Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Song of Praise

133 See, how good and how pleasing it is for brothers to live together as one! ² It is like oil of great worth poured on the head, flowing down through the hair on the face, even the face of Aaron, and flowing down to his coat. ³ It is like the morning water of Hermon coming down upon the hills of Zion. For there the Lord has given the gift of life that lasts forever.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

2 In the second year that Nebuchadnezzar was king, he had a dream. His spirit was troubled and he could not sleep. ² Then the king called for the wonder-workers, those who used secret ways, those who learned from stars, to tell the king what he had dreamed. So they came in and stood in front of the king. ³ The king said to them, “I had a dream that troubles me, and I want to know what the dream means.”

⁴ Then those who learn from stars said to the king in the Aramaic language, “O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants, and we will tell you what it means.” ⁵ The king answered, saying, “My word is sure. If you do not tell me what my dream was and what it means, you will be torn apart and your houses will be laid waste. ⁶ But if you tell me the dream and what it means, I will give you gifts and riches and great honor. So tell me the dream and what it means.” ⁷ They answered the king a second time, saying, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will tell you what it means.” ⁸ The king said, “I am sure that you are trying to get more time, because you see that my word is sure. ⁹ You know that if you do not tell me what I dreamed, there is only one penalty for you. You have agreed among yourselves to keep telling me lies until things change. So tell me the dream. Then I will know that you can tell me what it means.” ¹⁰ Those who learn from stars answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who can do this for the king. For no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this of any wonder-worker or one who learns from stars. ¹¹ What the king asks is too hard. No one can do it for you except the gods, who do not live among men.” ¹² Because of this the king became very angry and said that all the wise men of Babylon must be destroyed. ¹³ So the law was sent out that the wise men must be killed. They looked for Daniel and his friends, to kill them also.

God Shows Daniel the Meaning of the Dream

¹⁴ Then Daniel spoke with wisdom and understanding to Arioch, the captain of the soldiers who watched over the king, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. ¹⁵ He said to Arioch, the king’s captain, “Why is the king’s law so hard?” Then Arioch told him what had happened. ¹⁶ So Daniel went in and asked the king for time, so that he could tell the king what the dream meant.

¹⁷ Then Daniel went to his house and told his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, what had happened. ¹⁸ He told them to ask for loving-pity from the God of heaven about this secret, so that Daniel and his friends might not be killed with the other wise men of Babylon. ¹⁹ Then the secret was made known to Daniel in a special dream during the night. He gave honor and thanks to the God of heaven. ²⁰ Daniel said, “Let the name of God be honored forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. ²¹ He changes the times and the years. He takes kings away, and puts kings in power. He gives wisdom to wise men and much learning to men of understanding. ²² He makes known secret and hidden things. He knows what is in the darkness. Light is with Him. ²³ I give thanks and praise to You, O God of my fathers. For You have given me wisdom and power. Even now You have made known what we asked of You. You have made the king’s dream known to us.”

The Prayer of the Young Church

²³ As soon as the missionaries were free to go, they went back to their own group. They told them everything the religious leaders had said. ²⁴ When they heard it, they all prayed to God, saying, “Lord God, You made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything that is in them. ²⁵ You said through the Holy Spirit by the mouth of our father David, ‘Why are the nations so shaken up and the people planning foolish things? ²⁶ The kings of the earth stood in a line ready to fight, and the leaders were all against the Lord and against His Christ.’ ^{(A) 27} You know that Herod and Pilate and the Jews and the people who are not Jews gathered together here against Jesus. He was Your Holy Son and the One You had chosen ²⁸ to do everything You planned and said would happen. ²⁹ And now, Lord, listen to their sharp words. Make it easy for your servants to preach Your Word with power. ³⁰ May You heal and do powerful works and special things to see through the name of Jesus, Your Holy Son!”

The Christians Are Filled with the Holy Spirit

³¹ When they had finished praying, the place where they were gathered was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. It was easy for them to speak the Word of God.