Daniel 2 Cross References - NSB

¹ It was the second year of his reign. He was troubled and could not sleep. Nebuchadnezzar had dreams and was disturbed by them. ² The king summoned the magicians, enchanters (conjurers), sorcerers, and the Chaldeans and commanded them to tell the king about his dreams. They came in and stood before the king. ³ The king said: »I had a dream that troubles me and I want to understand what the dream means.« ⁴ The Chaldeans spoke in the Syrian language: »O king, may you live for a very long time. Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.« ⁵ The king answered: »I have decided. If you do not make the dream known to me and it’s interpretation you will be cut in pieces, and your houses will be made a dunghill (foul smelling pile of rubbish). ⁶ »But if you tell me the dream and what it means you will receive gifts and rewards and great honor from me. Therefore tell me the dream and the interpretation of it.« ⁷ They answered the second time. They said: »Let the king tell his servants the dream. Then we will tell the interpretation.« ⁸ The king responded: »I am certain that you bargain for time, because you see my command is firm. ⁹ »If you do not tell me my dream, the law will apply to you. You are stalling by speaking lies to me until I change my requirements. Tell me the dream, and I will know that you can show me the interpretation of it.« ¹⁰ The Chaldeans answered: »There is no man on earth who can do what the king requires. No king, lord, or ruler, has asked such a thing of any magician, or enchanter, or Chaldean. ¹¹ »It is a rare thing that the king requires. There is no other person who can show it to the king, except the gods, and they do not live with humans.« ¹² This caused the king to be angry. In fact he became furious! He commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. ¹³ So the decree was delivered. The wise men were to be executed. They searched for Daniel and his companions to execute them. ¹⁴ Daniel sent an answer tempered with counsel and prudence to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, who was ordered to execute the wise men of Babylon. ¹⁵ He asked Arioch the king's captain: »Why is the decree so urgent from the king?« Then Arioch explained it to Daniel. ¹⁶ Daniel made an appointment with the king so he could show the king the interpretation. ¹⁷ Then Daniel went back to his house, and explained everything to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: ¹⁸ that they would request mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret. And they would request that Daniel and his companions would not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. ¹⁹ The secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Daniel praised the God of heaven. ²⁰ Daniel said: »Praise be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are his. ²¹ »He changes the times and the seasons. He removes kings, and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to the discerning. ²² »He reveals the deep and hidden things. He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. ²³ »I thank you, and praise you, O God of my fathers. You have given me wisdom and might. You have made known to me what we desired from you. For you have made known to us the king's situation.« ²⁴ Therefore Daniel went to Arioch. Arioch was appointed by the king to destroy the wise men of Babylon. Daniel said to him: »Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king and I will show the king the interpretation.« ²⁵ Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king and said: »I have found a man of the captive children of Judah who will make the interpretation known to the king.« ²⁶ The king said to Daniel, who was also called Belteshazzar: »Are you able to tell me about my dream and interpret it?« ²⁷ Daniel answered: »Wise men, enchanters, magicians, and soothsayers cannot show the secret the king demanded. ²⁸ »There is a God in heaven that reveals secrets. He made known to king Nebuchadnezzar what will be in days to come. Your dream and visions are these: ²⁹ »As for you, O king, your thoughts while you were in bed were about what will happen in the future. He who reveals secrets revealed the future to you. ³⁰ »Concerning me, this secret is not revealed to me to give me more wisdom than anyone else. It is for the purpose that the interpretation may be made known to the king; that you may know the thoughts of your mind. ³¹ »You, O king, saw a large statue. This statue was in fact very large. It was very bright as it stood before you. Its appearance was awesome. ³² »The statue had a head of pure gold, chest and arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of brass. ³³ »It had legs of iron and its feet were partly of iron, and partly of clay. ³⁴ »You watched while a stone was cut out without hands. It struck the statue upon its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. ³⁵ »The iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broke in pieces together. It became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors. The wind carried them away and no place was found for them. The stone that struck the statue became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. ³⁶ »This was the dream! We will interpret it for the king. ³⁷ »You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the glory. ³⁸ »He gave the children of men, the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens to your hand. He made you the ruler over them all! You are the head of gold. ³⁹ »After you another inferior kingdom will arise and another third kingdom of brass, which will rule over all the earth. ⁴⁰ »The fourth kingdom will be strong as iron, since iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things. It is iron that crushes all these. It will break in pieces and crush. ⁴¹ »The feet and toes you saw, part of potters' clay, and part of iron will be a divided kingdom. It will have the strength of iron. However, you saw the iron mixed with clay. ⁴² »As the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong, and partly broken. ⁴³ »The iron mixed with clay will mingle with the seed of men. But they will not adhere to one another. For iron does not stick to clay. ⁴⁴ »In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. Its sovereignty will not be entrusted to another people. It will break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms and it will stand forever! ⁴⁵ »You saw a stone cut out of the mountain without hands. It broke the iron, brass, clay, silver, and the gold to pieces. The great God made known to the king what will happen in the future. The dream is certain, and the interpretation of it is sure.« ⁴⁶ King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and worshipped Daniel. He commanded that they present an offering and burn incense to him. ⁴⁷ The king spoke to Daniel: »It is true, your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing you were able to reveal this secret.« ⁴⁸ The king made Daniel great! He gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon. He was appointed chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. ⁴⁹ Daniel requested that the king appoint Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon. Daniel sat in the court of the king.

