Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
A Song of Praise
133 See, how good and how pleasing it is for brothers to live together as one! 2 It is like oil of great worth poured on the head, flowing down through the hair on the face, even the face of Aaron, and flowing down to his coat. 3 It is like the morning water of Hermon coming down upon the hills of Zion. For there the Lord has given the gift of life that lasts forever.
Daniel Tells the Meaning to the King
24 So Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had told to kill the wise men of Babylon. He went and said to him, “Do not kill the wise men of Babylon! Take me to the king, and I will tell him what his dream means.”
25 Then Arioch brought Daniel to the king in a hurry, and said to him, “I have found a man among those brought out of Judah who can tell the king the meaning of his dream!” 26 The king said to Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), “Are you able to tell me the dream I had, and what it means?” 27 Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, wonder-workers, or men who use secret ways can make this dream known to the king. 28 But there is a God in heaven who makes secrets known. And He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the future. This was the special dream you had while you were on your bed. 29 O king, while on your bed your thoughts turned to what would happen in the future. And He Who makes secrets known has let you know what will happen. 30 But this secret has not been made known to me because I am wiser than any other living man. It was made known to me so that I can make it known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.
31 “O king, you were looking and saw a great object. The object was large and very bright, and it was standing in front of you. It filled you with fear and wonder as you looked at it. 32 The object’s head was made of fine gold. Its breast and arms were made of silver. Its stomach and thighs were made of brass. 33 Its legs were made of iron, and its feet were part iron and part clay. 34 While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It fell and hit the large object on its feet of iron and clay, and crushed them. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like dust on the grain-floor in the summer. The wind carried the dust away so nothing was to be found. But the stone that hit the large object became a large mountain and filled the whole earth.
36 “This was the dream. Now we will tell the king what it means. 37 You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you the nation, the power, the strength, and the honor. 38 In every place where people live, or the animals of the field, or the birds of the air, He has given them to you and has caused you to rule over them all. You are the head of gold. 39 After you there will be another nation that is not as great as yours. A third nation of brass will come, which will rule over all the earth. 40 Then there will be a fourth nation, as strong as iron. Iron crushes and breaks all things. So, like iron breaks things to pieces, this nation will crush and break all the others. 41 Just as you saw the feet and toes made of part clay and part iron, it will be a divided nation. But it will have some of the strength of iron, just as you saw the iron mixed with the clay. 42 As the toes of the feet were made of part iron and part clay, so some of the nation will be strong and part of it will be weak. 43 As you saw the iron mixed with clay, they will try to join with one another. But they will not stay together any more than iron mixes with clay. 44 In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a nation which will never be destroyed. And it will never be taken by another people. It will crush and put an end to all these nations, but it will last forever. 45 You saw how a stone was cut out of the mountain by no human hands, and how it crushed the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold. The great God has shown the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true. And I have given you its true meaning.”
Daniel Becomes Ruler of Babylon
46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and gave honor to Daniel. He had a gift and special perfume brought to him. 47 The king said to Daniel, “For sure your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and He makes hidden things known. For you have been able to make known this secret.” 48 Then the king gave Daniel much power and gave him many great gifts. He made him ruler over the whole land of Babylon and the head of all the wise men of Babylon. 49 And Daniel asked the king to put Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego as leaders over the land of Babylon, while Daniel stayed near the king.
Jesus and His Father Are One
44 Then Jesus spoke with a loud voice, “Anyone who puts his trust in Me, puts his trust not only in Me, but in Him Who sent Me. 45 Anyone who sees Me, sees Him Who sent Me. 46 I came to the world to be a Light. Anyone who puts his trust in Me will not be in darkness. 47 If anyone hears My Words but does not believe them, I do not say he is guilty. I did not come to say the world is guilty. I came to save the world from the punishment of sin. 48 Anyone who does not receive Me and does not receive My teaching has One Who will say he is guilty. The Word that I have spoken will say he is guilty on the last day. 49 I have not spoken by My own power. The Father Who sent Me has told Me what to say and speak. 50 I know that His Word is life that lasts forever. I speak the things the Father has told Me to speak.”
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