Old/New Testament
Belshazzar’s Feast
5 Belshazzar the king [a]held a great (A)feast for one thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand. 2 When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he said to bring the gold and silver (B)vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his [b]father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. 3 Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem; and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. 4 They (C)drank the wine and praised the gods of (D)gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.
5 Suddenly the fingers of a man’s hand came out and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the [c]back of the hand that did the writing. 6 Then the [d](E)splendor of the king’s face changed, and his thoughts alarmed him, and his (F)hip joints [e]went slack, and his (G)knees were knocking against each other. 7 The king called out loudly to bring in the (H)conjurers, the [f]Chaldeans, and the diviners. The king answered and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Any man who can read this writing and declare its interpretation to me shall be (I)clothed with purple and have a (J)necklace of gold around his neck and rule with power as [g](K)third ruler in the kingdom.” 8 Then all the king’s wise men came in, but (L)they could not read the writing or make known its interpretation to the king. 9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly (M)alarmed, and the [h](N)splendor of his face changed further, and his nobles were perplexed.
10 The queen entered the banquet [i]hall because of the words of the king and his nobles; the queen answered and said, “(O)O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you or the [j]splendor of your face be changed. 11 There is a (P)man in your kingdom in whom is [k]a (Q)spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father, illumination, insight, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him. And King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, your father [l](R)the king, set him as chief of the [m]magicians, conjurers, [n]Chaldeans, and diviners. 12 This was because an (S)extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation of dreams, explanation of enigmas, and [o]solving of difficult problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named (T)Belteshazzar. Let Daniel now be summoned, and he will declare the interpretation.”
Daniel Interprets the Writing on the Wall
13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is one of the [p](U)exiles from Judah, whom my father the king (V)brought from Judah? 14 Now I have heard about you that [q]a spirit of the gods is in you, and that illumination, insight, and extraordinary wisdom have been found in you. 15 Just now the (W)wise men and the conjurers were brought in before me that they might read this writing and make its interpretation known to me, but they (X)could not declare the interpretation of the [r]message. 16 But I personally have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and [s]solve difficult problems. Now if you are able to read the writing and make its (Y)interpretation known to me, you will be (Z)clothed with purple and wear a necklace of gold around your neck, and you will rule with power as the [t]third ruler in the kingdom.”
17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your (AA)gifts remain with you or give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the writing to the king and make the interpretation known to him. 18 [u]O king, the (AB)Most High God (AC)granted the kingdom, (AD)grandeur, glory, and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father. 19 And because of the grandeur which He bestowed on him, all the peoples, nations, and men of every tongue feared and were in dread before him; (AE)whomever he wished he killed, and whomever he wished he kept alive, and whomever he wished he raised up, and whomever he wished he made low. 20 But when his heart was (AF)raised up and his spirit became so (AG)strong that he behaved arrogantly, he was (AH)deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken away from him. 21 He was also (AI)driven away from the sons of [v]men, and his heart was made like that of beasts, and his place of habitation was with the (AJ)wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of the sky until he knew that the (AK)Most High God is the powerful ruler over the kingdom of mankind and that He sets up over it whomever He wishes. 22 Yet you, his [w]son, Belshazzar, have (AL)not made your heart lowly, [x]even though you knew all this, 23 but you have (AM)raised yourself up against the (AN)Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the (AO)gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear, or know. But the God (AP)in whose hand are your life-breath and all your (AQ)ways, you have not honored. 24 Then the [y](AR)hand was sent from Him, and this writing was [z]inscribed.
25 “Now this is the writing that was [aa]inscribed: ‘[ab]MENĒ, [ac]MENĒ, [ad]TEKĒL, [ae]UPHARSIN.’ 26 This is the interpretation of the [af]message: ‘MENĒ’—God has numbered your kingdom and (AS)put an end to it. 27 ‘TEKĒL’—you have been (AT)weighed on the scales and found lacking. 28 ‘PERĒS’—your kingdom has been divided and given over to the (AU)Medes and [ag]Persians.”
