Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

4 O God, you have declared me perfect in your eyes;^[a] you have always cared for me in my distress; now hear me as I call again. Have mercy on me. Hear my prayer.

² The Lord God asks, “Sons of men, will you forever turn my glory into shame by worshiping these silly idols, when every claim that’s made for them is false?”

³ Mark this well: The Lord has set apart the redeemed for himself. Therefore he will listen to me and answer when I call to him. ⁴ Stand before the Lord in awe,^[b] and do not sin against him. Lie quietly upon your bed in silent meditation. ⁵ Put your trust in the Lord, and offer him pleasing sacrifices.

⁶ Many say that God will never help us. Prove them wrong,^[c] O Lord, by letting the light of your face shine down upon us. ⁷ Yes, the gladness you have given me is far greater than their joys at harvest time as they gaze at their bountiful crops. ⁸ I will lie down in peace and sleep, for though I am alone, O Lord, you will keep me safe.

² When this vision came to me (Daniel said later), I had been in mourning for three full weeks. ³ All that time I tasted neither wine nor meat, and, of course, I went without desserts. I neither washed nor shaved nor combed my hair.

⁴ Then one day early in April, as I was standing beside the great Tigris River, ^5-6 I looked up, and suddenly there before me stood a person robed in linen garments, with a belt of purest gold around his waist and glowing, lustrous skin! From his face came blinding flashes like lightning, and his eyes were pools of fire; his arms and feet shone like polished brass, and his voice was like the roaring of a vast multitude of people.

⁷ I, Daniel, alone saw this great vision; the men with me saw nothing, but they were suddenly filled with unreasoning terror and ran to hide, ⁸ so I was left alone. When I saw this frightening vision, my strength left me, and I grew pale and weak with fright.

⁹ Then he spoke to me, and I fell to the ground face downward in a deep faint. ¹⁰ But a hand touched me and lifted me, still trembling, to my hands and knees. ¹¹ And I heard his voice—“O Daniel, greatly beloved of God,” he said, “stand up and listen carefully to what I have to say to you, for God has sent me to you.” So I stood up, still trembling with fear.

¹² Then he said, “Don’t be frightened, Daniel, for your request has been heard in heaven and was answered the very first day you began to fast before the Lord and pray for understanding; that very day I was sent here to meet you. ¹³ But for twenty-one days the mighty Evil Spirit^[a] who overrules the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the top officers of the heavenly army, came to help me, so that I was able to break through these spirit rulers of Persia. ¹⁴ Now I am here to tell you what will happen to your people, the Jews, at the end times—for the fulfillment of this prophecy is many years away.”

¹⁵ All this time I was looking down, unable to speak a word. ¹⁶ Then someone—he looked like a man—touched my lips and I could talk again, and I said to the messenger from heaven, “Sir, I am terrified by your appearance and have no strength. ¹⁷ How can such a person as I even talk to you? For my strength is gone, and I can hardly breathe.”

¹⁸ Then the one who seemed to be a man touched me again, and I felt my strength returning. ¹⁹ “God loves you very much,” he said; “don’t be afraid! Calm yourself; be strong—yes, strong!”

Suddenly, as he spoke these words, I felt stronger and said to him, “Now you can go ahead and speak, sir, for you have strengthened me.”

²⁶ These remarks of mine about the Antichrist are pointed at those who would dearly love to blindfold you and lead you astray. ²⁷ But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, in your hearts, so that you don’t need anyone to teach you what is right. For he teaches you all things, and he is the Truth, and no liar; and so, just as he has said, you must live in Christ, never to depart from him.

²⁸ And now, my little children, stay in happy fellowship with the Lord so that when he comes you will be sure that all is well and will not have to be ashamed and shrink back from meeting him.