Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Confidence in Yahweh

A miktam^[a] of David.^[b]

Daniel Relates and Interprets the Dream

¹⁹ “Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was distressed for some time,^[a] and his thoughts disturbed him. The king answered and he said, ‘Belteshazzar, let the dream and its explanation not disturb you.’ Belteshazzar answered and said, ‘My lord, may the dream and its explanation be for those who hate you and for your enemies. ²⁰ The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong and its height reached to heaven^[b] and it was visible to the end of the whole earth,^{[c] 21} and its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and so there was provision for all in it, and the animals^[d] of the field lived under it and in its branches nest the birds of heaven,^{[e] 22} —it is you, O king, who have grown great and you have grown strong, and so your greatness has increased and it has reached to heaven^[f] and your sovereignty to the end of the earth. ²³ And inasmuch that the king saw the watcher, a holy one coming down from heaven^[g] and he said, “Cut down the tree and destroy it, but the stump of its root in the earth leave with a band of iron and bronze in the grass of the field, and let it be watered with the dew of heaven and let his lot be with the animals of the field until seven times have passed over him.”^{[h] 24} This is the explanation, O king, and it is a decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king: ²⁵ you will be driven away from human society^[i] and you will dwell^[j] with the animals^[k] of the field, and you will be caused to graze grass like the oxen yourself,^[l] and you will be watered with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time will pass over you until that you have acknowledged that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of humankind, and to whom he wills^[m] he gives it. ²⁶ And in that^[n] they said to leave alone the stump of the tree’s root, so your kingdom will be restored for you when^[o] you acknowledge that heaven is sovereign. ²⁷ Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you and your sin remove^[p] with righteousness and your iniquity with having mercy on the oppressed, in case there might be a prolongation of your prosperity.’”^[q]

Made Alive in Christ

⁶ Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, live in him, ⁷ firmly rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding with thankfulness. ⁸ Beware lest anyone take you captive^[a] through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition^[b], according to the elemental spirits of the world and not according to Christ, ⁹ because in him all the fullness of deity dwells bodily, ¹⁰ and you are filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority, ¹¹ in whom also you were circumcised with a circumcision not made by hands, by the removal of the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, ¹² having been buried with him in baptism, in which also you were raised together with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. ¹³ And although you were dead^[c][d] in the trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, ¹⁴ having destroyed the certificate of indebtedness in ordinances against us, which was hostile to us, and removed it out of the way by^[e] nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵ When he^[f] had disarmed the rulers and the authorities, he made a display of them in public, triumphing over them by it.^[g]