the land even on the top of the mountains. May his crop* sway like the trees of Lebanon, and may those from the city blossom like the grass of the earth. ¹⁷ May his name endure forever. May his name increase _⌊as long as the sun shines_⌋,* and let them be blessed in him. Let all nations call him blessed.

⁹ You prepared a place before it, and _⌊it took deep root_⌋* and filled the land. ¹⁰ The mountains were covered with its shade, and the mighty cedars with its boughs.

⁹ All the nations that you have made will come and bow down* before you, O Lord, and glorify your name.

¹⁶ When the wind passes over it, it is no more, and its place knows it no longer.

² And it shall happen in the future of the days the mountain of the house* of Yahweh shall be established; it will be among the highest* of the mountains, and it shall be raised from the hills. All of the nations shall travel to him; ³ many peoples shall come. And they shall say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the house* of the God of Jacob, and may he teach us part of his ways, and let us walk in his paths." For instruction shall go out from Zion, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.

⁹ They will not injure and they will not destroy on all of my _⌊holy mountain_⌋,* for the earth will be full of the knowledge of Yahweh, as the waters cover the sea.

¹³ The nations roar like the roar of many waters, but he will rebuke him, and he will flee far away. And they are chased like chaff of the mountains before the wind and like tumbleweed before the storm. ¹⁴ At the time of evening, and look, terror! Before morning he is no more. This is the fate of those who plunder us and the lot of those who plunder us.

¹⁵ Look! I will make you into a new sharp threshing sledge, _⌊with_⌋* sharp edges. You shall thresh and crush the mountains, and you shall make the hills like chaff. ¹⁶ You shall winnow them and the wind shall carry them, and the tempest shall scatter them. And you yourself shall rejoice in Yahweh; you shall boast in the holy one of Israel.

³ Therefore, they will be like the morning cloud, and like the dew of early morning going away, like chaff swirling from the threshing floor, or like smoke from a window.

¹³ Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion, for your horn I will make as iron and your hooves as bronze. And you will break many peoples in pieces, and their gain you will devote to destruction to Yahweh, and their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth."

⁸ _⌊And then_⌋* on that day, living waters will flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea,* and the other half to the western sea;* it will happen both in the summer and in the winter. ⁹ And Yahweh will be king over all the earth; on that day Yahweh will be one and his name one.

²⁵ For it is necessary for him to reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

⁸ And they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them any longer in heaven.

² And he seized the dragon—the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan—and bound him for a thousand years, ³ and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it above him, in order that he could not deceive the nations again until the thousand years are completed. After these things it is necessary for him to be released for a short time.

¹¹ And I saw a great white throne and the one who was seated on it, _⌊from whose presence_⌋* earth and heaven fled, and a place was not found for them.

²³ To you, O God of my ancestors,* I give thanks and I give praises, for the wisdom and the power you gave to me, and now you have made known to me what we have asked from you, for you have made known to us the matter of the king." ²⁴ _⌊Therefore_⌋* Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed* to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and thus he said to him: "You must not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me in before the king and I will give the explanation* to the king."

²⁴ For he was ruling over all the west of the River* from Tiphsah up to Gaza, over all the kings west of the River;* and he had peace from every side all around.

²³ "Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia: 'Yahweh the God of heaven has given to me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has appointed me to build a house for him at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you from all his people, may Yahweh his God go up with him.'"

² "Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: Yahweh, the God of the heavens, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. And he himself has appointed me to build a house for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

¹² "Artaxerxes, the king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of the heavens. Peace. And now

¹⁵ By me kings reign, and rulers decree righteousness.

⁸ For he says, "Are not my commanders altogether kings?

⁵ Sit silently and go into the darkness, daughter of Chaldea, for _⌊they shall no longer call_⌋* you mistress of kingdoms.