29 Then Belshazzar said the word, and they (AV)clothed Daniel with purple and put a necklace of gold around his neck and issued a proclamation concerning him that he now would be the [ah]third powerful ruler in the kingdom.
30 That same night (AW)Belshazzar the Chaldean king was (AX)killed.
31 [ai]So (AY)Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two.
Darius’ Officials Seek to Accuse Daniel
6 [aj]It seemed good to Darius that he set 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they would be in charge of the whole kingdom, 2 and over them three commissioners (of whom (AZ)Daniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer (BA)loss. 3 Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself [ak]among the commissioners and satraps because an (BB)extraordinary spirit was in him, and the king planned to set him over the (BC)entire kingdom. 4 Then the commissioners and satraps began (BD)seeking to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to matters of the kingdom; but they were not able to find (BE)any ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the (BF)law of his God.”
6 Then these commissioners and satraps came [al]by agreement to the king and said thus to him: “King Darius, (BG)live forever! 7 All the (BH)commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have (BI)counseled together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who seeks to make a petition [am]to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall (BJ)be cast into the lions’ [an]den. 8 Now, O king, (BK)establish the injunction and [ao]sign the written document so that it may not be changed, according to the (BL)law of the Medes and Persians, which [ap]may not be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius (BM)signed the written document, that is, the injunction.
10 Now when Daniel knew that the written document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open (BN)toward Jerusalem); and he continued (BO)kneeling on his knees three times a day, (BP)praying and (BQ)giving thanks before his God, [aq]as he had been doing previously. 11 Then these men came [ar](BR)by agreement and found Daniel seeking to make a petition and making supplication before his God. 12 Then they came near and (BS)said before the king concerning the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who seeks to make a petition [as]to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king answered and said, “The word is certain, according to the (BT)law of the Medes and Persians, which [at]may not be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and said before the king, “(BU)Daniel, who is one of the [au]exiles from Judah, pays (BV)no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps seeking to make his petition three times a day.”
14 Then, as soon as the king heard this word, he was greatly (BW)distressed within himself and set his mind on saving Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to deliver him. 15 Then these men came [av]by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a (BX)law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”
Daniel in the Lions’ Den
16 Then the king said the word, and Daniel was brought in and (BY)cast into the lions’ den. The king answered and said to Daniel, “[aw](BZ)Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself save you.” 17 And a (CA)stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel. 18 Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night (CB)fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his (CC)sleep fled from him.
19 Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and hurriedly went to the lions’ den. 20 When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king answered and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has (CD)your God, whom you constantly serve, been (CE)able to save you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel spoke [ax]to the king, “(CF)O king, live forever! 22 My God (CG)sent His angel and (CH)shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as [ay]I was found innocent before Him; and also [az]toward you, O king, I have done no harm.” 23 Then the king was greatly pleased and said for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and (CI)no harm whatsoever was found on him because he had (CJ)believed in his God. 24 The king then said the word, and they brought those men who had [ba]brought charges against Daniel, and they (CK)cast them, their (CL)children, and their wives into the lions’ den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
25 Then Darius the king wrote to all the (CM)peoples, nations, and men of every tongue who were inhabiting all the land: “(CN)May your [bb]peace abound! 26 [bc]I (CO)make a decree that in all the [bd]dominion of my kingdom, men are to fear and be in dread before the God of Daniel;
For He is the (CP)living God and (CQ)enduring forever,
And (CR)His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed,
And His [be]dominion will be unto the end.
27 He saves and delivers and does (CS)signs and wonders
In heaven and on earth,
Who has also saved Daniel from the [bf]power of the lions.”
28 So this (CT)Daniel enjoyed success in the kingdom of Darius and in the kingdom of (CU)Cyrus the Persian.
The Vision of the Four Beasts
7 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel saw a (CV)dream and visions in his head as he lay on his bed; then he (CW)wrote the dream down and said the [bg]following summary of the matter. 2 Daniel answered and said, “I was (CX)looking in my vision by night, and behold, the (CY)four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. 3 And four great (CZ)beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another. 4 The first was (DA)like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; and a heart of a man was given to it. 5 And behold, another beast, a second one in the likeness of a bear. And it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and thus they said to it, ‘Arise, devour much meat!’ 6 After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, (DB)like a leopard, which had on its [bh]back four wings of a bird; the beast also had (DC)four heads, and [bi]dominion was given to it. 7 After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a (DD)fourth beast, fearsome and terrifying and extraordinarily strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had (DE)ten horns. 8 While I was contemplating the horns, behold, (DF)another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, [bj]this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and (DG)a mouth speaking great boasts.
