12 And he (A)dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder[a] set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, (B)the angels of God were ascending and descending on it!

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 28:12 Or a flight of steps

51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you,[a] you will see (A)heaven opened, and (B)the angels of God ascending and descending on (C)the Son of Man.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 1:51 The Greek for you is plural; twice in this verse

Jacob Fears Esau

32 Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God's (A)camp!” So he called the name of that place (B)Mahanaim.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 32:2 Mahanaim means two camps

And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him (A)in a vision; I speak with him (B)in a dream.

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15 In (A)a dream, in (B)a vision of (C)the night,
    when (D)deep sleep falls on men,
    while they slumber on their beds,
16 then he (E)opens the ears of men
    and terrifies[a] them with warnings,

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Footnotes

  1. Job 33:16 Or seals

16 At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. (A)May it not be charged against them! 17 But (B)the Lord stood by me and (C)strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and (D)all the Gentiles might hear it. So (E)I was rescued (F)from the lion's mouth.

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God's Covenant with Abram

15 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: (A)“Fear not, Abram, I am (B)your shield; your reward shall be very great.”

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Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, (A)my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and (B)bowed down to my sheaf.” His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and (C)your mother and your brothers indeed come (D)to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” 11 And (E)his brothers were jealous of him, (F)but his father kept the saying in mind.

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12 As the sun was going down, a (A)deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him.

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14 Are they not all ministering spirits (A)sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to (B)inherit salvation?

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Daniel's Vision of the Four Beasts

In the first year of (A)Belshazzar king of Babylon, (B)Daniel saw a dream and (C)visions of his head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and told the sum of the matter.

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The Supremacy of God's Son

Long ago, at many times and (A)in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,

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Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

[a] King Nebuchadnezzar to all (A)peoples, nations, and languages, (B)that dwell in all the earth: (C)Peace be multiplied to you! It has seemed good to me to show the (D)signs and wonders that the (E)Most High God has done for me.

How great are (F)his signs,
    how mighty his (G)wonders!
(H)His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
    (I)and his dominion endures from generation to generation.

Nebuchadnezzar's Second Dream

[b] I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and (J)the visions of my head alarmed me. So (K)I made a decree that (L)all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. Then (M)the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but (N)they could not make known to me its interpretation. At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named (O)Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is (P)the spirit of the holy gods[c]—and I told him the dream, saying, “O Belteshazzar, (Q)chief of the magicians, because I know that (R)the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no (S)mystery is too difficult for you, tell me (T)the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation. 10 (U)The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and (V)behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. 11 (W)The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. 12 (X)Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. (Y)The beasts of the field found shade under it, and (Z)the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

13 “I saw in (AA)the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, (AB)a watcher, (AC)a holy one, came down from heaven. 14 He (AD)proclaimed aloud and said thus: (AE)‘Chop down the tree and (AF)lop off its branches, (AG)strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. (AH)Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. 15 But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. 16 Let his mind be changed from a man's, and let a beast's mind be given to him; (AI)and let seven periods of time (AJ)pass over him. 17 The sentence is by the decree of (AK)the watchers, the decision by the word of (AL)the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High (AM)rules the kingdom of men (AN)and gives it to whom he will and (AO)sets over it the lowliest of men.’ 18 This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O (AP)Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because (AQ)all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for (AR)the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

Daniel Interprets the Second Dream

19 Then Daniel, whose name was (AS)Belteshazzar, was (AT)dismayed for a while, and (AU)his thoughts alarmed him. The king answered and said, “Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, (AV)may the dream be for those who hate you (AW)and its interpretation for your enemies! 20 (AX)The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, 21 (AY)whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived— 22 (AZ)it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. (BA)Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, (BB)and your dominion to the ends of the earth. 23 And because the king saw (BC)a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, (BD)‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till (BE)seven periods of time pass over him,’ 24 this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, 25 (BF)that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made (BG)to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and (BH)seven periods of time shall pass over you, till (BI)you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. 26 And as it was commanded (BJ)to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by (BK)practicing righteousness, (BL)and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, (BM)that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”

Nebuchadnezzar's Humiliation

28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 and the king answered and said, (BN)“Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by (BO)my mighty power as a royal residence and for (BP)the glory of my majesty?” 31 (BQ)While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, 32 (BR)and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, (BS)until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” 33 Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. (BT)He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws.

Nebuchadnezzar Restored

34 (BU)At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and (BV)my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored (BW)him who lives forever,

(BX)for his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
    and (BY)his kingdom endures from generation to generation;
35 (BZ)all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
    and (CA)he does according to his will among the host of heaven
    and among the inhabitants of the earth;
(CB)and none can stay his hand
    or (CC)say to him, “What have you done?”

36 At the same time (CD)my reason returned to me, and for (CE)the glory of my kingdom, (CF)my majesty and splendor returned to me. (CG)My counselors and (CH)my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was (CI)added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, (CJ)praise and extol and honor the (CK)King of heaven, (CL)for all his works are right and his ways are just; and (CM)those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 4:1 Ch 3:31 in Aramaic
  2. Daniel 4:4 Ch 4:1 in Aramaic
  3. Daniel 4:8 Or Spirit of the holy God; also verses 9, 18

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