¹⁴ For thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, "I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, to serve Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, and they will serve him, and I have even given the animals* of the open field to him." '"

⁷ For thus says the Lord Yahweh: "Look! I am bringing to Tyre Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, from the north, the king of kings, with horse and with chariot and with horsemen and his assembly and many people.

³ How great are his signs and wonders, how strong is his kingdom, _⌊an everlasting kingdom_⌋;* and his sovereignty is from generation to generation.

²⁵ you will be driven away _⌊from human society_⌋* and _⌊you will dwell_⌋* with the animals* of the field, and you will be caused to graze grass like the oxen _⌊yourself_⌋,* and you will be watered with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time will pass over you until that you have acknowledged that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of humankind, and _⌊to whom he wills_⌋* he gives it.

³⁴ "But at the end of _⌊that period_⌋,* I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and then my reason returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and _⌊the one who lives forever_⌋* I praised and I honored.
"For his sovereignty is an everlasting sovereignty, and his kingdom continues from generation to generation.

¹⁸ _⌊O king_⌋,* the Most High God gave the kingdom and the greatness and the glory and the majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your _⌊predecessor_⌋.*

¹⁰ Even though they have sold themselves to the nations, now I will gather them. They will soon writhe from the burden of kings* and princes.

¹¹ Jesus replied to him, "You would not have any authority over me unless it was given to you from above. For this reason the one who handed me over to you has greater sin."

⁵ and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To the one who loves us and released us from our sins by his blood

¹¹ "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, because you have created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created."

¹⁰ because every animal of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. ¹¹ I know every bird of the mountains, and every moving creature in the field is mine.

²¹ and its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and so there was provision for all in it, and the animals* of the field lived under it and in its branches nest the birds of heaven,* ²² —it is you, O king, who have grown great and you have grown strong, and so your greatness has increased and it has reached to heaven* and your sovereignty to the end of the earth.

²⁸ who says of Cyrus, 'My shepherd,' and he shall carry out all my wishes*; and saying of Jerusalem, 'It shall be rebuilt,' and the temple, 'It shall be founded.'"

³² The head of this statue was of fine gold, its chest and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze,

²⁸ " 'Peres'—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.'" ²⁹ Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple and placed a necklace of gold around his neck, and they made a proclamation concerning him that he would be the third ruler in authority in the kingdom. ³⁰ _⌊That same night_⌋* Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed. ³¹ * And Darius the Mede received the kingdom _⌊when he was about sixty-two years old_⌋.*

⁵ And look, another beast, a second one, looking like a bear. And it was raised up on one side and three tusks* were in its mouth between its teeth, and so _⌊it was told_⌋,* "Arise, eat much flesh!" ⁶ After this I was watching and look, another beast like a leopard; _⌊it had four wings_⌋* of a bird on its back, and _⌊the beast had_⌋* four heads, and dominion was given to it. ⁷ After this in the visions of the night I was looking and there was a fourth beast, terrifying and frightful and exceedingly strong, and _⌊it had_⌋* _⌊great iron teeth_⌋,* and it was devouring and crushing, and it stamped the remainder* with its feet; and it was different from all the other beasts _⌊that preceded it_⌋* _⌊and it had ten horns_⌋.*

²³ "And he said, 'The fourth beast is the fourth kingdom that will be on the earth that will be different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth and it will trample it and it will crush it.