⁵ both prisoners, the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt, had dreams one night. Each man had a dream with its own special meaning. ⁶ Joseph saw that they were upset when he came to them in the morning. ⁷ He asked these officials of Pharaoh who were with him in his master’s prison: »Why do you look so unhappy today?« ⁸ »We both had dreams,« they answered him, »but there is no one to tell us what they mean.« »Is it not God who can tell what dreams mean?« Joseph asked them. »Tell me all about them.«

¹ Two years later Pharaoh had a dream. He dreamed he was standing by the Nile River. ² Suddenly, seven nice-looking well-fed cows came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds. ³ Seven other cows came up from the river behind them. These cows were sickly and skinny. They stood behind the first seven cows on the riverbank. ⁴ The cows that were sickly and skinny ate the seven nice-looking well-fed cows. Then Pharaoh woke up. ⁵ He fell asleep again and had another dream. Seven heads of grain, full and ripe, were growing on one stalk. ⁶ Then seven other heads of grain sprouted thin and scorched by the desert wind. ⁷ The thin heads of grain swallowed the full ones. The king woke up and realized that he had been dreaming. ⁸ The king was upset the next morning. So he called his magicians and wise men and told them what he had dreamed. None of them could tell him what the dreams meant. ⁹ The king’s chief cupbearer said: »Now I remember what I was supposed to do. ¹⁰ »When you were angry with your chief cook and me, you threw us both in jail in the house of the captain of the guard. ¹¹ »One night we both had dreams. Each dream had a different meaning. ¹² »A young Hebrew, who was a servant of the captain of the guard, was there with us at the time. When we told him our dreams, he explained what each of them meant. ¹³ »Everything happened just as he said it would. I got my job back, and the cook was put to death.« ¹⁴ So the king sent for Joseph. He was quickly brought out of jail. He shaved, changed his clothes, and went to the king. ¹⁵ The king said: »I had a dream. No one can explain what it means. I am told that you can interpret dreams.« ¹⁶ Joseph then answered Pharaoh: »I cannot do it myself, but God can give the meaning of your dreams.« ¹⁷ The king told Joseph: »I dreamed as I stood on the bank of the Nile River, ¹⁸ »I saw seven fat, healthy cows come up out of the river. They began feeding on the grass. ¹⁹ »Next, seven skinny, bony cows came up out of the river. I have never seen such terrible looking cows anywhere in Egypt. ²⁰ »The skinny cows ate the fat ones! ²¹ »Even though they had eaten the fat cows, no one could tell they had eaten them. They looked just as sick as before. Then I woke up. ²² »In my second dream I saw seven good, full heads of grain growing on a single stalk. ²³ »Seven other heads of grain, withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind, sprouted behind them. ²⁴ »The thin heads of grain swallowed the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but no one could tell me what it meant.« ²⁵ Joseph said to Pharaoh: »Pharaoh had the same dream twice. God has told Pharaoh what he is going to do. ²⁶ »The seven good cows are seven years. The seven good heads of grain are seven years. It is all the same dream. ²⁷ »The seven thin, sickly cows that came up behind them are seven years. The seven empty heads of grain scorched by the east wind are also seven years. Seven years of famine are coming! ²⁸ »It is just as I said to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what he is going to do. ²⁹ »Seven years are coming when there will be plenty of food in Egypt. ³⁰ »Seven years of famine will follow. Then people will forget that there was plenty of food in Egypt. The famine will ruin the land. ³¹ »People will not remember that there was once plenty of food in the land, because the coming famine will be so severe. ³² »The reason Pharaoh has had a recurring dream is because the matter has been definitely decided by God. He will do it very soon. ³³ »Pharaoh should look for a wise and intelligent man and put him in charge of Egypt. ³⁴ »Make arrangements to appoint supervisors over the land. Take a fifth of Egypt’s harvest during the seven good years. ³⁵ »Have them collect all the food during these good years. Store up grain under Pharaoh’s control, to be kept for food in the cities. ³⁶ »This food will be a reserve supply for our country during the seven years of famine that will happen in Egypt. Then the land will not be ruined by the famine.«

