The Healing at the Pool on the Sabbath

5 After this there was a ^(A)feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

² Now there is in Jerusalem by ^(B)the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic^[a] called Bethesda,^[b] which has five roofed colonnades. ³ In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and ^(C)paralyzed.^{[c] 5} One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. ⁶ When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” ⁷ The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” ⁸ Jesus said to him, ^(D)“Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” ^9 (E)And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.

^(F)Now that day was the Sabbath. ¹⁰ So the Jews^[d] said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and ^(G)it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” ¹¹ But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’” ¹² They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” ¹³ Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for ^(H)Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. ¹⁴ Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! ^(I)Sin no more, ^(J)that nothing worse may happen to you.” ¹⁵ The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. ¹⁶ And this was why the Jews ^(K)were persecuting Jesus, ^(L)because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. ¹⁷ But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

Jesus Is Equal with God

¹⁸ This was why the Jews ^(M)were seeking all the more to kill him, ^(N)because not only was he ^(O)breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God ^(P)his own Father, ^(Q)making himself equal with God.

The Authority of the Son

¹⁹ So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, ^(R)the Son ^(S)can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father^[e] does, that the Son does likewise. ²⁰ For ^(T)the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And ^(U)greater works than these will he show him, so that ^(V)you may marvel. ²¹ For as the Father ^(W)raises the dead and ^(X)gives them life, so ^(Y)also the Son gives life ^(Z)to whom he will. ^22 (AA)For the Father judges no one, but ^(AB)has given all judgment to the Son, ²³ that all may honor the Son, just as they ^(AC)honor the Father. ^(AD)Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. ²⁴ Truly, truly, I say to you, ^(AE)whoever hears my word and ^(AF)believes him who sent me has eternal life. He ^(AG)does not come into judgment, but ^(AH)has passed from death to life.

²⁵ “Truly, truly, I say to you, ^(AI)an hour is coming, and is now here, when ^(AJ)the dead will hear ^(AK)the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear ^(AL)will live. ^26 (AM)For as the Father has life in himself, ^(AN)so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. ²⁷ And he ^(AO)has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. ²⁸ Do not marvel at this, for ^(AP)an hour is coming when ^(AQ)all who are in the tombs will hear his voice ²⁹ and come out, ^(AR)those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Witnesses to Jesus

^30 (AS)“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and ^(AT)my judgment is just, because ^(AU)I seek not my own will ^(AV)but the will of him who sent me. ^31 (AW)If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. ³² There is ^(AX)another who bears witness about me, and ^(AY)I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. ^33 (AZ)You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. ³⁴ Not that ^(BA)the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. ³⁵ He was a burning and ^(BB)shining lamp, and ^(BC)you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. ³⁶ But ^(BD)the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For ^(BE)the works that the Father has given me ^(BF)to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, ^(BG)bear witness about me that ^(BH)the Father has sent me. ³⁷ And the Father who sent me ^(BI)has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, ^(BJ)his form you have never seen, ³⁸ and ^(BK)you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. ^39 (BL)You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and ^(BM)it is they that bear witness about me, ⁴⁰ yet ^(BN)you refuse to come to me that you may have life. ^41 (BO)I do not receive glory from people. ⁴² But ^(BP)I know that you do not have ^(BQ)the love of God within you. ⁴³ I have come ^(BR)in my Father's name, and ^(BS)you do not receive me. ^(BT)If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. ⁴⁴ How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and ^(BU)do not seek the glory that comes from ^(BV)the only God? ⁴⁵ Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, ^(BW)on whom you have set your hope. ⁴⁶ For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for ^(BX)he wrote of me. ⁴⁷ But ^(BY)if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

Deliver Me, O Lord, from Evil Men

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

Nebuchadnezzar's Golden Image

3 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits^[a] and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on ^(A)the plain of Dura, in ^(B)the province of Babylon. ² Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather ^(C)the satraps, the prefects, and ^(D)the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. ³ Then ^(E)the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. ⁴ And the herald ^(F)proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O ^(G)peoples, nations, and languages, ⁵ that when you hear the ^(H)sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you ^(I)are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. ⁶ And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately ^(J)be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” ⁷ Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all ^(K)the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

