Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
16 1 David prayeth to God for succor not for his works, but for his faith’s sake. 4 Protesting that he hateth all idolatry, taking God only for his comfort and felicity. 8 Who suffereth his to lack nothing.
[a]Michtam of David.
1 Preserve me, O GOD: for in thee do I [b]trust.
2 O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord: my [c]well doing extendeth not to thee,
3 But to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent: all my delight is in them.
4 The [d]sorrows of them, that offer to another god, shall be multiplied: [e]their offerings of blood will I not offer, neither make (A)mention of their names with my lips.
5 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou shalt maintain my lot.
6 The [f]lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places: yea, I have a fair heritage.
7 I will praise the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my [g]reins also teach me in the nights.
8 I have set the Lord always before me: for he is at my right hand: therefore I [h]shall not slide.
9 Wherefore [i]mine heart is glad, and my tongue rejoiceth: my flesh also doth rest in hope.
10 For thou [j]wilt not leave my soul in the grave: neither wilt thou suffer thine holy One to see corruption.
11 Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy [k]presence is the fullness of joy: and at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore.
4 So came the enchanters, the astrologians, the Chaldeans and the soothsayers, to whom I told the dream, but [a]they could not show me the interpretation thereof,
5 Till at the last Daniel came before me, (whose name was [b]Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, which hath the spirit of the holy gods in him) and before him I told the dream, saying,
6 O Belteshazzar, [c]chief of the enchanters, because I know, that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, 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 [d]tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great:
8 A great tree and strong, and the height thereof reached unto 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 meat for all: it made a shadow under it for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh fed of it.
10 I saw in the visions of mine head upon my bed, and behold, a [e]watchman and an holy one came down from heaven,
11 And cried aloud, and said thus, Hew 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 fowls from his branches.
12 Nevertheless, leave the stump of his 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 [f]Let his heart be changed from man’s nature, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him, and let seven times be passed over him.
14 [g]The sentence is according to the decree of the watchmen, and according to the word of the holy ones: the demand was answered, to the intent that living men may know, that the most High hath power over the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and appointeth over it the most abject among men.
15 This is the dream, that I King Nebuchadnezzar have seen: therefore thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof: for all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to show me the interpretation: but thou art able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.
16 ¶ Then Daniel (whose name was Belteshazzar) held his [h]peace by the space of one hour, and his thoughts troubled him, and the King spake and said, Belteshazzar, let neither the dream, nor the interpretation thereof trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.
17 The tree that thou sawest, which was great and mighty, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof through all the world,
18 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all, under the which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven did sit,
11 [a]But thou, O [b]man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness.
12 Fight the good fight of faith: lay hold of eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
13 (A)[c]I charge thee in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Jesus Christ, which under Pontius Pilate (B)witnessed a good confession.
14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, and unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Which in due time he shall show, that is (C)[d] blessed and Prince only, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
16 Who only hath immortality, and dwelleth in the light that none can attain unto, (D)whom never man saw, neither can see, unto whom be honor and power everlasting, Amen.
17 [e]Charge them that are rich in [f]this world, that they be not high minded, and that they (E)trust not in uncertain riches, but in the [g]living God, (which giveth us abundantly all things to enjoy.)
18 That they do good, and be rich in good works, and be ready to distribute, and communicate,
19 (F)[h]Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may obtain eternal life.
20 [i]O Timothy, keep that which is committed unto thee, and avoid profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called,
21 Which while some [j]profess, they have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee, Amen.
¶The first Epistle to Timothy, written from Laodicea, which is the chiefest city of Phrygia Pacatiana.
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