⁵ Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king. He ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what Jehovah his God considered evil. ⁶ Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked Jehoiakim and put him in bronze shackles to take him to Babylon. ⁷ Nebuchadnezzar also brought some of the utensils of Jehovah’s Temple to Babylon. He put them in his palace (temple) in Babylon.

¹ That night the king was unable to get any sleep. He sent for the books of the records and had some one was read them to him.

¹⁵ »In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men as they slumber in their beds, ¹⁶ he may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings, ¹⁷ that turn man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride.

¹ Jehovah spoke his word to Jeremiah about all the people of Judah when Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, was in his fourth year as king. This was the first year that Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon.

¹ Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked Judah. It was in the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah. ² Jehovah (YHWH) allowed Nebuchadnezzar to capture Jehoiakim king of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar carried part of the vessels of the house of God into the Plain of Shinar [in Babylon]. He brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god. ³ The king ordered Ashpenaz the chief of his officials to bring in some of the Israelites including some of the royal family and nobles. ⁴ These were young people who had no defects. They were good looking and intelligent, with knowledge. They showed wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of science. They had ability to serve in the king's court and were taught the language and literature of the Chaldeans. ⁵ The king assigned a daily amount of the king's special rich food for them and also the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years. At the end of that time they would serve the king.

³ The king said: »I had a dream that troubles me and I want to understand what the dream means.«

⁵ »I saw a dream that made me afraid. When I saw this vision my thoughts troubled me.

¹⁸ The king went to his palace and did not eat. He refused musical entertainment and he could not sleep.

⁸ The king was upset the next morning. So he called his magicians and wise men and told them what he had dreamed. None of them could tell him what the dreams meant.

¹¹ Then Pharaoh sent for his wise men and sorcerers. These Egyptian magicians did the same thing using their magic spells.

¹⁰ »Do not sacrifice your children in the fires on your altars. Do not let your people practice divination or look for omens or use spells or charms. ¹¹ »Do not allow them to consult the spirits of the dead. ¹² »Jehovah your God hates people who do these disgusting things. That is why he is driving those nations out of the land as you advance.

¹⁹ People will say to you: »Ask for help from the mediums and the fortunetellers, who whisper and mutter.« Should people ask their God for help instead? Why should they ask the dead to help the living?

³ »The Egyptians will become discouraged. I will bring their plans to nothing. They will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead, the mediums and the spiritists.

¹² Keep all your magic spells and charms. You have used them since you were young. Perhaps they will be of some help to you. Perhaps you can frighten your enemies. ¹³ »You are powerless in spite of the advice you get. Let your astrologers come forward and save you! Let those people who study the stars, who map out the zones of the heavens tell you from month to month what is going to happen to you.