The Fiery Furnace

⁸ Therefore at that time certain ^(L)Chaldeans ^(M)came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. ⁹ They declared^[b] to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! ¹⁰ You, O king, ^(N)have made a decree, that every man who ^(O)hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, ^(P)shall fall down and worship the golden image. ¹¹ And whoever does not fall down and worship ^(Q)shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. ¹² There are certain Jews whom you have ^(R)appointed over the affairs of ^(S)the province of Babylon: ^(T)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, ^(U)pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar ^(V)in furious rage commanded that ^(W)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. ¹⁴ Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? ¹⁵ Now if you are ready when ^(X)you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good.^[c] But if you do not worship, ^(Y)you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And ^(Z)who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

^16 (AA)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. ¹⁷ If this be so, ^(AB)our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.^{[d] 18} But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

¹⁹ Then Nebuchadnezzar was ^(AC)filled with fury, and the expression of his face ^(AD)was changed against ^(AE)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. ²⁰ And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army ^(AF)to bind ^(AG)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. ²¹ Then these men were ^(AH)bound in their cloaks, their tunics,^[e] their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. ²² Because the king's order was ^(AI)urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up ^(AJ)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. ²³ And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell ^(AK)bound into the burning fiery furnace.

²⁴ Then King Nebuchadnezzar was ^(AL)astonished and rose up ^(AM)in haste. He declared to his ^(AN)counselors, “Did we not cast three men ^(AO)bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” ²⁵ He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, ^(AP)walking in the midst of the fire, and they ^(AQ)are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like ^(AR)a son of the gods.”

²⁶ Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, ^(AS)“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the ^(AT)Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then ^(AU)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. ²⁷ And the ^(AV)satraps, the prefects, the governors, and ^(AW)the king's counselors gathered together and saw that ^(AX)the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their ^(AY)cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. ²⁸ Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of ^(AZ)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who ^(BA)has sent his angel and ^(BB)delivered his servants, who ^(BC)trusted in him, and set aside^[f] the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than ^(BD)serve and worship any god except their own God. ²⁹ Therefore ^(BE)I make a decree: Any ^(BF)people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of ^(BG)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego ^(BH)shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” ³⁰ Then the king promoted ^(BI)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in ^(BJ)the province of Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

4 ^[g] King Nebuchadnezzar to all ^(BK)peoples, nations, and languages, ^(BL)that dwell in all the earth: ^(BM)Peace be multiplied to you! ² It has seemed good to me to show the ^(BN)signs and wonders that the ^(BO)Most High God has done for me.

Nebuchadnezzar's Second Dream

^4 [h] I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. ⁵ I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and ^(BT)the visions of my head alarmed me. ⁶ So ^(BU)I made a decree that ^(BV)all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. ⁷ Then ^(BW)the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but ^(BX)they could not make known to me its interpretation. ⁸ At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named ^(BY)Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is ^(BZ)the spirit of the holy gods^[i]—and I told him the dream, saying, ⁹ “O Belteshazzar, ^(CA)chief of the magicians, because I know that ^(CB)the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no ^(CC)mystery is too difficult for you, tell me ^(CD)the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation. ^10 (CE)The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and ^(CF)behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. ^11 (CG)The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. ^12 (CH)Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. ^(CI)The beasts of the field found shade under it, and ^(CJ)the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

¹³ “I saw in ^(CK)the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, ^(CL)a watcher, ^(CM)a holy one, came down from heaven. ¹⁴ He ^(CN)proclaimed aloud and said thus: ^(CO)‘Chop down the tree and ^(CP)lop off its branches, ^(CQ)strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. ^(CR)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; ^(CS)and let seven periods of time ^(CT)pass over him. ¹⁷ The sentence is by the decree of ^(CU)the watchers, the decision by the word of ^(CV)the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High ^(CW)rules the kingdom of men ^(CX)and gives it to whom he will and ^(CY)sets over it the lowliest of men.’ ¹⁸ This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O ^(CZ)Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because ^(DA)all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for ^(DB)the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

