Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

A special Davidic Psalm.^[a]

Trust in the Face of Death

Daniel’s Interpretation

¹⁹ Then Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) was greatly troubled for a while and was terrified by his thoughts. The king said, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream or its meaning terrify you.”

Belteshazzar responded, “Your majesty, if only^[a] the dream were about your enemies and its meaning about those who oppose you! ²⁰ The tree that you saw, which grew large and strong until its top reached the sky and became visible to the whole earth ²¹ with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit—enough food for everyone—and under which wild animals of the field found shelter and the birds of the air had nests in its branches— ²² it’s you, your majesty! You’ve become great and strong, your greatness has grown to the heavens, and your dominion reaches to the distant parts of the earth.

²³ “Your majesty saw a holy observer descending from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump in the ground, along with its roots, bound with iron and bronze in the field grass. Let him be soaked with the dew of the sky and live with the wild animals of the field until seven seasons pass over him.’

²⁴ “This is the meaning, your majesty, and this is the decree that the Most High has issued against his majesty, the king: ²⁵ You’ll be driven from people, and you’ll live among wild animals of the field. You’ll eat grass like cattle and be soaked with the dew of the sky while seven years pass you by^[b]—until you realize that the Most High is sovereign over human kingdoms and grants them to whomever he desires. ²⁶ Just as it was ordered to leave the stump of the tree in the ground^[c] along with its roots, so your kingdom will be restored to you when you realize that Heaven rules over everything.^{[d] 27} Therefore, your majesty, may my advice be acceptable to you: Stop your sinning, do what’s right, and put a stop to your wickedness by showing kindness to the oppressed. Perhaps your tranquility will continue.”

Fullness of Life

⁶ So then, just as you have received the Messiah^[a] Jesus the Lord, continue to live dependent on him. ⁷ For you have been rooted in him and are being built up and strengthened in the faith, just as you were taught, while you continue to be thankful. ⁸ See to it that no one enslaves you through philosophy and empty deceit according to human tradition, according to the basic principles of the world,^[b] and not according to the Messiah,^{[c] 9} because all the essence^[d] of deity inhabits him in bodily form. ¹⁰ And you have been filled by him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. ¹¹ In union with him you were also circumcised with a circumcision performed without human^[e] hands by stripping off the corrupt nature by the circumcision performed by the Messiah.^{[f] 12} When you were buried with the Messiah^[g] in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. ¹³ Even when you were dead because of your offenses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God^[h] made you alive with him when he forgave us all of our offenses, ¹⁴ having erased the charges that were brought against us, along with their obligations that were hostile to us. He took those charges away when he nailed them to the cross. ¹⁵ And when he had disarmed the rulers and the authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in the cross.^[i]