Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Handwriting on the Wall

5 King Belshazzar held a great feast for 1,000 of his nobles and was drinking wine in front of the thousand. ² When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he issued an order to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the Temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his consorts and his concubines could drink from them. ³ So they brought the gold vessels that were taken out of the Temple of the House of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, consorts and concubines drank from them. ⁴ They drank the wine and praised the gods made of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone.

⁵ At that very moment, the fingers of a human hand emerged and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace opposite the lampstand, so that the king could see the back of the hand that was writing. ⁶ The color drained from the king’s face, his thoughts alarmed him, his hips gave way and his knees began knocking together.

⁷ The king called loudly to summon the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the diviners. The king said to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain around his neck, and will have authority as the third ruler in the kingdom!”

⁸ Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription nor tell the king what it meant. ⁹ So King Belshazzar became even more terrified and his face grew pale. His nobles were baffled.

¹⁰ The queen hearing the words of the king and his nobles entered the banquet hall. The queen spoke out and said, “May the king live forever! Do not let your thoughts frighten you, or your face be so pale! ¹¹ There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father, he was found to have insight and intelligence, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. So King Nebuchadnezzar your father made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans and diviners. ¹² This man Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, was found to have extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight for interpreting dreams, explaining riddles, and solving problems. Now, let Daniel be summoned and he will explain the interpretation.”

Shepherds Lead by Example

5 Therefore I appeal to the elders among you—as a fellow elder and witness of Messiah’s sufferings, and a partaker also of the glory about to be revealed— ² shepherd God’s flock among you. Watch over it not under compulsion but willingly before God, not for dishonest gain but eagerly. ³ Don’t lord it over^[a] those apportioned to you, but become examples to the flock. ⁴ When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. ⁵ Likewise, you younger ones, submit yourselves to the elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for

⁶ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that He may lift you up at the appropriate time. ⁷ Cast all your worries on Him,^[c] for He cares for you. ⁸ Stay alert! Watch out! Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, searching for someone to devour. ⁹ Stand up against him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being laid upon your brothers and sisters throughout the world. ¹⁰ After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace—who has called you into His eternal glory in Messiah—will Himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. ¹¹ All power to Him forever!^[d] Amen.