Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

To the Director: With stringed instruments. A Davidic Psalm

Trust God under Adversity

² “At that time I, Daniel, had been mourning for three straight weeks.^{[a] 3} I ate no fancy foods—neither meat nor wine entered my mouth. Furthermore, I didn’t use any ointment until the end of the entire three weeks.^{[b] 4} On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, while I was beside the bank of the great Tigris^[c] River, ⁵ I lifted up my eyes to look, and to my surprise, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose waist was encircled with gold from Uphaz! ⁶ His body was like beryl,^[d] his face flashed like lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and legs were like polished bronze, and his speech roared^[e] like that of a crowd.

⁷ “Now I, Daniel, was the only one to receive the vision—the men who were with me didn’t see it.^[f] However, an enormous fear overwhelmed them, so they ran away to hide, ⁸ and I was left alone to observe this magnificent vision. Nevertheless, no strength remained in me—my face lost its color, and I became weak. ⁹ As I listened to the sound of his words, I fell down on my face unconscious, with my face to the ground.”

Daniel is Given Understanding

¹⁰ “All of a sudden, a hand touched me and lifted me upon my hands and knees. ¹¹ He told me, ‘Daniel, man highly regarded, understand the message that I’m about to relate to you. Stand up, because I’ve been sent to you.’ When he spoke this statement to me, I stood there trembling.

¹² “‘Don’t be afraid, Daniel,’ he told me, ‘because from the first day that you committed yourself to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I’ve come in answer to^[g] your prayers. ¹³ However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for 21 days. Then all of a sudden, Michael, one of the chief angels,^[h] came to assist me! I had been detained there near the kings of Persia. ¹⁴ Now I’ve come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the days to come, because the vision pertains to those days.’

¹⁵ “After he had spoken to me like this, I bowed my face to the ground, unable to speak. ¹⁶ But suddenly someone who resembled a human being touched my lips, so addressing the one who was standing in front of me, I opened my mouth and said, ‘Sir,^[i] I’m overwhelmed with anguish by this vision. I have no strength left.^{[j] 17} So how can a servant of my lord talk with someone like you, sir?^[k] And as for me, there’s no strength left in me, and I can hardly breathe.’

¹⁸ “Then this person who looked like a man touched me again and strengthened me ¹⁹ and said, ‘Don’t be afraid, man highly regarded. Be at peace, and be strong.’

“As soon as he spoke to me, I gained strength and replied, ‘Sir, please^[l] speak, now that you’ve strengthened me.’

²⁶ I have written^[a] to you about those who are trying to deceive you. ²⁷ The anointing you received from God^[b] abides in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you this.^[c] Instead, because God’s^[d] anointing teaches you about everything and is true and not a lie, abide in him, as he taught you to do.^[e]

Abide in Him

²⁸ Even now, little children, abide in him. Then, when he appears, we will have confidence and will not turn away from him in shame when he comes.