Daniel Interprets the Second Dream

¹⁹ Then Daniel, whose name was ^(DC)Belteshazzar, was ^(DD)dismayed for a while, and ^(DE)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, ^(DF)may the dream be for those who hate you ^(DG)and its interpretation for your enemies! ^20 (DH)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 (DI)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 (DJ)it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. ^(DK)Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, ^(DL)and your dominion to the ends of the earth. ²³ And because the king saw ^(DM)a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ^(DN)‘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 ^(DO)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 (DP)that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made ^(DQ)to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and ^(DR)seven periods of time shall pass over you, till ^(DS)you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. ²⁶ And as it was commanded ^(DT)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 ^(DU)practicing righteousness, ^(DV)and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, ^(DW)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, ^(DX)“Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by ^(DY)my mighty power as a royal residence and for ^(DZ)the glory of my majesty?” ^31 (EA)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 (EB)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, ^(EC)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. ^(ED)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 (EE)At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and ^(EF)my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored ^(EG)him who lives forever,

³⁶ At the same time ^(EN)my reason returned to me, and for ^(EO)the glory of my kingdom, ^(EP)my majesty and splendor returned to me. ^(EQ)My counselors and ^(ER)my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was ^(ES)added to me. ³⁷ Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, ^(ET)praise and extol and honor the ^(EU)King of heaven, ^(EV)for all his works are right and his ways are just; and ^(EW)those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

The Handwriting on the Wall

5 ^(EX)King Belshazzar ^(EY)made a great feast for a thousand of his ^(EZ)lords and drank wine in front of the thousand.

^2 (FA)Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that ^(FB)the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father^[j] had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. ³ Then they brought in ^(FC)the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. ⁴ They drank wine and ^(FD)praised the ^(FE)gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

^5 (FF)Immediately ^(FG)the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw ^(FH)the hand as it wrote. ^6 (FI)Then the king's color changed, ^(FJ)and his thoughts alarmed him; ^(FK)his limbs gave way, and ^(FL)his knees knocked together. ^7 (FM)The king called loudly to bring in ^(FN)the enchanters, the ^(FO)Chaldeans, and ^(FP)the astrologers. The king declared^[k] to the wise men of Babylon, ^(FQ)“Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and ^(FR)shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” ⁸ Then all the king's wise men came in, but ^(FS)they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. ⁹ Then King Belshazzar was greatly ^(FT)alarmed, and his ^(FU)color changed, and his ^(FV)lords were perplexed.

¹⁰ The queen,^[l] because of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall, and the queen declared, ^(FW)“O king, live forever! Let not your thoughts alarm you ^(FX)or your color change. ¹¹ There is a man in your kingdom ^(FY)in whom is the spirit of the holy gods.^[m] In the days of your father, ^(FZ)light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father—your father the king—^(GA)made him chief of the magicians, ^(GB)enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, ^12 (GC)because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and ^(GD)understanding ^(GE)to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and ^(GF)solve problems were found in this Daniel, ^(GG)whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.”

Daniel Interprets the Handwriting

¹³ Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “You are that Daniel, one of ^(GH)the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah. ¹⁴ I have heard of you that ^(GI)the spirit of the gods^[n] is in you, and that ^(GJ)light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. ¹⁵ Now ^(GK)the wise men, the ^(GL)enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but ^(GM)they could not show the interpretation of the matter. ^16 (GN)But I have heard that you can give interpretations and ^(GO)solve problems. ^(GP)Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, ^(GQ)you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and ^(GR)shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

¹⁷ Then Daniel answered and said before the king, ^(GS)“Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation. ¹⁸ O king, the ^(GT)Most High God ^(GU)gave ^(GV)Nebuchadnezzar your father ^(GW)kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. ¹⁹ And because of the greatness that he gave him, ^(GX)all peoples, nations, and languages ^(GY)trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. ²⁰ But ^(GZ)when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, ^(HA)he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. ^21 (HB)He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, ^(HC)until he knew that the ^(HD)Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will. ²² And you his son,^{[o] (HE)}Belshazzar, ^(HF)have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, ²³ but you have lifted up yourself against ^(HG)the Lord of heaven. And ^(HH)the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. ^(HI)And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, ^(HJ)but the God in whose hand is your breath, and ^(HK)whose are all your ways, ^(HL)you have not honored.

²⁴ “Then from his presence ^(HM)the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. ²⁵ And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. ²⁶ This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered^[p] the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; ²⁷ Tekel, ^(HN)you have been weighed^[q] in the balances and found wanting; ²⁸ Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to ^(HO)the Medes and ^(HP)Persians.”^[r]

²⁹ Then ^(HQ)Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel ^(HR)was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

^30 (HS)That very night ^(HT)Belshazzar the ^(HU)Chaldean king was killed. ^31 [s] And ^(HV)Darius ^(HW)the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.