Old/New Testament
The Gold Idol and Blazing Furnace
3 King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ·ninety feet [L sixty cubits] high and ·nine feet [L six cubits] wide [C unclear whether the statue was of Nebuchadnezzar or a Babylonian god like Marduk] and set it up on the plain of Dura [C from a Babylonian word meaning “wall” or “fortress”] in the ·area [L province] of Babylon. 2 Then he ·called for the leaders: [L …sent for] the ·governors [satraps], ·assistant governors [prefects], ·captains of the soldiers [governors], ·people who advised the king [counselors], ·keepers of the treasury [treasurers], ·judges [justices], ·rulers [magistrates], and all other officers ·in his kingdom [L of the provinces]. He wanted them to ·come [assemble] ·to the special service for [for the dedication of] the statue he had set up. 3 So ·they all [L the satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, justices, magistrates, and all other officers of the provinces] came for the ·special service [dedication] and stood in front of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then the herald [C someone who made royal announcements] said in a loud voice, “People, nations, and those of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: 5 When you hear the sound of the horns, flutes, lyres, zithers [C a string instrument], harps, pipes, and all the other musical instruments, you must ·bow [L fall] down and worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Anyone who doesn’t ·bow [L fall] down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
7 Now people, nations, and those who spoke every language were there. When they heard the sound of the horns, flutes, lyres, zithers [v. 5], pipes, and all the other musical instruments, they ·bowed [L fell] down and worshiped the gold statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 Then some ·Babylonians [L Chaldeans] came up to the king and ·began speaking against [denounced; L ate pieces of] the men of Judah. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 O king, you ·gave a command [L set a decree] that everyone who heard the horns, lyres, zithers [v. 5], harps, pipes, and all the other musical instruments would have to ·bow [L fall] down and worship the gold statue. 11 Anyone who wouldn’t ·do this [L fall down and worship] was to be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 O king, there are some men of Judah whom you ·made officers in [L appointed/delegated over] the ·area [province] of Babylon that did not pay attention to your order. Their names are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They do not serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.”
13 Nebuchadnezzar ·became very angry [flew into a rage] and called for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. When they were brought to the king, 14 Nebuchadnezzar said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you do not serve my gods nor worship the gold statue I have set up? 15 In a moment you will again hear the sound of the horns, flutes, lyres, zithers [v. 5], harps, pipes, and all the other musical instruments. If you ·bow [L fall] down and worship the statue I made, that will be good. But if you do not worship it, you will immediately be thrown into the blazing furnace. What god will be able to ·save [rescue; deliver] you from my ·power [L hands] then?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, saying, “Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves to you. 17 If you throw us into the blazing furnace, the God we ·serve [L fear; Prov. 1:7] is able to save us from the furnace. He will save us from your ·power [L hand], O king. 18 But even if God does not save us, we want you, O king, to know this: We will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up [Ex. 20:3–6].”
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and ·he changed his mind [or his appearance changed; L his image/visage of his face changed]. He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual. 20 Then he commanded some of the ·strongest soldiers in his army [L men mighty in strength] to ·tie up [bind] Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.
21 So ·Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego [L the men] were ·tied up [bound] and thrown into the blazing furnace while still wearing their ·robes [tunics], trousers, turbans, and other clothes. 22 The king’s command was ·very strict [urgent], and the furnace was made so hot that the flames killed the strong soldiers who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the furnace. 23 Firmly tied, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell into the blazing furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was so surprised that he ·jumped to his feet [rose up in haste]. He asked the men who advised him, “Didn’t we tie up only three men and throw them into the fire?”
They answered, “·Yes [True], O king.”
25 The king said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire. They are not ·tied [bound] up, and they are not ·burned [hurt]. The fourth man looks like a son of the gods [C a divine figure].”
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar ·went to [approached] the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, come out! Servants of the Most High God, come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire. 27 When they came out, the ·governors [satraps], ·assistant governors [prefects], ·captains of the soldiers [governors], and ·royal advisers [counselors] crowded around them and saw that the fire had ·not harmed [L no power over] their bodies. Their hair was not ·burned [singed], their ·robes [tunics] were not burned, and they didn’t even smell like smoke!