²⁰ The king found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire realm. This was in every matter of wisdom and understanding.

¹⁰ The Chaldeans answered: »There is no man on earth who can do what the king requires. No king, lord, or ruler, has asked such a thing of any magician, or enchanter, or Chaldean.

⁶ »I made a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon that they might explain the dream to me.

⁷ The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. / The king spoke to the wise men of Babylon: »Whoever reads this writing, and shows me the interpretation of it will be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck. He will be the third ruler in the kingdom«.

⁸ »We both had dreams,« they answered him, »but there is no one to tell us what they mean.« »Is it not God who can tell what dreams mean?« Joseph asked them. »Tell me all about them.«

¹⁵ The king said: »I had a dream. No one can explain what it means. I am told that you can interpret dreams.«

¹ It was the second year of his reign. He was troubled and could not sleep. Nebuchadnezzar had dreams and was disturbed by them.

⁴⁷ In his language, Laban called it »Jegar Sahadutha« (Witness Pile), but Jacob called it »Galeed.«

²⁴ Samuel asked the people: »Do you see whom Jehovah has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.« Then all the people shouted: »Long live the king!«

²⁵ »This very day he has gone and offered a sacrifice of many bulls, sheep, and fattened calves. He invited all your sons, Joab the commander of your army, and Abiathar the priest, and right now they are feasting with him and shouting: ‘Long live King Adonijah!’

³¹ Bathsheba bowed low and said: »May my lord the king live a very long time!«

⁷ In the time of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his friends, sent a letter to Artaxerxes, king of Persia, writing it in the Aramaic language.

³ I said to the king: »May the king live a very long time. My face should look sad for the town where my fathers are buried is devastated. It has been destroyed by fire.«

¹¹ Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the field commander: »Speak to us in Aramaic, since we understand it. Do not speak to us in the Judean language as long as there are people on the wall listening.«

²⁵ »I make fools of fortunetellers and frustrate the predictions of astrologers. The words of the wise I refute and show that their wisdom is foolishness.

⁹ They said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, »O king, may you live for a very long time.

⁷ »The magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came to me. I told the dream to them. They did not explain the dream to me.

¹⁹ »Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was stricken dumb for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king said, Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or the interpretation trouble you. Belteshazzar answered: My lord, the dream may be to them that hate you and the interpretation to your adversaries.

⁸ All the king’s wise men came. But they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation.

¹⁰ The queen came into the banquet hall. She said: »O king, may you live for a very long time: do not let your thoughts trouble you or change your countenance.

⁶ Then these commissioners and governors assembled before the king, and said: »King Darius, may you live for a very long time.«

²¹ Daniel said to the king: »O king, may you live for a very long time.«

⁹ Those going ahead of him and following him shouted praise: »Glory to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of Jehovah! Glory in the highest!« (Psalms 118:26)

⁹ Those who led the way and those who followed cried: »Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in Jehovah’s name! (Psalm 118:26) ¹⁰ »Blessed is the coming kingdom, the kingdom of our father David. Hosanna in the highest!«

¹⁶ »Gather all its treasure into the middle of its open square and burn the city and all its treasure with fire as a whole burnt offering to Jehovah your God. It shall be a ruin forever. It shall never be rebuilt.

²⁶ Joshua pronounced an oath at that time, saying: »Cursed be the man before Jehovah, that rises up and builds this city Jericho. He will lay the foundation at the cost of his firstborn. He will set up the gates at the cost of his youngest son.«

³³ But Samuel said: »As your sword made women childless, so your mother will be made childless among women.« Samuel cut Agag in pieces in the presence of Jehovah at Gilgal.

²⁷ The altar of Baal was pulled down and the house of Baal was broken up and made an unclean place, as it is to this day.

¹¹ »I further give orders that if anyone makes any change in this word; one of the supports is to be pulled out of his house. He is to be lifted up and fixed to it and his house is to be destroyed.

