Daniel’s Prayer

9 In the first year of Darius^(A) son of Xerxes^[a](B) (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian^[b] kingdom— ² in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy^(C) years. ³ So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting,^(D) and in sackcloth and ashes.^(E)

⁴ I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:^(F)

The Seventy “Sevens”

²⁰ While I was speaking and praying, confessing^(BC) my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill^(BD)— ²¹ while I was still in prayer, Gabriel,^(BE) the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.^{(BF) 22} He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding.^{(BG) 23} As soon as you began to pray,^(BH) a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed.^(BI) Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision:^(BJ)

²⁴ “Seventy ‘sevens’^[c] are decreed for your people and your holy city^(BK) to finish^[d] transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone^(BL) for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness,^(BM) to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.^[e]

²⁵ “Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild^(BN) Jerusalem until the Anointed One,^[f](BO) the ruler,^(BP) comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.^{(BQ) 26} After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death^(BR) and will have nothing.^[g] The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood:^(BS) War will continue until the end, and desolations^(BT) have been decreed.^{(BU) 27} He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’^[h] In the middle of the ‘seven’^[i] he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple^[j] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed^(BV) is poured out on him.^[k]”^[l]

Daniel’s Vision of a Man

10 In the third year of Cyrus^(BW) king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar).^(BX) Its message was true^(BY) and it concerned a great war.^[m] The understanding of the message came to him in a vision.

² At that time I, Daniel, mourned^(BZ) for three weeks. ³ I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips;^(CA) and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.

⁴ On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank^(CB) of the great river, the Tigris,^{(CC) 5} I looked up^(CD) and there before me was a man dressed in linen,^(CE) with a belt of fine gold^(CF) from Uphaz around his waist. ⁶ His body was like topaz,^(CG) his face like lightning,^(CH) his eyes like flaming torches,^(CI) his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze,^(CJ) and his voice^(CK) like the sound of a multitude.

⁷ I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see it,^(CL) but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. ⁸ So I was left alone,^(CM) gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left,^(CN) my face turned deathly pale^(CO) and I was helpless.^{(CP) 9} Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground.^(CQ)

¹⁰ A hand touched me^(CR) and set me trembling on my hands and knees.^{(CS) 11} He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed,^(CT) consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up,^(CU) for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling.

¹² Then he continued, “Do not be afraid,^(CV) Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble^(CW) yourself before your God, your words^(CX) were heard, and I have come in response to them.^{(CY) 13} But the prince^(CZ) of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael,^(DA) one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. ¹⁴ Now I have come to explain^(DB) to you what will happen to your people in the future,^(DC) for the vision concerns a time yet to come.^(DD)”

¹⁵ While he was saying this to me, I bowed with my face toward the ground and was speechless.^{(DE) 16} Then one who looked like a man^[n] touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak.^(DF) I said to the one standing before me, “I am overcome with anguish^(DG) because of the vision, my lord, and I feel very weak. ¹⁷ How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe.”^(DH)

¹⁸ Again the one who looked like a man touched^(DI) me and gave me strength.^{(DJ) 19} “Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,”^(DK) he said. “Peace!^(DL) Be strong now; be strong.”^(DM)

When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.”^(DN)

²⁰ So he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece^(DO) will come; ²¹ but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth.^(DP) (No one supports me against them except Michael,^(DQ) your prince.

Taming the Tongue

3 Not many of you should become teachers,^(A) my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged^(B) more strictly.^{(C) 2} We all stumble^(D) in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say^(E) is perfect,^(F) able to keep their whole body in check.^(G)

³ When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.^{(H) 4} Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. ⁵ Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.^(I) Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. ⁶ The tongue also is a fire,^(J) a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body,^(K) sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.^(L)

⁷ All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, ⁸ but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.^(M)

⁹ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.^{(N) 10} Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. ¹¹ Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ¹² My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?^(O) Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Two Kinds of Wisdom

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it^(P) by their good life, by deeds^(Q) done in the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition^(R) in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.^{(S) 15} Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven^(T) but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.^{(U) 16} For where you have envy and selfish ambition,^(V) there you find disorder and every evil practice.

¹⁷ But the wisdom that comes from heaven^(W) is first of all pure; then peace-loving,^(X) considerate, submissive, full of mercy^(Y) and good fruit, impartial and sincere.^{(Z) 18} Peacemakers^(AA) who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.^(AB)