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “·Praise [Blessed be] the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Their God has sent his ·angel [or messenger] and ·saved [rescued; delivered] his servants from the fire! These three men trusted their God and ·refused to obey [defied] ·my [L the king’s] command. They were willing to ·die [L forfeit/yield up their bodies] rather than serve or worship any god other than their own God. 29 So I now give this ·command [decree]: Anyone from any nation or ·language [L tongue] who says anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be torn ·apart [limb from limb] and have his house turned into a pile of stones [2:5; Ezra 6:11]. No other god can ·save [rescue; deliver] his people like this.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the ·area [province] of Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of a Tree
4 King Nebuchadnezzar to the people, nations, and ·those who speak every language [L tongues that live] in all the world [C a typical letter opening]:
·I wish you peace and great wealth [L May your peace/prosperity increase]!
2 The Most High God has done ·miracles [signs] and wonderful things for me that I am happy to tell you about.
3 His wonderful acts are great,
and his ·miracles [signs] are mighty.
His kingdom ·goes on forever [L is an eternal kingdom],
and his ·rule [sovereignty] continues from ·now on [L generation to generation].
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was ·happy [at ease] in my house and ·successful [living luxuriously] at my palace, 5 but I ·had [L saw] a dream that ·made me afraid [disturbed me]. As I was lying on my bed, I saw ·pictures [fantasies] and visions in my ·mind [head] that ·alarmed [scared; terrified] me. 6 So I ·ordered [L set a decree for] all the wise men of Babylon to ·come [be presented] to me and tell me ·what my dream meant [its interpretation]. 7 The ·fortune-tellers [diviners], ·magicians [enchanters], ·wise men [L Chaldeans; 2:2], and exorcists came, and I told them about the dream. But they could not tell me ·what it meant [its interpretation].
8 Finally, Daniel came to me. (I called him Belteshazzar ·to honor [L after the name of] my god [1:7], because ·the spirit of the holy gods [or a holy, divine spirit] is in him.) I told my dream to him. 9 I said, “Belteshazzar, you are the ·most important of all [L chief of] the ·fortune-tellers [diviners]. I know that ·the spirit of the holy gods [or a holy, divine spirit] is in you, so there is no ·secret [mystery] that is too ·hard for you to understand [difficult for you]. ·This was what I dreamed [L The dream I saw]; tell me ·what it means [its interpretation]. 10 These are the visions [L of my head] I saw while I was lying in my bed: I looked, and there in front of me was a tree standing in the ·middle [center] of the earth. And it was very tall. 11 The tree grew large and strong. The top ·touched [reached] the ·sky [heavens] and could be seen ·from anywhere on [L to the ends of the] earth. 12 The leaves of the tree were beautiful. It had plenty of good fruit on it, enough food for everyone. The ·wild animals [L animals of the field] found shelter under the tree, and the birds of the ·sky [heavens] lived in its branches. Every animal ate from it.
13 “As I was looking ·at those things in the vision while lying [L at the visions of my head] on my bed, I saw an ·observer, a holy angel [L holy watcher] coming down from heaven. 14 He spoke very loudly and said, ‘Cut down the tree and cut off its branches. Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals under the tree ·run away [flee], and ·let the birds in its branches fly away [L the birds from its branches]. 15 But leave the stump and its roots in the ground with a band of iron and bronze around it; let it stay in the field with the grass around it.
“‘Let the man become wet with dew of ·the sky [heaven], and let him live among the animals [L of the field] and ·plants [grass] of the earth. 16 Let ·him not think like a human any longer [L his heart/mind be changed from human; C he will be deranged], but let him have the ·mind [heart] of an animal for seven ·years [L periods; times].
17 “‘The ·observers [watchers; v. 13] gave this ·command [decree]; the holy ones declared the ·sentence [decision]. This is so all people may know that the Most High God ·rules [is sovereign] over every kingdom ·on earth [L of humans]. God gives those kingdoms to anyone he wants, and he chooses people to rule them who are ·not proud [L low].’