³ And I lifted up my eyes and I saw, and look! A ram* standing _⌊before_⌋* the stream, and _⌊it had_⌋* two horns, and the horns were long, but the one was longer than the second, and the longer one came up _⌊after the other one_⌋.* ⁴ I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward, and _⌊none of the beasts stood before it_⌋,* and there was no rescuing from _⌊its power_⌋,* and it did _⌊what it wanted_⌋* and it became strong.* ⁵ And I was considering this, and look, a he-goat coming from the west across the face of the whole earth, and it was not touching the ground;* and the he-goat had _⌊a conspicuous horn_⌋* between its eyes. ⁶ Then it came toward the ram _⌊that had the two horns_⌋* that I saw standing _⌊before_⌋* the stream, and it ran at it with* the rage of its power. ⁷ And I saw it approaching the ram and it was furious at it, and it struck the ram, and it broke its two horns, and _⌊there was not strength in the ram to stand before him_⌋,* and he threw it down to the ground and trampled it, _⌊and there was no one who could rescue the ram_⌋* from its power. ⁸ And the he-goat grew _⌊exceedingly great_⌋,* and _⌊at the height of its power_⌋* the great horn was broken, and four conspicuous horns* came up in place of it toward the four winds of heaven. ⁹ _⌊And from one of them_⌋* came forth a horn, _⌊a little one_⌋,* and it grew exceedingly* toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the beautiful land. ¹⁰ And it grew up to the host of heaven, and it threw down to the ground some of the host and some of the stars and trampled them. ¹¹ Even against the prince of the hosts it acted arrogantly and took away from him the regular burnt offering, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown. ¹² And on account of transgression, the host was given over to the horn in addition to the regular burnt offering. And it cast down truth to the ground, and it _⌊acted_⌋,* and it had success. ¹³ And I heard a certain holy one speaking, and a certain other holy one said to the specific one _⌊who was speaking_⌋,* "_⌊For how long_⌋* is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, and the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and the host to trampling?" ¹⁴ And he said to me, "For two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings, then the sanctuary will be restored."

²⁰ "The ram that you saw _⌊who had two horns_⌋* represents the kings of Media and Persia.

²⁰ Then he asked, "Do you know why I have come to you? And now I return to fight against the prince of Persia and I myself* am going, and look,* the prince of Javan* will come.

³ And with the third chariot there were white horses, and with the fourth chariot there were strong* dappled horses.

⁶ _⌊The one with_⌋* the black horses is going out to the north country, and the white horses go after them,* while the dappled ones go to the south country."

¹² Can anyone break iron, iron from the north, or bronze?

³³ its legs of iron, its feet, part of them of iron and part of them of clay.

²⁴ And his power will grow, but not by his own power, and he will cause fearful destruction, and he will succeed and _⌊he will act_⌋,* and he will destroy the mighty and the people of the holy ones.*

²⁶ "And after the sixty and two weeks an anointed one* shall be cut off, and _⌊he shall have nothing_⌋,* and the people of the coming leader will destroy the city and the sanctuary,* and its end will be with the flood and on to the end there shall be war; these desolations are determined.

³⁶ "Then the king will do _⌊as he pleases_⌋,* and he will exalt himself and will consider himself above any god, and he will speak horrendous things _⌊against_⌋* the God of gods, yet he will succeed until the period of anger is finished, for what is determined will be done. ³⁷ He will not pay respect to the gods of his ancestors,* or to the darling of women, and not to any god will he pay respect, for he will consider himself great over all gods. ³⁸ But _⌊instead_⌋* he will honor the god of fortresses, a god whom his ancestors* did not know. He will honor him with gold, and with silver, and with precious stones* and with costly gifts. ³⁹ And he will deal with the _⌊fortified strongholds_⌋* with the help of _⌊a foreign god_⌋;* and he will increase wealth for whoever will acknowledge him, and he will cause them to rule* over the many, and he will distribute land for a price. ⁴⁰ "And at the time of the end the king of the south will attack him, and the king of the north will storm against him with chariots* and with horsemen and with many ships, and he will advance against the countries and _⌊he will sweep through like a flood_⌋.* ⁴¹ And he will come _⌊into the beautiful land_⌋* and many will fall victim, but these will escape from his power: Edom and Moab and the best part* of the _⌊Ammonites_⌋.* ⁴² And he will stretch out his hand against countries and the land of Egypt _⌊will not escape_⌋.* ⁴³ And he will rule over the treasures of gold and the silver and over all the precious things of Egypt; and the Libyans and the Cushites will follow in his footsteps. ⁴⁴ But reports will terrify him from the east and from the north, and he will go out with great fury to destroy and to exterminate many. ⁴⁵ And then he will pitch the tents of his palace between the sea and _⌊the beautiful holy mountain_⌋,* and he will come to his end, and there is no one* helping him."

