| New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them. | 1Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. |
| 2While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. | 2Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. |
| 3So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. | 3Thus they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king drank from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. |
| 4As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone. | 4As they drank the wine, they praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone. |
| 5Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. | 5At that moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. As the king watched the hand that was writing, |
| 6His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking. | 6his face grew pale and his thoughts so alarmed him that his hips gave way and his knees knocked together. |
| 7The king summoned the enchanters, astrologers and diviners. Then he said to these wise men of Babylon, "Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom." | 7The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to be brought in, and he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and tells me its interpretation will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.” |
| 8Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant. | 8So all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or interpret it for him. |
| 9So King Belshazzar became even more terrified and his face grew more pale. His nobles were baffled. | 9Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face grew even more pale, and his nobles were bewildered. |
| 10The queen, hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. "May the king live forever!" she said. "Don't be alarmed! Don't look so pale! | 10Hearing the outcry of the king and his nobles, the queen entered the banquet hall. “O king, may you live forever!” she said. “Do not let your thoughts terrify you, or your face grow pale. |
| 11There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners. | 11There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners. Your own father, the king, |
| 12He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means." | 12did this because Daniel, the one he named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, as well as knowledge, understanding, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Summon Daniel, therefore, and he will give you the interpretation.” |
| 13So Daniel was brought before the king, and the king said to him, "Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah? | 13So Daniel was brought before the king, who asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah? |
| 14I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you and that you have insight, intelligence and outstanding wisdom. | 14I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom. |
| 15The wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this writing and tell me what it means, but they could not explain it. | 15Now the wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this inscription and interpret it for me, but they could not give its interpretation. |
| 16Now I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom." | 16But I have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.” |
| 17Then Daniel answered the king, "You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means. | 17In response, Daniel said to the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the inscription for the king and interpret it for him. |
| 18"Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor. | 18As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor. |
| 19Because of the high position he gave him, all the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled. | 19Because of the greatness that He bestowed on him, the people of every nation and language trembled in fear before him. He killed whom he wished and kept alive whom he wished; he exalted whom he wished and humbled whom he wished. |
| 20But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. | 20But when his heart became arrogant and his spirit was hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken from him. |
| 21He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes. | 21He was driven away from mankind, and his mind was like that of a beast. He lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind, setting over it whom He wishes. |
| 22"But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. | 22But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this. |
| 23Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. | 23Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you have failed to glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways. |
| 24Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription. | 24Therefore He sent the hand that wrote the inscription. |
| 25"This is the inscription that was written: mene, mene, tekel, parsin | 25Now this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN. |
| 26"Here is what these words mean: Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. | 26And this is the interpretation of the message: MENE means that God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. |
| 27Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. | 27TEKEL means that you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. |
| 28Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians." | 28PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.” |
| 29Then at Belshazzar's command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom. | 29Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed him the third highest ruler in the kingdom. |
| 30That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, | 30That very night Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans was slain, |
| 31and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two. | 31and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two. |
|