18 “That is what I, King Nebuchadnezzar, dreamed. Now Belteshazzar [C another name for Daniel; 1:7], tell me ·what the dream means [its interpretation]. None of the wise men in my kingdom can explain ·it to me [its interpretation], but you can, because ·the spirit of the holy gods [or a holy, divine spirit] is in you.”
Daniel Explains the Dream
19 Then Daniel, ·who was called [L whose name is] Belteshazzar [1:7], was very quiet for a while, because his understanding of the dream ·frightened [scared; terrified] him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its ·meaning [interpretation] ·make you afraid [terrify you].”
Then Belteshazzar answered, “My master, I wish the dream were about your enemies, and I wish its ·meaning [interpretation] were for those who are against you! 20 You saw a tree in your dream that grew large and strong. Its top ·touched [reached] the ·sky [heavens], and it could be seen from all over the earth. 21 Its leaves were beautiful, and it had plenty of fruit for everyone to eat. It was a home for the ·wild animals [L animals of the field], and its branches were nesting places for the birds of the ·sky [heavens]. 22 O king, you are that tree! You have become great and powerful, like the tall tree that ·touched [reached] the ·sky [heavens]. Your ·power [sovereignty] reaches to the ·far parts [ends] of the earth.
23 “O king, you saw an ·observer, a holy angel [L holy watcher], coming down from heaven who said, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it. But leave the stump and its roots in the ground with a band of iron and bronze around it; leave it in the field with the grass. Let him become wet with dew and live like a ·wild animal [L animal of the field] for seven ·years [L periods; times].’
24 “This is the ·meaning of the dream [interpretation], O king. The Most High God has ·commanded [decreed] these things to happen to my master the king: 25 You will be ·forced [driven] away from people to live among the ·wild animals [L animals of the field]. People will feed you grass like an ox, and dew from the ·sky [heavens] will make you wet. Seven ·years [L periods; times] will pass, and then you will learn this lesson: The Most High God is ·ruler [sovereign] over every kingdom on earth, and he gives those kingdoms to anyone he chooses.
26 “Since the stump of the tree and its roots were left in the ground, your kingdom will be given back to you when you learn that ·one in heaven rules your kingdom [L heaven is sovereign]. 27 So, O king, please accept my advice. ·Stop sinning [Atone for/L Break off your sins] and ·do what is right [be righteous]. Stop doing wicked things and be kind to the ·poor [oppressed]. Then you might continue to be ·successful [prosperous].”
The King’s Dream Comes True
28 All these things happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 Twelve months later as he was walking on the roof [C the flat roofs of ancient Near Eastern houses were used as living space] of his palace in Babylon, 30 he said, “·I have built this great Babylon as [L Is this not Babylon the great which I built as…?] my royal home. I built it by my power to show my glory and my majesty.”
31 The words were still in his mouth when a voice from heaven said, “King Nebuchadnezzar, ·these things will happen to you [L to you it is declared]: ·Your royal power [L The kingdom] has been taken away from you. 32 You will be ·forced [driven] away from people. You will live with the ·wild animals [L animals of the field] and will be fed grass like an ox. Seven ·years [L periods; times] will pass before you learn this lesson: The Most High God ·rules [is sovereign] over every kingdom on earth and gives those kingdoms to anyone he chooses [v. 25].”
33 Immediately the ·words [sentence] came true. Nebuchadnezzar was ·forced to go [driven] away from people, and he began eating grass like an ox. He became wet from dew. His hair grew long like the feathers of an eagle, and his nails grew like the claws of a bird.
34 “At the end of ·that time [L the days], I, Nebuchadnezzar, ·looked up [L lifted my eyes] toward heaven [C acknowledging God’s supremacy], and ·I could think normally again [L my reason was restored to me]! Then I ·gave praise to [blessed] the Most High God; I gave honor and glory to him who lives forever.
“God’s ·rule is forever [L sovereignty is an eternal sovereignty],
and his kingdom continues for ·all time [L all generations].
35 People on earth
are ·not truly important [counted as nothing].
