Daniel 5
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1King Belshazzar put on a great festival for a thousand of his officials. He joined all one thousand of them in getting drunk. 1Many years later King Belshazzar gave a great feast for 1,000 of his nobles, and he drank wine with them.
2Under the influence of wine, Belshazzar ordered that the gold and silver vessels his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem be brought in so the king, his officials, his wives, and his mistresses could drink from them. 2While Belshazzar was drinking the wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver cups that his predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem. He wanted to drink from them with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.
3As ordered, they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the sanctuary of God's Temple in Jerusalem, and the king, his officials, his wives, and mistresses drank from them. 3So they brought these gold cups taken from the Temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines drank from them.
4As they drank the wine, they praised gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.4While they drank from them they praised their idols made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
5At that moment, humanlike fingers of a hand appeared near the lamp stand of the royal palace and wrote on the plaster of the wall. 5Suddenly, they saw the fingers of a human hand writing on the plaster wall of the king’s palace, near the lampstand. The king himself saw the hand as it wrote,
6While the king watched the back of the hand as it was writing, his facial expression changed. Utterly frightened, he lost control of his own bowels and his knees knocked together.6and his face turned pale with fright. His knees knocked together in fear and his legs gave way beneath him.
7The king cried out to bring in enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers. He announced to the advisors of Babylon, "Whoever can read this writing and tell me its meaning will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain placed around his neck, and will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom."7The king shouted for the enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers to be brought before him. He said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever can read this writing and tell me what it means will be dressed in purple robes of royal honor and will have a gold chain placed around his neck. He will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom!”
8Then all the king's advisors came in, but they were unable to read the writing or tell the king what it meant. 8But when all the king’s wise men had come in, none of them could read the writing or tell him what it meant.
9So King Belshazzar became even more frightened, and his facial expression showed it. His officials also were thrown into confusion.9So the king grew even more alarmed, and his face turned pale. His nobles, too, were shaken.
10Hearing the voices of the king and his officials, the queen entered the banquet hall. "Your majesty, live forever," the queen said. "Don't be frightened by your thoughts or allow your facial expression to show it. 10But when the queen mother heard what was happening, she hurried to the banquet hall. She said to Belshazzar, “Long live the king! Don’t be so pale and frightened.
11There's a man in your kingdom in whom dwells the spirit of the holy gods. During your grandfather's reign, he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom, like that of the gods. Your grandfather, King Nebuchadnezzar—your kingly predecessor—appointed him to be chief administrator over the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, 11There is a man in your kingdom who has within him the spirit of the holy gods. During Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, this man was found to have insight, understanding, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your predecessor, the king—your predecessor King Nebuchadnezzar—made him chief over all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers of Babylon.
12because he was found to have an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, and understanding, along with an ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. His name is Daniel, whom the king renamed Belteshazzar. Call for Daniel, and he will reveal the meaning of the writing." 12This man Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, has exceptional ability and is filled with divine knowledge and understanding. He can interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.” Daniel Explains the Writing
13Then Daniel was brought before the king. The king spoke up and told Daniel, "So you are Daniel, one of the Judean exiles whom my grandfather the king brought from Judah! 13So Daniel was brought in before the king. The king asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles brought from Judah by my predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar?
14I've heard about you, that a spirit of the gods is in you and that you have insight, discernment, and extraordinary wisdom. 14I have heard that you have the spirit of the gods within you and that you are filled with insight, understanding, and wisdom.
15Take note that the advisors and enchanters were brought before me to read the writing and explain its meaning, but they were unable to do so.15My wise men and enchanters have tried to read the words on the wall and tell me their meaning, but they cannot do it.
16However, I've heard that you can provide meaning and interpretation, and that you can solve difficult problems. If you are able to read the writing and report its meaning, you will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom."16I am told that you can give interpretations and solve difficult problems. If you can read these words and tell me their meaning, you will be clothed in purple robes of royal honor, and you will have a gold chain placed around your neck. You will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
17At this, Daniel answered, speaking directly to the king, "Let your gifts and rewards be given to someone else. However, I'll read the writing for the king and tell him its meaning. 17Daniel answered the king, “Keep your gifts or give them to someone else, but I will tell you what the writing means.
18Your majesty, the Most High God gave your grandfather Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty, as well as greatness, glory, and splendor. 18Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty, majesty, glory, and honor to your predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar.
19And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages revered and feared him. He executed those whom he desired to execute, he spared those whom he wished to spare, he promoted those whom he desired to promote, and he humbled those whom he wished to humble. 19He made him so great that people of all races and nations and languages trembled before him in fear. He killed those he wanted to kill and spared those he wanted to spare. He honored those he wanted to honor and disgraced those he wanted to disgrace.
20But when he became arrogant and his spirit hardened, he was removed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him. 20But when his heart and mind were puffed up with arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory.
21He was driven away from human society and given the mind of an animal. He lived with wild donkeys, ate grass like cattle, and his body was soaked with dew from the sky until he realized that the Most High God is sovereign over human kingdoms and places over them whomever he desires.21He was driven from human society. He was given the mind of a wild animal, and he lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them.
22"But you, Belshazzar, his grandson, haven't humbled yourself, even though you knew all of this.22“You are his successor, O Belshazzar, and you knew all this, yet you have not humbled yourself.
23"You've exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. "You've had the vessels from his Temple brought into your presence. "And you, your officials, and your wives and mistresses drank wine from them. "You praised gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which can't see, hear, or demonstrate knowledge. "But you didn't honor God, who holds in his power your very life and all your ways.23For you have proudly defied the Lord of heaven and have had these cups from his Temple brought before you. You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—gods that neither see nor hear nor know anything at all. But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny!
24"Therefore, the hand that wrote this inscription was sent from his presence. 24So God has sent this hand to write this message.
25This is the written inscription: MENE, MENE, TEKEL AND PARSIN25“This is the message that was written: Mene, Mene, Tekel , and Parsin .
26These are the meanings of the words: MENE: God has audited your kingdom—and has ended it.26This is what these words mean: Mene means ‘numbered’—God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end.
27TEKEL: You've been weighed on the scales—and you don't measure up. 27 Tekel means ‘weighed’—you have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up.
28PERES: Your kingdom has been divided—and will be given to the Medes and Persians."28 Parsin means ‘divided’—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
29Then Belshazzar gave orders to clothe Daniel in purple, to place a chain of gold around his neck, and to proclaim him the third highest ruler of the kingdom.29Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was dressed in purple robes, a gold chain was hung around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
30That night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was killed, 30That very night Belshazzar, the Babylonian king, was killed.
31 and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of 62.31 And Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Daniel 4
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