Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁸ O Lord God of all, hear my prayer. Listen, O God of Jacob. ⁹ Look upon our safe-covering, O God. And look upon the face of Your chosen one. ¹⁰ For a day in Your house is better than a thousand outside. I would rather be the one who opens the door of the house of my God, than to live in the tents of the sinful. ¹¹ For the Lord God is a sun and a safe-covering. The Lord gives favor and honor. He holds back nothing good from those who walk in the way that is right. ¹² O Lord of all, how happy is the man who trusts in You!

Belshazzar’s Special Supper

5 King Belshazzar gave a special supper for a thousand of his important men, and drank wine with them. ² When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he had all the gold and silver cups brought which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the Lord’s house in Jerusalem. The king sent for them so that he and his important men and all his wives could drink from them. ³ So they brought the gold cups that had been taken from the house of God in Jerusalem. And the king and his important men and all his wives drank from them. ⁴ They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone.

⁵ All at once the fingers of a man’s hand were seen writing on the wall near the lamp-stand of the king’s house. And the king saw the back of the hand as it wrote. ⁶ Then the king’s face turned white, and his thoughts turned to fear. His legs became weak and his knees began shaking. ⁷ The king called in a loud voice for the wonder-workers, the men who learned from stars and those who used their secret ways. He said to the wise men of Babylon, “Any man who can read this writing and tell me what it means will be dressed with purple clothing and have a chain of gold around his neck. And he will be the third in power in the nation.” ⁸ Then all the king’s wise men came in. But they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant. ⁹ Then King Belshazzar was very afraid. His face lost even more of its color, and his important men did not know what to do.

¹⁰ The queen heard the words of the king and his men, and came into the room where they were eating. She said, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts make you afraid or your face turn white. ¹¹ There is a man in your nation who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In your father’s time light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him. And King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, made him the head of the wonder-workers, the men who learned from stars, and those who use their secret ways. ¹² This was because a special spirit was found in this Daniel whom the king called Belteshazzar. He had much learning and understanding to tell the meaning of dreams and secrets and to give answers to problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what this means.”

5 I want to speak to the church leaders among you. I am a church leader also. I saw Christ suffer and die on a cross. I will also share His shining-greatness when He comes again. ² Be good shepherds of the flock God has put in your care. Do not care for the flock as if you were made to. Do not care for the flock for money, but do it because you want to. ³ Do not be bosses over the people you lead. Live as you would like to have them live. ⁴ When the Head Shepherd comes again, you will get the crown of shining-greatness that will not come to an end.

⁵ In the same way, you younger men must obey the church leaders. Be gentle as you care for each other. God works against those who have pride. He gives His loving-favor to those who do not try to honor themselves. ⁶ So put away all pride from yourselves. You are standing under the powerful hand of God. At the right time He will lift you up. ⁷ Give all your worries to Him because He cares for you.

⁸ Keep awake! Watch at all times. The devil is working against you. He is walking around like a hungry lion with his mouth open. He is looking for someone to eat. ⁹ Stand against him and be strong in your faith. Remember, other Christians over all the world are suffering the same as you are. ¹⁰ After you have suffered for awhile, God Himself will make you perfect. He will keep you in the right way. He will give you strength. He is the God of all loving-favor and has called you through Christ Jesus to share His shining-greatness forever. ¹¹ God has power over all things forever. Let it be so.