God does what he ·wants [wills]
with the ·powers [hosts; armies] of heaven [C angelic powers]
and the people on earth.
No one can stop his powerful hand
or ·question what he does [L say, ‘What are you doing?’].
36 “At that time ·I could think normally again [L my reason returned to me], and God gave back my great honor and power and returned the glory to my kingdom. ·The people who advised me [My counselors] and the royal family came to me for help again. I became king again and was even greater and more powerful than before. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and ·honor [extol] and glorify the King of heaven. ·Everything he does [All his works] is ·right [truth] and ·fair [L his ways are just], and he is able to ·make proud people humble [L bring low those who walk in pride].”
Faith in the Son of God
5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the ·Christ [Messiah] is ·God’s child [L born of/begotten by God], and whoever loves the Father also loves the ·Father’s children [L one born of/begotten by him]. 2 ·This is how [By/In this] we know we love God’s children: when we love God and ·obey [perform; carry out] his commands. 3 ·Loving God means [L For this is the love of God:] ·obeying [keeping] his commands. And God’s commands are not ·too hard [burdensome] for us [Matt. 11:30], 4 because everyone who is ·a child of [L born of; begotten of] God ·conquers [defeats; overcomes] the world. And this is the ·victory [conquest] that ·conquers [defeats; overcomes] the world—our faith. 5 ·So the one who conquers the world is [or Who is it that conquers/defeats/overcomes the world but…?] the person who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
6 Jesus Christ is the One who came by water [C likely a reference to Jesus’ baptism] and blood [C a reference to his death]. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit ·says that this is true [is the one who testifies/bears witness; Mark 1:11; John 1:32–34], because the Spirit is the truth. 7 ·So [or For] there are three ·witnesses[a] [who testify/bear witness]: 8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three witnesses ·agree [L are one]. 9 ·We believe people when they say something is true. But what God says is more important [L If we accept the witness/testimony of people, the witness/testimony of God is better], ·and he has told us the truth about his own Son [L because this is the witness/testimony God has given about his Son]. 10 Anyone who believes in the Son of God ·has the truth that God told us [or has the internal testimony of the Holy Spirit; or has the testimony of the eyewitnesses (see 1:1–4); L has the witness/testimony in himself]. Anyone who does not believe makes God a liar [1:10], because that person does not believe ·what God told us [L the witness/testimony that God witnessed/testified to] about his Son. 11 This is ·what God told us [L the witness/testimony]: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life, but whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
We Have Eternal Life Now
13 ·I write this letter [L I have written these things] to you who believe in the [L name of the] Son of God so you will know you have eternal life. 14 And this is the ·boldness [confidence] we have ·in God’s presence [L before God; 3:21]: that if we ask God for anything ·that agrees with what he wants [L according to his will], he hears us. 15 [L And] If we know he hears us ·every time we ask him [in whatever we ask], we know we have what we ask from him [3:21–22; Mark 11:24].
16 If anyone sees a brother or sister [C fellow believer] sinning (sin that does not lead to ·eternal death [L death]), that person should ·pray [ask; intercede], and God will give the sinner life. I am talking about people whose sin does not lead to ·eternal death [L death]. There is ·sin [or a sin] that leads to [eternal] death [C probably referring to the false teachers, their rejection of the Spirit’s work having put them beyond repentance; compare Mark 3:29]. I do not mean that a person should ·pray [ask; intercede] about that sin. 17 ·Doing wrong is always sin [L All unrighteousness is sin], but there is sin that does not lead to ·eternal death [L death].
18 We know that those who ·are God’s children [L are born of/begotten by God] do not ·continue to sin [L sin; 3:6, 9]. The ·Son of God [L the one born of/begotten by God; C Jesus] ·keeps them safe [protects them], and the Evil One [C the Devil] cannot ·touch [harm] them. 19 We know that we ·belong to God [or are children of God; L are of God], but the Evil One controls the whole world. 20 We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we can know the True One. And ·our lives [L we] are in the True One and in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and the eternal life.
21 So, dear children [2:1], ·keep yourselves away [guard yourselves] from ·false gods [L idols; C either literal idols or false ideas about God].
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