³ Thus says Yahweh, "For three transgressions of Damascus and for four I will not revoke the punishment,* because they threshed Gilead with threshing sledges of iron!

⁴⁸ If we allow him to go on in this way, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place* and our* nation."

³³ its legs of iron, its feet, part of them of iron and part of them of clay. ³⁴ You were looking on _⌊until_⌋* a stone was chiseled out*—that not by hands—and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and it broke them in pieces. ³⁵ Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold _⌊all at once_⌋* broke into pieces* and they became like chaff from the summer threshing floor, and the wind carried them away and any trace of them could not be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and it filled the whole earth.

²⁴ And as for the ten horns coming from it, from this kingdom* ten kings will arise, and another will arise after them. And he will be different from the earlier ones, and he will subdue three kings.

³ And another sign appeared in heaven, and behold, a great fiery red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven royal headbands.*

¹ And I saw coming up out of the sea a beast that had ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns ten royal headbands,* and on its heads a blasphemous name.*

¹² And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom, but they will receive authority as kings for one hour with the beast.

¹⁰ The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff between his feet, until Shiloh comes. And to him shall be the obedience of nations.

⁶ "But as for me, I have set my king on Zion, my holy mountain." ⁷ I will tell the decree; Yahweh said to me: "You are my son; today I have begotten you.

⁸ Your hand will find all your enemies; your right hand will find those who hate you. ⁹ You will make them like your fiery furnace at the time of your appearance. Yahweh will swallow them in his wrath and fire will consume them.

¹ Of Solomon.*
O God, give your judgments to the king, and your righteousness to the king's son. ² May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice. ³ Let the mountains yield prosperity* for the people, and the hills in righteousness. ⁴ May he provide justice for the poor of the people, save the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor. ⁵ May he live long* _⌊while the sun endures_⌋* _⌊as long as the moon_⌋* _⌊for all generations_⌋.* ⁶ May he descend like rain on mown grass, like showers watering the earth. ⁷ May what is right blossom in his days and an abundance of peace, until the moon is no more. ⁸ And may he rule from sea up to sea, and from the River* to the edges of the land. ⁹ Let the desert dwellers bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust. ¹⁰ Let the kings of Tarshish and the islands bring tribute. Let the kings of Sheba and Seba present gifts, ¹¹ and let all kings bow down to him. Let all nations serve him. ¹² Indeed he will deliver the needy who is crying for help, and the afflicted who has no helper. ¹³ He will take pity on the helpless and needy, and the lives of the needy he will save. ¹⁴ From oppression and from violence he will redeem their lives, and their blood will be precious in his eyes. ¹⁵ So may he live, and may gold from Sheba be given to him, and may prayers be offered for him continually. May blessings be invoked for him _⌊all day long_⌋.* ¹⁶ May there be an abundance of grain in the land even on the top of the mountains. May his crop* sway like the trees of Lebanon, and may those from the city blossom like the grass of the earth. ¹⁷ May his name endure forever. May his name increase _⌊as long as the sun shines_⌋,* and let them be blessed in him. Let all nations call him blessed. ¹⁸ Blessed be Yahweh God, the God of Israel, who alone does wonderful things. ¹⁹ And blessed be his glorious name forever, and may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen. ²⁰ The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are completed.