²² »Consider this, you who do not remember God. Otherwise, I will tear you to pieces, and there will be no one to deliver.

⁷ Let them vanish as water that flows away. When they draw the bow, let their arrows be made blunt.

¹² This caused the king to be angry. In fact he became furious! He commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed.

²⁹ »Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut into pieces. Their houses shall be made a dunghill. There is no other god that is able to deliver like this.«

⁷ The elders of Moab and Midian left. They took money with them to pay for Balaam’s services. They came to Balaam and told him what Balak had said.

¹⁷ »‘I will make sure you are richly rewarded. I will do whatever you ask. Please, come and curse (execrate) these people for me.’«

³⁷ Balak said to him: »Why did you not come when I sent for you the first time? Did you think I was not able to reward you enough?«

¹¹ Therefore, run away to your place now. I said: »I will honor you greatly, but Jehovah has held you back from honor.«

⁴⁸ The king made Daniel great! He gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon. He was appointed chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon.

¹⁶ »I have heard that you can give interpretations and dissolve doubts. If you can read the writing and make the interpretation known to me you will be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about your neck, and will be the third ruler in the kingdom.« ¹⁷ Daniel answered the king: »Keep your gifts and give your rewards to another. I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

²⁹ Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

⁴ If the temper of the ruler rises up against you do not withdraw from him for gentleness can put a stop to great offenses.

⁴ The Chaldeans spoke in the Syrian language: »O king, may you live for a very long time. Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.«

⁹ »If you do not tell me my dream, the law will apply to you. You are stalling by speaking lies to me until I change my requirements. Tell me the dream, and I will know that you can show me the interpretation of it.«

¹⁶ Make the most of your time (redeem or ransom back time), because the days are evil.

⁵ Behave with wisdom toward those who are outside, making the most of the time.

⁶ So Ahab called in the prophets, about four hundred of them, and asked them: »Should I attack Ramoth, or not?« They answered: »Attack, Jehovah will give you victory.«

²² »How will you deceive him?« Jehovah asked. The spirit replied: »I will make all of Ahab's prophets tell lies.« Jehovah said: »Go and deceive him. You will succeed.«

¹¹ »It is common knowledge among all the king's servants and the people of every part of the kingdom, that if anyone, man or woman, comes to the king in his inner room without being sent for, there is only one law for him, that he is to be put to death. Only those to whom the king's rod of gold is stretched out may keep their lives. I have not been sent for to come before the king in the past thirty days.«

¹⁹ The lip of truth will be established forever. A lying tongue is only for a moment.

²³ »Tell us what the future holds, so we may know that you are gods. Do something, whether good or bad, so that we will be shocked and filled with fear.

⁶ »They see falsehood and lying divination. They are saying: ‘Jehovah declares,’ when Jehovah has not sent them. Yet they hope for the fulfillment of their word.

¹⁷ »Son of man, look at the women among your people who make up prophesies, and prophesy against them.

¹⁹ ‘»You dishonor me in front of my people for a few handfuls of barley and a few pieces of bread. You kill people who should not die. You spare the lives of people who should not live. You lie to my people who are willing to listen.«’

²¹ »He changes the times and the seasons. He removes kings, and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to the discerning.

¹⁵ »Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, zither, pipes, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, good! But if you do not worship it you will be thrown into the midst of a blazing furnace that same hour. What god will be able to rescue you from my hand?«

²⁸ »PERES; your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.«

³¹ Darius the Mede received the kingdom. He was sixty-two years old.

²⁵ ‘»He will speak words against the Most High (Supreme God) and wear down (afflict) (cause great distress) the holy ones of the Most High. He will think to change the times and law and will have control until a time and times and half a time. (Three and one-half years)

¹⁷ For we are not as the many, corrupting the word of God; but sincere and from God. We speak in Christ in the sight of God.

²⁷ Daniel answered: »Wise men, enchanters, magicians, and soothsayers cannot show the secret the king demanded.

³⁹ The king said to Joseph: »God has shown you all this. Therefore it is obvious that you have greater wisdom and insight than anyone else.

