Daniel’s Prayer

9 In the first year of Darius,^(A) the son of Ahasuerus, a Mede by birth, who was made king over the Chaldean kingdom— ² in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the books according to the word of the Lord to the prophet Jeremiah that the number of years for the desolation of Jerusalem would be seventy.^{(B) 3} So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek him by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.^(C)

⁴ I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:

Ah, Lord—the great and awe-inspiring God^(D) who keeps his gracious covenant^(E) with those who love him^(F) and keep his commands^(G)— ⁵ we have sinned,^(H) done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled,^(I) and turned away from your commands and ordinances.^{(J) 6} We have not listened to your servants the prophets,^(K) who spoke in your name to our kings, leaders, ancestors, and all the people of the land.

⁷ Lord, righteousness belongs to you,^(L) but this day public shame belongs to us: the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel—those who are near and those who are far, in all the countries where you have banished them because of the disloyalty they have shown toward you. ⁸ Lord, public shame^(M) belongs to us, our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors, because we have sinned against you.^{(N) 9} Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord our God, though we have rebelled against him ¹⁰ and have not obeyed the Lord our God by following his instructions that he set before us through his servants^(O) the prophets.

¹¹ All Israel has broken your law and turned away,^(P) refusing to obey you. The promised curse^[a] written in the law of Moses,^(Q) the servant of God, has been poured out on us because we have sinned against him. ¹² He has carried out his words^(R) that he spoke against us and against our rulers^[b](S) by bringing on us a disaster that is so great that nothing like what has been done to Jerusalem has ever been done^(T) under all of heaven. ¹³ Just as it is written in the law of Moses,^(U) all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor of^(V) the Lord our God by turning from our iniquities and paying attention to your truth.^{(W) 14} So the Lord kept the disaster in mind and brought it on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all he has done. But we have not obeyed him.

¹⁵ Now, Lord our God—who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand^(X) and made your name renowned^(Y) as it is this day—we have sinned, we have acted wickedly. ¹⁶ Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, may your anger and wrath^(Z) turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain;^(AA) for because of our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people have become an object of ridicule to all those around us.

¹⁷ Therefore, our God, hear the prayer and the petitions of your servant. Make your face shine^(AB) on your desolate sanctuary^(AC) for the Lord’s sake. ¹⁸ Listen closely,^[c] my God, and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations and the city that bears your name. For we are not presenting our petitions before you based on our righteous acts, but based on your abundant compassion. ¹⁹ Lord, hear! Lord, forgive! Lord, listen and act! My God, for your own sake, do not delay,^(AD) because your city and your people bear your name.

The Seventy Weeks of Years

²⁰ While I was speaking, praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel,^(AE) and presenting my petition before the Lord my God concerning the holy mountain of my God— ²¹ while I was praying, Gabriel,^(AF) the man I had seen in the first vision,^(AG) reached me in my extreme weariness, about the time of the evening offering.^{(AH) 22} He gave me this explanation: “Daniel, I’ve come now to give you understanding.^{(AI) 23} At the beginning of your petitions an answer went out, and I have come to give it, for you are treasured by God.^[d](AJ) So consider the message and understand the vision:^(AK)

Vision of a Glorious One

10 In the third year of King Cyrus of Persia,^(AV) a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar.^(AW) The message was true and was about a great conflict. He understood the message and had understanding of the vision.^(AX)

² In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks.^{(AY) 3} I didn’t eat any rich food,^(AZ) no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I didn’t put any oil on my body until the three weeks were over. ⁴ On the twenty-fourth day of the first month,^[l] as I was standing on the bank of the great river,^(BA) the Tigris, ⁵ I looked up, and there was a man dressed in linen,^(BB) with a belt of gold^(BC) from Uphaz^[m](BD) around his waist. ⁶ His body was like beryl,^[n] his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches,^(BE) his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.^(BF)

⁷ Only I, Daniel, saw the vision.^(BG) The men who were with me did not see it,^(BH) but a great terror fell on them,^(BI) and they ran and hid. ⁸ I was left alone, looking at this great vision.^(BJ) No strength was left in me; my face grew deathly pale,^[o](BK) and I was powerless. ⁹ I heard the words he said, and when I heard them I fell into a deep sleep,^[p](BL) with my face to the ground.

Angelic Conflict

¹⁰ Suddenly, a hand touched me and set me shaking on my hands and knees. ¹¹ He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man treasured by God.^[q](BM) Understand the words that I’m saying to you. Stand on your feet,^(BN) for I have now been sent to you.”^(BO) After he said this to me, I stood trembling.

¹² “Don’t be afraid,^(BP) Daniel,” he said to me, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God,^(BQ) your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers.^{(BR) 13} But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael,^(BS) one of the chief princes, came to help me after I had been left there with the kings of Persia.^{(BT) 14} Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the last days,^(BU) for the vision refers to those days.”^(BV)

¹⁵ While he was saying these words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and was speechless.^{(BW) 16} Suddenly one with human likeness^(BX) touched my lips.^(BY) I opened my mouth and said to the one standing in front of me, “My lord, because of the vision, anguish overwhelms me and I am powerless.^{(BZ) 17} How can someone like me,^(CA) your servant,^[r] speak with someone like you, my lord? Now I have no strength, and there is no breath in me.”

¹⁸ Then the one with a human appearance touched me again and strengthened me.^{(CB) 19} He said, “Don’t be afraid,^(CC) you who are^[s] treasured by God.^(CD) Peace to you; be very strong!” ^(CE)

As he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”^(CF)

²⁰ He said, “Do you know why I’ve come to you? I must return at once to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I leave, the prince of Greece will come.^{(CG) 21} However, I will tell you what is recorded in the book of truth. (No one has the courage to support me against those princes except Michael,^(CH) your prince.

Controlling the Tongue

3 Not many should become teachers, my brothers,^[a] because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment.^{(A) 2} For we all stumble in many ways.^(B) If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the whole body.^{(C) 3} Now if we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us,^(D) we direct their whole bodies. ⁴ And consider ships: Though very large and driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. ⁵ So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things.^(E) Consider how a small fire sets ablaze a large forest. ⁶ And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed^[b] among our members. It stains the whole body,^(F) sets the course of life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. ⁷ Every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and fish is tamed and has been tamed by humankind, ⁸ but no one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.^{(G) 9} With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness.^{(H) 10} Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way. ¹¹ Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening? ¹² Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a saltwater spring yield fresh water.

The Wisdom from Above

¹³ Who among you is wise and understanding? By his good conduct he should show that his works are done in the gentleness that comes from wisdom.^{(I) 14} But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and deny the truth.^{(J) 15} Such wisdom does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.^{(K) 16} For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice. ¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense.^{(L) 18} And the fruit of righteousness^(M) is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace.