Old/New Testament
5 King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his princes and drank wine before the thousand.
2 And Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring him the golden and silver vessels, which his father, Nebuchadnezzar, had brought from the Temple in Jerusalem; that the king and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink from them.
3 Then were brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the Temple of the Lord’s House at Jerusalem. And the king and his princes, his wives and his concubines, drank from them.
4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
5 At the same hour, appeared fingers of a man’s hand, which wrote over near the candlestick, upon the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace. And the king saw the palm of the hand that wrote.
6 Then the king’s countenance was changed. And his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened, and his knees struck against each other.
7 Therefore, the king loudly cried that they should bring the astrologers, the Chaldeans and the soothsayers. And the king spoke, and said to the wise men of Babel, “Whoever can read this writing, and declare me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and shall have a chain of gold around his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom!”
8 Then came all the king’s wise men, but they could neither read the writing, nor show the king the interpretation.
9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed, and his princes were astonished.
10 Now the queen, by reason of the talk of the king and his princes, came into the banquet house. And the queen spoke, and said, “O king, live forever. Let not your thoughts trouble you, nor your countenance change.
11 “There is a man in your kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him whom the king Nebuchadnezzar, your father, the king, I say, your father, made chief of the enchanters, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;
12 “Because a more excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding (for he expounded dreams, and declared hard sentences, and dissolved doubts) were found in him, even in Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now, let Daniel be called. And he will declare the interpretation.”
13 Then Daniel was brought before the king. And the king spoke and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom my father the king brought out of Jewry?
14 “Now, I have heard of you; that the spirit of the holy gods is in you; and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.
15 “Now therefore, wise men and astrologers have been brought before me, that they should read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof. But they could not declare the interpretation of the thing.
16 “Then I heard of you; that you could show interpretations, and dissolve doubts. Now, if you can read the writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, you shall be clothed with purple, and shall have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
17 Then Daniel answered, and said before the king, “Keep your rewards to yourself, and give your gifts to another. I will still read the writing to the king and show him the interpretation.
18 “O king, hear. The most high God gave to Nebuchadnezzar, your father, a kingdom, and majesty, and honor, and glory.
19 “And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled, and feared before him. He put to death whom he would. He struck whom he would; whom he would he set up, and whom he would he put down.
20 “But when his heart was puffed up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his honor from him.
21 “And he was driven from the sons of men. And his heart was made like the beasts. And his dwelling was with the wild asses. They fed him with grass, like oxen. And his body was wet with the dew of the heaven, till he knew that the most high God bore rule over the kingdom of men, and that he appoints whomever he pleases over it.
22 “And you, his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all these things,
23 “But have lifted yourself up against the Lord of Heaven. And they have brought the vessels of his House before you. And you and your princes, your wives and your concubines have drunk wine in them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of brass, iron, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor understand. And the God in whose hand your breath is, and all your ways, him have you not glorified.
24 “Then was the palm of the hand sent from him and has written this writing.
25 “And this is the writing that he has written, ‘MENE, MENE, TEKEL UPHARSIN’.
26 “This is the interpretation of the thing. MENE, God has numbered your kingdom, and has finished it.
27 TEKEL, you are weighed in the balance, and are found too light.
28 PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
29 Then, at the commandment of Belshazzar, they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
30 The same night was Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldeans, killed.
31 And Darius of the Medes took the kingdom, being sixty-two years old.
6 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty governors, who should be over the whole kingdom;
2 And over these, three rulers, (of whom Daniel was one); that the governors might be accountable to them. And the king should be protected.
3 Now this Daniel was preferred above the rulers and governors, because the spirit was excellent in him. And the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
4 Therefore, the rulers and governors sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom. But they could find no charge or fault. For he was so faithful that there was no blame or fault found in him.
5 Then said these men, “We shall not find a charge against this Daniel, unless we find it against him concerning the Law of his God.”
6 Therefore, the rulers and these governors went together to the king, and said to him, “King Darius, live forever.
7 “All the rulers of your kingdom, the officers and governors, the counselors and dukes, have consulted together to make a decree for the king, and to establish a statute: that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
8 “Now, O king, confirm the decree, and seal the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which alters not.”
9 Therefore, king Darius sealed the writing and the decree.
10 Now when Daniel understood that he had sealed the writing, he went into his house, and his window being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed and praised his God, as he always did.
11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying, and making supplication to his God.
12 So they came and spoke to the king concerning the king’s decree, “Have you not sealed the decree, that every man who shall make a request to any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered, and said, “The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which alters not.”
13 Then they answered, and said to the king, “This Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, does not regard you, O king, or the decree that you have sealed, but makes his petition three times a day.”
14 When the king heard these words, he was very displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel, to deliver him. And he labored till the Sun went down, to deliver him.
15 Then these men came together, and said to the king, “Understand, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is that no decree or statute which the king confirms, may be altered.”
16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spoke, and said to Daniel, “Your God, whom you always serve, he will deliver you.”
17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his princes, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.
18 Then the king went to his palace and fasted, and no instruments of music were brought before him, and he did not sleep.