³ "I made a covenant with my chosen one; I swore an oath to David my servant: ⁴ 'I will establish your descendants forever, and I will build up your throne _⌊from generation to generation_⌋.'"* Selah

¹⁹ Formerly you spoke in a vision to your faithful ones, and said, "I have bestowed help on a mighty man; I have exalted one chosen from the people. ²⁰ I have found David, my servant. With my holy oil I have anointed him, ²¹ with whom my hand will be steadfast. Surely my arm will strengthen him. ²² The enemy will not deceive him, and no _⌊evil man_⌋* will afflict him. ²³ But I will crush his adversaries before him, and I will strike those who hate him. ²⁴ And so my faithfulness and my loyal love will be with him, and in my name his horn will rise up. ²⁵ And I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers. ²⁶ He will call out to me, 'You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.' ²⁷ I will also make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. ²⁸ Forever I will keep my loyal love for him, and my covenant will be reliable for him. ²⁹ I will also establish his offspring forever, and his throne as the days of the heavens. ³⁰ If his sons forsake my law and do not walk in my judgments, ³¹ if they defile* my statutes and do not keep my commandments, ³² then I will punish their transgression with a rod, and their guilt with wounds. ³³ But I will not break off my loyal love from him, and I will not be false against my faithfulness. ³⁴ I will not defile* my covenant, or alter what proceeded from my lips. ³⁵ Once* I have sworn by my holiness, 'I will surely not lie to David, ³⁶ His offspring will endure* forever, and his throne as the sun before me.

¹ Of David. A psalm.*
A declaration of Yahweh to my lord, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool." ² Yahweh will send out your mighty scepter from Zion; rule in the midst of your enemies. ³ Your people _⌊will volunteer_⌋* in the day of your power.* In holy splendor, from the womb of the dawn, you will have the dew of your youth.* ⁴ Yahweh has sworn and he will not change his mind, "You are a priest forever according to the manner of Melchizedek."

¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures _⌊throughout all generations_⌋.*

⁶ For a child has been born for us; a son has been given to us. And the dominion will be on his shoulder, and his name is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ⁷ _⌊His dominion will grow continually, and to peace there will be no end_⌋* on* the throne of David and over* his kingdom, to establish it* and sustain it with justice and righteousness now and forever. The zeal of Yahweh of hosts will do this.

²⁵ And they will dwell on the land that I gave to my servant, to Jacob, _⌊in which your ancestors dwelled_⌋,* and they will dwell on it, they and their children and the children of their children _⌊forever_⌋,* and my servant David will be a leader for them _⌊forever_⌋.*

³⁴ You were looking on _⌊until_⌋* a stone was chiseled out*—that not by hands—and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and it broke them in pieces.

³⁷ You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power and the might and the glory,

²⁶ _⌊I make a decree_⌋* that in all the dominion of my kingdom people will be trembling and fearing before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God and endures _⌊forever_⌋* and his* kingdom is one that will not be destroyed and his _⌊dominion has no end_⌋.*

⁷ And I will make the one who limps a remnant, and the one driven far away a strong nation, and Yahweh will reign over them on Mount Zion from now to forever.

² and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near!" ³ For this is the one who was spoken about by the prophet Isaiah, saying,
"The voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'"*

¹⁸ And Jesus approached and* spoke to them, saying, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

³² This one will be great, and he will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. ³³ And he will reign over the house of Jacob _⌊forever_⌋,* and of his kingdom there will be no end.

³⁴ Then the crowd replied to him, "We have heard from the law that the Christ remains _⌊forever_⌋!* And how do you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?"

²⁴ then the end, when he hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when he has abolished all rule and all authority and power. ²⁵ For it is necessary for him to reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

²⁰ which he has worked* in Christ, raising* him from the dead and seating him* at his right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ above all rule and authority and power and lordship and every name named, not only in this age but also in the coming one, ²² and he subjected all things under his feet* and gave him as head over all things to the church,

²⁷ and "he will shepherd them with an iron rod; he will break them in pieces like jars made of clay,"*

¹⁵ And out of his mouth came a sharp sword, so that with it he could strike the nations. And he will shepherd them with an iron rod,* and he stomps the winepress of the wine of the furious wrath of God, the All-Powerful. ¹⁶ And he has a name written on his outer garment and on his thigh: "King of kings and Lord of lords." ¹⁷ And I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly _⌊directly overhead_⌋*,
"Come! Assemble for the great banquet of God, ¹⁸ in order that you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of military tribunes, and the flesh of the powerful, and the flesh of horses and those seated on them, and the flesh of all people, both free and slave, and small and great!" ¹⁹ And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war with the one who is seated on the horse and with his army. ²⁰ And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs before him, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who had worshiped his image. The two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur.