The Ancient of Days
9 “I kept looking
Until (DH)thrones were set up,
And the Ancient of Days was seated;
His (DI)clothing was like white snow
And the (DJ)hair of His head like pure wool.
His (DK)throne was [bk]ablaze with fire,
Its (DL)wheels were a burning fire.
10 A river of (DM)fire was flowing
And coming out from before Him;
(DN)Thousands upon thousands were attending Him,
And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him;
The (DO)court sat,
And (DP)the books were opened.
11 Then I kept looking because of the sound of the great boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was killed, and its body was destroyed and given to the (DQ)burning [bl]fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their [bm]dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was given to them for an appointed season of time.
The Son of Man
13 “I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a (DR)Son of Man was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And came near before Him.
14 And to Him was given [bn](DS)dominion,
Glory, and (DT)a kingdom,
(DU)That all the peoples, nations, and men of every tongue
Might serve Him.
(DV)His [bo]dominion is an everlasting [bp]dominion
Which will not be taken away;
(DW)And His kingdom is one
Which will not be destroyed.
The Vision Interpreted
15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed [bq]within me, and the (DX)visions of my head kept (DY)alarming me. 16 I came near to one of those who were (DZ)standing by and began seeking out from him the [br]exact meaning of all this. So he (EA)said it to me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: 17 ‘These great beasts, which are four in number, are four kings who will arise from the earth. 18 But the [bs](EB)saints of the Highest One will (EC)receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, [bt]for all ages to come.’
19 “Then I desired to know the [bu]exact meaning of the (ED)fourth beast, which was different from all [bv]the others, extraordinarily fearsome, with its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, and which devoured, crushed, and trampled down the remainder with its feet, 20 and the meaning of the ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up and before which three of them fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth speaking great boasts and [bw]which was larger in appearance than its associates. 21 I kept looking, and that horn was (EE)waging war with the saints and overcoming them 22 until the Ancient of Days came and (EF)judgment was given in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the season arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom.
23 “Thus he said: ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. 24 As for the (EG)ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will make low three kings. 25 He will (EH)speak words against the (EI)Most High and (EJ)wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make (EK)changes in seasons and in law; and [bx]they will be given into his hand for a [by](EL)time, [bz]times, and half a [ca]time. 26 But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be (EM)taken away, [cb]annihilated and destroyed [cc]forever. 27 Then the [cd](EN)reign, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an (EO)everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will (EP)serve and obey Him.’
28 “[ce]At this point the matter of this revelation ended. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts were (EQ)greatly alarming me, and the [cf]splendor of my face changed, but I (ER)kept the matter in my heart.”
Walk in Truth and Love
1 (A)The elder to the (B)elect (C)lady and her children, whom I (D)love in truth, and not only I, but also all who (E)know the truth, 2 for (F)the sake of the truth which abides (G)in us and will be (H)with us forever: 3 (I)Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
4 (J)I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we received commandment from the Father. 5 Now I ask you, lady, (K)not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had (L)from the beginning, that we (M)love one another. 6 And (N)this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, (O)just as you have heard (P)from the beginning, that you should walk in it.
7 For (Q)many deceivers have (R)gone out into the world, those who (S)do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is (T)the deceiver and the (U)antichrist. 8 (V)See to yourselves, (W)that you do not lose what we accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. 9 [a]Anyone who [b]goes too far and (X)does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. The one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, (Y)do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting, 11 for the one who gives him a greeting [c](Z)participates in his evil deeds.
12 (AA)Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that [d]your (AB)joy may be made complete.
13 The children of your (AC)elect sister greet you.
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