19 Then the king arose early in the morning, and went quickly to the den of lions.
20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice to Daniel. And the king spoke, and said to Daniel, “O Daniel, the servant of the living God, was not your God (whom you always serve) able to deliver you from the lions?
21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever!
22 My God has sent his Angel and has shut the lion’s mouths. And they have not hurt me. For I was justified before him. And to you, O king, I have done no harm!”
23 Then was the King exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel out of the den. So, Daniel was brought out of the den, and no manner of harm was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
24 And by the commandment of the king, these men who had accused Daniel were brought, and were cast into the den of lions; they, their children, and their wives. And the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces, before they ever hit the ground of the den.
25 Afterward, King Darius wrote, “To all people, nations and languages, who dwell in all the world: Peace be multiplied to you.
26 “I make a decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom, men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, and remains forever. And his kingdom shall not perish. And his dominion shall be everlasting.
27 “He rescues and delivers. And he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”
28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus of Persia.
7 In the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babel, Daniel saw a dream. And there were visions in his head, upon his bed: Then he wrote the dream, and declared the sum of the matter.
2 Daniel spoke and said, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of the heaven stirred up the great sea.
3 “And four great beasts came up from the sea, one diverse from another.
4 “The first was as a lion; and had eagle’s wings. I looked until the wings thereof were plucked off. And it was lifted up from the earth, and set upon his feet as a man. And a man’s heart was given him.
5 “And behold, another beast which was the second, was like a bear; and stood upon one side. And he had three ribs in his mouth, between his teeth. And they said to him, ‘Arise, and devour much flesh.’
6 “After this, I beheld, and lo, there was another, like a leopard, which had upon his back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads. And dominion was given him.
7 “After this, I saw in the visions by night. And behold, the fourth beast was fearful and terrible and very strong. It had great iron teeth. It devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue under his feet. And it was unlike the beasts that were before it. For it had ten horns.
8 “As I considered the horns, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before which three of the first horns were plucked away. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking presumptuous things.
9 “I beheld till the thrones were set up. And the Ancient of Days sat, whose garment was white as snow. And the hair of his head like the pure wool. His throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
10 “A fiery stream issued, and came forth from before him. A thousand thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand thousands stood before him. The judgment was set, and the books opened.
11 “Then I beheld, because of the voice of the presumptuous words which the horn spoke. I beheld, even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning fire.
12 “As for the other beasts, they had their dominion taken away. Yet their lives were prolonged for a certain time and season.
13 “As I beheld in visions by night, behold, one like the son of man came in the clouds of heaven, and approached the Ancient of Days. And they brought him before him.
14 “And he gave him dominion, and honor, and a kingdom; that all people, nations and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall never be taken away. And his dominion shall never be destroyed.
15 “I, Daniel, was troubled in my spirit, in the midst of my body. And the visions of my head made me afraid.
16 “Therefore I came to one of them who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and showed me the interpretation of these things.
17 “These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, who shall arise out of the earth.
18 “And they shall take the kingdom of the Saints of the most High, and shall possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.
19 “After this, I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was so unlike all the others - very fearful - whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped the residue under his feet;
20 “Also to know of the ten horns that were on his head, and of the others which came up (before whom three fell), and of the horn that had eyes, and of the mouth that spoke presumptuous things; whose look was more stout than his fellows.
21 “I beheld, and the same horn made battle against the Saints; yea, and prevailed against them;
22 Until the Ancient of Days came. And judgment was given to the Saints of the most High. And the time approached for the Saints to possess the kingdom.
23 “Then he said, ‘The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom on the earth, which shall be unlike all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth. And shall tread it down and break it in pieces.
24 ‘And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall rise. And another shall rise after them. And he shall be unlike the first. And he shall subdue three kings;
25 ‘And shall speak words against the most High, and shall consume the Saints of the most High, and think that he may change times and laws. And they shall be given into his hand until a time, and times, and the dividing of time.
26 ‘But the judges shall sit. And they shall take away his dominion to consume and destroy it to the end.
27 ‘And the kingdom, and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the holy people of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. And all powers shall serve and obey him.’
28 “This is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, had many thoughts which troubled me. And my countenance changed. But I kept the matter in my heart.”
1 The elder, To the elect Lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not only me but also all who have known the truth
2 for the truth’s sake, which dwells in us and shall be with us forever:
3 Grace be with you, mercy and peace, from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, with truth and love.
4 I rejoiced greatly that I found some of your children walking in truth, as per the Commandment we have received from the Father.
5 And now I encourage you, Lady, (not as writing a new Commandment to you, but the same which we had from the beginning) that we love one another.
6 And this is the love that we should walk in: His Commandments. This is the Commandment. As you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.
7 For many deceivers have entered into this world, who do not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. Such a one is a deceiver and an Antichrist.
8 Watch yourselves, so that we do not lose the things which we have done. But that we may receive a full reward.
9 Whoever transgresses, and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ, does not have God. The one who continues in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.
10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, neither greet him nor receive him into your house.
11 For the one who greets him shares in his evil deeds. Although I had many things to write to you, I would rather not write with paper and ink. But I trust to come to you and speak mouth to mouth, so that our joy may be full.
12 The sons of your elect Sister greet you. Amen.
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