Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Evening Prayer of Trust in God.

^[a]For the choir director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

² In those days, I, Daniel, had been ^(A)mourning for three entire weeks. ³ I ^(B)did not eat any ^[a]tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all until the entire three weeks were completed. ⁴ On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, while I was by the bank of the great ^(C)river, that is, the ^[b]Tigris, ⁵ I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a certain man ^(D)dressed in linen, whose waist was ^(E)girded with a belt of pure ^(F)gold of Uphaz. ⁶ His body also was like ^[c]beryl, his face ^[d]had the appearance of lightning, ^(G)his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a ^[e]tumult. ⁷ Now I, Daniel, ^(H)alone saw the vision, while the ^(I)men who were with me did not see the vision; nevertheless, a great ^(J)dread fell on them, and they ran away to hide themselves. ⁸ So I was ^(K)left alone and saw this great vision; yet ^(L)no strength was left in me, for my ^[f]natural color turned to ^[g]a deathly pallor, and I retained no strength. ⁹ But I heard the sound of his words; and as soon as I heard the sound of his words, I ^(M)fell into a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.

Daniel Comforted

¹⁰ Then behold, a hand ^(N)touched me and set me trembling on my ^[h]hands and knees. ¹¹ He said to me, “O ^(O)Daniel, man of ^[i]high esteem, ^(P)understand the words that I am about to tell you and ^(Q)stand ^[j]upright, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up ^(R)trembling. ¹² Then he said to me, “^(S)Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on ^(T)humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response ^(U)to your words. ¹³ But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was ^[k]withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, ^(V)Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. ¹⁴ Now I have come to ^(W)give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the ^[l](X)latter days, for the vision pertains to ^(Y)the days yet future.”

¹⁵ When he had spoken to me according to these words, I ^[m]turned my face toward the ground and became ^(Z)speechless. ¹⁶ And behold, ^[n](AA)one who resembled a human being was ^(AB)touching my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke and said to him who was standing before me, “O my lord, as a result of the vision ^[o](AC)anguish has come upon me, and I have retained no strength. ¹⁷ For ^(AD)how can such a servant of my lord talk with such as my lord? As for me, there remains just now ^(AE)no strength in me, nor has any breath been left in me.”

¹⁸ Then this one with human appearance touched me again and ^(AF)strengthened me. ¹⁹ He said, “O man of ^[p]high esteem, ^(AG)do not be afraid. Peace ^[q]be with you; take ^(AH)courage and be courageous!” Now as soon as he spoke to me, I received strength and said, “May my lord speak, for you have ^(AI)strengthened me.”

²⁶ These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to ^(A)deceive you. ²⁷ As for you, the ^(B)anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing ^(C)teaches you about all things, and is ^(D)true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, ^[a]you abide in Him.

²⁸ Now, ^(E)little children, abide in Him, so that when He ^(F)appears, we may have ^(G)confidence and ^(H)not ^[b]shrink away from Him in shame ^[c]at His ^(I)coming.