Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

A Poem by David.

⁴ I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace. ⁵ I saw a dream which made me afraid; and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. ⁶ Therefore I made a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. ⁷ Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in; and I told them the dream, but they didn’t make known to me its interpretation. ⁸ But at last, Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. I told the dream before him, saying,

⁹ “Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, 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 its interpretation. ¹⁰ These were the visions of my head on my bed: I saw, and behold, a tree in the middle of the earth; and its height was great. ¹¹ The tree grew and was strong. Its height reached to the sky and its sight to the end of all the earth. ¹² Its leaves were beautiful, and it had much fruit, and in it was food for all. The animals of the field had shade under it, and the birds of the sky lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

¹³ “I saw in the visions of my head on my bed, and behold, a holy watcher came down from the sky. ¹⁴ He cried aloud and said this: ‘Cut down the tree, and cut off its branches! Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit! Let the animals get away from under it and the birds from its branches. ¹⁵ Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of the sky. Let his portion be with the animals in the grass of the earth. ¹⁶ Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let an animal’s heart be given to him. Then let seven times pass over him.

¹⁷ “‘The sentence is by the decree of the watchers and the demand by the word of the holy ones, to the intent that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will, and sets up over it the lowest of men.’

¹⁸ “This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen; and you, Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

¹¹ But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses. ¹³ I command you before God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who before Pontius Pilate testified the good confession, ¹⁴ that you keep the commandment without spot, blameless until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which at the right time he will show, who is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords. ¹⁶ He alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen nor can see, to whom be honor and eternal power. Amen.

¹⁷ Charge those who are rich in this present age that they not be arrogant, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on the living God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy; ¹⁸ that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to share; ¹⁹ laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life.

²⁰ Timothy, guard that which is committed to you, turning away from the empty chatter and oppositions of what is falsely called knowledge, ²¹ which some profess, and thus have wandered from the faith.

Grace be with you. Amen.