Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
135 Praise the Name of the LORD, you servants of the LORD! Praise,
2 you who stand in the House of the LORD and in the courts of the House of our God!
3 Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good! Sing praises to His Name; for it is a sweet thing.
4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself and Israel for His chief treasure.
5 For I know that the LORD is great and that our LORD is above all gods.
6 Whatever pleased the LORD, He did in Heaven and on Earth, in the sea and in all the depths.
7 He brings up the clouds from the ends of the Earth and makes the lightning with the rain. He draws forth the wind out of His treasures.
8 He struck the firstborn of Egypt (of both man and beast).
9 He has sent signs and wonders into the midst of You, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh and upon all his servants.
10 He struck many nations and slew mighty Kings—
11 Sihon, King of the Amorites and Og, King of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan—
12 and gave their land for an inheritance, an inheritance to Israel, His people.
13 Your Name, O LORD, endures forever! O LORD, Your remembrance is from generation to generation.
14 For the LORD will judge His people and be pacified toward His servants.
15 The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
16 They have a mouth and do not speak. They have eyes and do not see.
17 They have ears and do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouth.
18 Those who make them are like them, all who trust in them.
19 Praise the LORD, you House of Israel! Praise the LORD, you House of Aaron!
20 Praise the LORD, you House of Levi! You who fear the LORD, praise the LORD!
21 Praise the LORD out of Zion, Who dwells in Jerusalem! Praise the LORD!
6 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty governors, who should be over the whole kingdom;
2 And over these, three rulers, (of whom Daniel was one); that the governors might be accountable to them. And the king should be protected.
3 Now this Daniel was preferred above the rulers and governors, because the spirit was excellent in him. And the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
4 Therefore, the rulers and governors sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom. But they could find no charge or fault. For he was so faithful that there was no blame or fault found in him.
5 Then said these men, “We shall not find a charge against this Daniel, unless we find it against him concerning the Law of his God.”
6 Therefore, the rulers and these governors went together to the king, and said to him, “King Darius, live forever.
7 “All the rulers of your kingdom, the officers and governors, the counselors and dukes, have consulted together to make a decree for the king, and to establish a statute: that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
8 “Now, O king, confirm the decree, and seal the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which alters not.”
9 Therefore, king Darius sealed the writing and the decree.
10 Now when Daniel understood that he had sealed the writing, he went into his house, and his window being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed and praised his God, as he always did.
11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying, and making supplication to his God.
12 So they came and spoke to the king concerning the king’s decree, “Have you not sealed the decree, that every man who shall make a request to any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered, and said, “The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which alters not.”
13 Then they answered, and said to the king, “This Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, does not regard you, O king, or the decree that you have sealed, but makes his petition three times a day.”
14 When the king heard these words, he was very displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel, to deliver him. And he labored till the Sun went down, to deliver him.
15 Then these men came together, and said to the king, “Understand, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is that no decree or statute which the king confirms, may be altered.”
16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spoke, and said to Daniel, “Your God, whom you always serve, he will deliver you.”
17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his princes, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.
18 Then the king went to his palace and fasted, and no instruments of music were brought before him, and he did not sleep.
19 Then the king arose early in the morning, and went quickly to the den of lions.
20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice to Daniel. And the king spoke, and said to Daniel, “O Daniel, the servant of the living God, was not your God (whom you always serve) able to deliver you from the lions?
21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever!
22 My God has sent his Angel and has shut the lion’s mouths. And they have not hurt me. For I was justified before him. And to you, O king, I have done no harm!”
23 Then was the King exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel out of the den. So, Daniel was brought out of the den, and no manner of harm was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
24 And by the commandment of the king, these men who had accused Daniel were brought, and were cast into the den of lions; they, their children, and their wives. And the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces, before they ever hit the ground of the den.
25 Afterward, King Darius wrote, “To all people, nations and languages, who dwell in all the world: Peace be multiplied to you.
26 “I make a decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom, men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, and remains forever. And his kingdom shall not perish. And his dominion shall be everlasting.
27 “He rescues and delivers. And he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”
28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus of Persia.
12 Little children, I write to you because your sins are forgiven for His Name’s sake.
13 I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him Who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father.
14 I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him Who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.
15 Love neither this world nor the things which are in this world. If anyone loves this world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in this world (the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life), is not of the Father, but is of this world.
17 And this world passes away, and the lust thereof. But whoever fulfills the will of God, abides forever.
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