²⁸ This is the word that I have spoken to Pharaoh; God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.

³² Now concerning the repetition of the dream twice to Pharaoh, it is because the matter is established by God, and God will do it quickly.

¹⁷ For Yahweh your God, he is God of the gods and Lord of the lords, the great and mighty God, the awesome one who _⌊is not partial_⌋,* and he does not take bribes.

²² Therefore you are great, my lord Yahweh, for there is no one like you, and there is no god except you, in all that we have heard with our ears.

²⁵ For Yahweh is great and greatly praised, and he is feared among all gods.

¹⁴ And I looked, got up, and said to the nobles, prefects, and the rest of the people, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses."

³² "And now our God, the great, mighty, and awesome God who keeps his covenant and loyal love, do not belittle in your presence all of the hardship that is found in us, our kings, our officials, our priests, our prophets, our ancestors,* and all of our people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until this day.

²⁶ "Look, God is exalted, and we do not know him; the number of his years is unsearchable.

¹ A song. A psalm of the sons of Korah.*
Yahweh is great and very worthy of praise in the city of our God, in his _⌊holy mountain_⌋.*

⁴ For Yahweh is great and very worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.

⁵ For I know that Yahweh is great, and our Lord is greater than all gods.

³ Great is Yahweh, and very worthy of praise, and his greatness is unsearchable.

¹⁸ showing loyal love to the thousands, and repaying the guilt of _⌊parents_⌋* into the laps* of their children after them. Powerful, great, mighty, his name is Yahweh of hosts, ¹⁹ great in counsel and great in deed, whose eyes are opened to all the ways of the children of humankind, to give to each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds,

⁴⁴ And _⌊in the day of those kings_⌋,* the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will _⌊never_⌋* be destroyed, and the kingdom will not be left for another nation,* and it will bring an end to all these kingdoms, but it will stand _⌊forever_⌋.*

¹¹ From the rising of the sun to its setting, my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is being presented to my name, and a pure offering. For my name is great among the nations," says Yahweh of hosts.

²⁴ And Jesus answered and* said to them, "I also will ask you one question. If you tell the answer* to me, I also will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

³⁵ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

²⁰ Now when he* was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with _⌊things that can be observed_⌋,*

⁴ for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but powerful to God for the tearing down of fortresses, tearing down arguments ⁵ and all pride that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

¹⁹ Therefore, write the things which you saw, and the things which are, and the things which are about to take place after these things.

¹ After these things I looked, and behold, an open door in heaven, and the former voice that I had heard like a trumpet speaking with me was saying, "Come up here and I will show you the things which must take place after these things."

¹⁷ And I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly _⌊directly overhead_⌋*,
"Come! Assemble for the great banquet of God,

³¹ And I will lay your cities in ruins, and I will lay waste your sanctuaries; and I shall not smell your sacrifices'* appeasing fragrance.

¹⁰ that they may offer incense offerings to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his children.

¹⁶ And he fell on his face at his feet, giving thanks to him. And he was a Samaritan.

²⁵ So it happened that when Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at his* feet, and* worshiped him.*

¹³ And the priest of the temple* of Zeus that was just outside the city brought bulls and garlands to the gates and* was wanting to offer sacrifice, along with the crowds.

⁶ But they were expecting that he was going to swell up* or suddenly to fall down dead. So after* they had waited for a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and* began saying* that he was a god.

