Suddenly 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. His face turned pale(A) and he was so frightened(B) that his legs became weak(C) and his knees were knocking.(D)

The king summoned the enchanters,(E) astrologers[a](F) and diviners.(G) Then he said to these wise(H) 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,(I) and he will be made the third(J) highest ruler in the kingdom.”(K)

Then all the king’s wise men(L) came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant.(M) So King Belshazzar became even more terrified(N) and his face grew more pale. His nobles were baffled.

10 The queen,[b] hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. “May the king live forever!”(O) she said. “Don’t be alarmed! Don’t look so pale! 11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods(P) in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom(Q) like that of the gods.(R) Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners.(S) 12 He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar,(T) was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles(U) and solve difficult problems.(V) Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.(W)

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Footnotes

  1. Daniel 5:7 Or Chaldeans; also in verse 11
  2. Daniel 5:10 Or queen mother

In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.

Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.

10 Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:

11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;

12 Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.

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25 “This is the inscription that was written:

mene, mene, tekel, parsin

26 “Here is what these words mean:

Mene[a]: God has numbered the days(A) of your reign and brought it to an end.(B)

27 Tekel[b]: You have been weighed on the scales(C) and found wanting.(D)

28 Peres[c]: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes(E) and Persians.”(F)

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Footnotes

  1. Daniel 5:26 Mene can mean numbered or mina (a unit of money).
  2. Daniel 5:27 Tekel can mean weighed or shekel.
  3. Daniel 5:28 Peres (the singular of Parsin) can mean divided or Persia or a half mina or a half shekel.

25 And this is the writing that was written, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.

26 This is the interpretation of the thing: Mene; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.

27 Tekel; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

28 Peres; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

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Thanksgiving

I always thank my God for you(A) because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched(B) in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge(C) God thus confirming our testimony(D) about Christ among you. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift(E) as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.(F) He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless(G) on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.(H) God is faithful,(I) who has called you(J) into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.(K)

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I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;

That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;

Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:

So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

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