Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
16 Preserve me, O God. For in You do I trust.
2 O my soul, you have said to the LORD, “You are my LORD. My goodness is not, but for You.”
3 To the saints who are on the Earth, and to the excellent, all my delight is in them.
4 The sorrows of those who offer to another god shall be multiplied. Their offerings of blood I will not offer; nor make mention of their names with my lips.
5 The LORD is the portion of my inheritance, and of my cup. You shall maintain my lot.
6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. Indeed, I have a fair heritage.
7 I will praise the LORD Who has given me counsel. My core also teaches me in the nights.
8 I have set the LORD always before me. For He is at my right hand. Therefore, I shall not slide.
9 Therefore, my heart is glad. And my tongue rejoices. My flesh, also, rests in hope.
10 For You will not leave my soul in the grave. Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
11 You will show me the path of life. In Your presence is the fullness of joy. And at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore. The prayer of David.
4 So came the enchanters, the astrologers, the Chaldeans and the soothsayers, to whom I told the dream. But they could not show me the interpretation thereof.
5 Till at the last, Daniel came before me, (whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, who has the spirit of the holy gods in him). And before him I told the dream, saying,
6 “O Belteshazzar, chief of the enchanters, because I know, that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no secret troubles you, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.
7 “Thus were the visions of my head in my bed. And behold, I saw a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great;
8 “A great tree and strong. And the height thereof reached to heaven, and the sight thereof to the ends of all the earth.
9 “The boughs thereof were fair and the fruit thereof much. And in it was food for all. It made a shadow under it for the beasts of the field. And the birds of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof. And all flesh fed from it.
10 “I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and behold, a watchman and a holy one came down from heaven,
11 “And cried aloud, and said, ‘Cut down the tree, and break off his branches. Shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit, that the beasts may flee from under it, and the birds from his branches.
12 ‘Nevertheless, leave the stump of its roots in the earth, and with a band of iron and brass bind it among the grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts among the grass of the field.
13 ‘Let his heart be changed from man’s nature, and let a beast’s heart be given to him, and let seven times pass over him.
14 ‘The command is according to the decree of the watchmen, and according to the word of the holy ones, to the intent that living men may know that the most High has power over the kingdom of men; and gives it to whomever he will; and appoints over it the lowest among men.’
15 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Therefore, you, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof. For all the wise men of my kingdom are unable to show me the interpretation. But you are able. For the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
16 Then Daniel (whose name was Belteshazzar) was astonished for one hour. And his thoughts troubled him. And the king spoke and said, “Belteshazzar, let neither the dream, nor the interpretation thereof, trouble you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, the dream is for those who hate you, and the interpretation thereof for your enemies.
17 “The tree that you saw, which was great and mighty, whose height reached to the heaven, and the sight thereof through all the world,
18 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much; and in it was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the birds of the heaven sat -
11 But you, O man of God, flee these things! And pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness.
12 Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you are also called and have professed a good profession before many witnesses.
13 I charge you in the sight of God Who quickens all things, and before Jesus Christ Who witnessed a good confession under Pontius Pilate,
14 that you keep this commandment spotless and irreproachable until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ;
15 which He Who is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, shall show in due time.
16 He alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, Whom no man ever saw nor can see, and to whom be honor and power everlasting, Amen.
17 Charge those who are rich in this world not to be high-minded, and not to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God Who abundantly gives us all things to enjoy;
18 to do good and be rich in good works. And be generous and ready to share,
19 laying up in treasure for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, so that they may obtain eternal life.
20 O Timothy, keep that which was entrusted to you. And avoid profane and empty babblings and so-called oppositions of “science”.
21 By professing it, some have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.
(The first Epistle to Timothy, written from Laodicea, the chief city of Phrygia Pacatiana)
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