¹⁶ And the twenty-four elders who are seated on their thrones before God fell down on their faces and worshiped God,

¹⁰ And I fell down before his feet to worship him, and he said to me, "_⌊Do not do that!_⌋* I am a fellow slave of you and of your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

⁸ And I, John, am the one who heard and who saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed these things to me.

²² "Yahweh, God of gods! Yahweh, God of gods knows. And let Israel itself know, if it was in rebellion or treachery against Yahweh, do not spare us this day

¹⁹ He leads priests away stripped, and he overthrows _⌊the members of ancient families_⌋.*

¹⁰ So then, O kings, be wise. Be warned, O rulers of the earth. ¹¹ Serve Yahweh with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

¹¹ and let all kings bow down to him. Let all nations serve him.

¹ A psalm of Asaph.*
God stands in the divine assembly;* he administers judgment in the midst of the gods.*

² Give thanks to the God of gods, for his loyal love endures forever.

¹⁹ Then in a vision of the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel; then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

⁸ Then _⌊at last_⌋* Daniel came before me _⌊whose name was_⌋* Belteshazzar, _⌊according to_⌋* the name of my god, and _⌊in whom was the spirit of the holy gods_⌋,* _⌊and I related the dream to him_⌋.* ⁹ " 'O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians,* I myself know that the spirit* of the holy gods is in you, and _⌊no mystery is too difficult_⌋* for you. Now tell me the visions of my dream that I saw, and its explanation.*

³⁶ "Then the king will do _⌊as he pleases_⌋,* and he will exalt himself and will consider himself above any god, and he will speak horrendous things _⌊against_⌋* the God of gods, yet he will succeed until the period of anger is finished, for what is determined will be done.

¹⁵ which he will make known in his own time, the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of those who reign as kings and Lord of those who rule as lords,

³⁹ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all of this known to you there is no one as discerning and wise as you. ⁴⁰ You shall be over my house, and to your word* all my people shall submit. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you." ⁴¹ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt." ⁴² Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his finger and put it on the finger of Joseph. And he clothed him with garments of fine linen, and he put a chain of gold around his neck. ⁴³ And he had him ride in his second chariot. And they cried out before him, "Kneel!" And Pharaoh set him over all the land of Egypt.

¹⁶ They came to Balaam and said to him, "Thus says Balak son of Zippor, 'Please, let nothing keep you from coming to me ¹⁷ because I will surely honor you greatly, and all that you say to me I will do. Please, come; curse this people for me.'"

²⁵ And the men of Israel said, "Did you see this man who has come up? For he is going up to defy Israel! It will be that the man who defeats him, the king will make him* very rich with great wealth and will give him his daughter in marriage and will make his father's house free in Israel."*

² Now there was a man in Maon, whose business was in Carmel. The man was very rich and _⌊owned_⌋* three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. _⌊Now_⌋* the shearing of his sheep was taking place in Carmel.

³² Now Barzillai was very old, _⌊eighty years old_⌋.* Now he had provided the king with food while he was staying at Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man.

¹ Now Naaman was the commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man before his master and _⌊highly regarded_⌋,* for by him Yahweh had given victory to Aram. Now the man was a mighty warrior, but he was afflicted with a skin disease.

³ Then* his livestock came to be seven thousand sheep and goats and three thousand camels and five hundred pairs* of oxen and five hundred female donkeys, and he had very many slaves, and that man was greater than all the people of the east.

⁵ Let me go to the great, and let me speak with them, for they know the way of Yahweh, the law* of their God." However, they together have broken the yoke, they have torn to pieces the bonds.

⁶ But if you tell me the dream and its explanation, you will receive gifts and rewards* and great honor from me. Therefore, tell me the dream and its explanation."*

¹ Nebuchadnezzar the king made a statue of gold. Its height was sixty cubits and its width was six cubits; he set it up in the valley of Dura in the province of Babylon.

