Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Prayer for Help in Trouble.
For the music director. A Psalm of David.
13 How long, Lord? Will You (A)forget me forever?
How long (B)will You hide Your face from me?
2 How long am I to (C)feel anxious in my soul,
With (D)grief in my heart all the day?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
Interpretation of the Vision
15 When (A)I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought [a]to understand it; and behold, standing before me was one [b]who looked like a (B)man. 16 And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of Ulai, and he called out and said, “(C)Gabriel, explain the vision to this man.” 17 So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came I was frightened and (D)fell on my face; and he said to me, “Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the (E)time of the end.”
18 Now while he was talking with me, I was (F)dazed with my face to the ground; but he (G)touched me and made me stand at my place. 19 And he said, “Behold, I am going to (H)inform you of what will occur at the final period of the indignation, because it pertains to the appointed time of the end.
The Ram’s Identity
20 The (I)ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.
The Goat
21 The shaggy [c]goat represents the [d]kingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king. 22 The (J)broken horn and the four horns that came up in its place represent four kingdoms which will arise from his nation, although not with his power.
23 And in the latter period of their [e]dominion,
When the wrongdoers have [f]run their course,
A king will arise,
[g]Insolent and skilled in [h]intrigue.
24 And his power will be mighty, but not by his own power,
And he will [i](K)destroy to an extraordinary degree
And be successful and do as he pleases;
He will [j]destroy mighty men and [k]the holy people.
25 And through his shrewdness
He will make deceit a success by his [l]influence;
And he will make himself great in his [m]own mind,
And he will [n]destroy many while they are [o]at ease.
He will even [p](L)oppose the Prince of princes,
But he will be broken (M)without [q]human agency.
26 And the vision of the evenings and mornings
Which has been told is (N)true;
But as for you, (O)keep the vision secret,
Because it pertains to many (P)days in the future.”
27 Then I, Daniel, was [r](Q)exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up and (R)carried on the king’s business; but I was astounded at the vision, and there was no one to explain it.
32 But remember (A)the former days, [a]when, after being (B)enlightened, you endured a great (C)conflict of sufferings, 33 partly by being (D)made a public spectacle through insults and distress, and partly by becoming [b](E)companions with those who were so treated. 34 For you (F)showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted (G)joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves (H)a better and lasting possession. 35 Therefore, do not throw away your (I)confidence, which has a great (J)reward. 36 For you have need of (K)endurance, so that when you have (L)done the will of God, you may (M)receive [c]what was promised.
37 (N)For yet in a very little while,
(O)He who is coming will come, and will not delay.
38 (P)But My righteous one will live by faith;
And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.
39 But [d]we are not among those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith for the safekeeping of the soul.
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