³⁰ Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

¹ _⌊It pleased Darius_⌋,* and he set up one hundred and twenty satraps over the kingdom, that they were _⌊throughout the whole kingdom_⌋,* ² and over them were three administrators, of whom Daniel was one, so that these satraps were giving account to them, and the king would not be suffering loss.

¹⁹ When the virgins were gathered a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the gate of the king.

²¹ In those days Mordecai was sitting at the gate of the king. Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs from the keepers of the threshold, became angry and they conspired _⌊to assassinate_⌋* King Ahasuerus.

² And all of the king's servants who were at the gate of the king were kneeling and bowing down to Haman; for so the king had commanded concerning him, but Mordecai did not kneel and bow down.

¹² When the righteous triumphs, great is the glory, but with the rising of the wicked, a person will be hidden.

³ And all the officials of the king of Babylon came and sat in the Middle Gate: Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim the chief officer, Nergal-sharezer the high official, with all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon.

¹⁷ Then Daniel went to his home, and he made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, his companions,

¹² However there are Judean men whom you have appointed* over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—these men, O king, _⌊pay you no heed_⌋* and were not serving your god, and the statue of gold* that you set up they are not worshiping." ¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar said in rage and anger to bring in Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego; then they brought in these men before the king. ¹⁴ Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you are not serving my god, and you are not worshiping the statue of gold* that I have set up? ¹⁵ Now if you are ready so that _⌊when_⌋* you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp and the drum and all kinds of music, you fall down and you worship the statue that I have made, that will be good. But if you do not worship it, _⌊immediately_⌋* you will be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire, and _⌊who is the god_⌋* who* will rescue you from my hands?" ¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego answered and said to the king, Nebuchadnezzar, "We have no need on this matter _⌊to present a defense to you_⌋.* ¹⁷ _⌊If it is so_⌋,* our God, whom we serve, is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire. And from your hand, O king, let him rescue us. ¹⁸ And if not, let it be known to you, O king, that _⌊we will not serve your gods_⌋,* and the statue of gold* that you have set up we will not worship." ¹⁹ Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with anger and the image of his face was changed _⌊toward_⌋* Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, so he _⌊ordered and said_⌋* to heat up the one furnace seven times what was usual to heat it up. ²⁰ And he commanded _⌊the strongest men of the guards_⌋* who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. ²¹ Then these men were bound with their garments, their trousers and their turbans and their other clothing, and they were thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. ²² _⌊Therefore_⌋* _⌊because_⌋* the word of the king was severe and the furnace was exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed these men who lifted up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. ²³ But these men, the three of them, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, fell down into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire, and they were bound. ²⁴ Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and he rose up in haste and he asked, saying to his advisers, "Did we not throw three men, bound, into the midst of the fire? They answered, saying to the king, "Certainly, O king!" ²⁵ _⌊He answered_⌋,* saying, "Look, I see four men unbound walking in the midst of the fire and there is no damage to them, and the* appearance of the fourth man resembles the son of a god." ²⁶ Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire, and he called out, saying, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, _⌊servants_⌋* of the Most High God, come out* and come here!" ²⁷ And the satraps, the prefects, the governors and the advisors of the king were assembling, and they saw these men, that the fire had no power over their bodies, and the hair of their heads was* not singed, and their garments were not harmed, and the smell of fire did not come from them. ²⁸ Nebuchadnezzar _⌊responded_⌋,* saying, "Blessed be their God, the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who sent his angel* and rescued his servants who trusted in him, and the command of the king they disobeyed, and they gave their bodies so that they did not serve and did not worship any god except their God. ²⁹ And from me _⌊is set forth_⌋* a decree that any people, nation, or language that may utter criticism against their God—the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—will be broken into pieces and their* house will be made like ruins. _⌊For_⌋* there is not another God who is able to rescue like this God." ³⁰ Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

¹⁵ Hate evil and love good and establish justice in the gate; perhaps Yahweh, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.