¹⁹ The magicians said to the king: »It is the finger of God!« (God has done this!) But the king was stubborn. Just as Jehovah predicted, the king would not listen to Moses and Aaron.

⁴⁵ »I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their God.

³⁴ »Do not defile the land where you are living! I am Jehovah and I live among the people of Israel.«

²⁷ »Can you, O God, really live on earth? Not even heaven or the heaven of heavens is large enough to hold you. How can this Temple I have built be large enough?

¹⁸ »Does God really live on earth with people? If heaven and the highest heaven cannot hold you, then how can this Temple that I have built?

¹⁸ You went to the highest place. You took prisoners captive. You have received gifts in the form of people, even from among rebellious people, so that Jehovah God may live there [with them].

⁵ Who is like Jehovah our God? He is seated on his high throne. ⁶ He bends down (humbles himself) to look at heaven and earth.

¹⁴ This will be my resting place forever. Here I will sit enthroned because I want Zion.

¹⁸ I am here with the children Jehovah has given me. We are signs and symbols in Israel from Jehovah of Hosts, who lives on Mount Zion.

¹⁵ The High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy, says: ‘I dwell in the high and holy and also with him who has a contrite and humble spirit. I revive the spirit of the humble, and the heart of the contrite ones.’

¹ This is what Jehovah says: »Heaven is my throne. Earth is my footstool. Where can you people build a house or resting place for me? ² »I have made all these things. That is why all these things have come into being,« declares Jehovah. »I will pay attention to those who are humble and sorry for their sins and who tremble at my word.

²⁷ Daniel answered: »Wise men, enchanters, magicians, and soothsayers cannot show the secret the king demanded. ²⁸ »There is a God in heaven that reveals secrets. He made known to king Nebuchadnezzar what will be in days to come. Your dream and visions are these:

¹¹ »There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods. In your fathers day, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him. King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, made him master of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers.

²¹ »I will cleanse (forgive) their blood [guilt] that which I have not cleansed. Jehovah dwells in Zion!«

²⁶ Jesus looked at them and said: »With men this is not possible. All things are possible with God!«

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was like God (God-like). ² The same was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through him and without him not one thing was made.

¹⁴ The Word [Jesus] became flesh (a human being) and lived with us. We saw the glory of the only begotten son from the Father. He was full of loving-kindness and truth.

¹⁷ »It is the Spirit of the truth. The world cannot receive it. The world does not see or know it. You know it because it lives with you and will be with you.

²³ Jesus answered: »If a man loves me, he will obey my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and dwell with him.

¹⁶ And what agreement does a temple of God have with idols? We are the temple of the living God. God said: I will dwell in them, and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people. (Leviticus 26:12) (Zechariah 8:8)

³ Then I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying: »Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men. He will dwell with them and they will be his people! God will be with them, and be their God.

² »To be sure anger kills a stubborn fool. And jealousy murders a gullible person.

¹⁰ For the wrath of man shall praise you. You will fortify yourself with a remnant of wrath.

¹⁴ Anger from a king is the messenger of death, but a wise man will placate it.

¹² The king's anger is like the roaring of a lion but his favor is like dew upon the grass.

² Fear of a king is like the roar of a lion. Provoke him to anger and sin against yourself.

³ A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's anger is heavier than them both. ⁴ Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?

²² An angry man stirs up dissension. A furious man abounds in sin.

⁵ The king answered: »I have decided. If you do not make the dream known to me and it’s interpretation you will be cut in pieces, and your houses will be made a dunghill (foul smelling pile of rubbish).

¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. They brought these men before the king.

¹⁹ Nebuchadnezzar was furious. The expression on his face changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than its required heat.

¹⁶ Herod saw that the astrologers tricked him and he was furious. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys two years old and younger in or near Bethlehem. This matched the time he learned from the astrologers.

²² »Now I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother [without cause] shall be guilty before the court. Whoever speaks to his brother with words of contempt shall receive condemnation before the Sanhedrin [Supreme Court]. Curse your brother and you will be guilty enough to be destroyed by fire, with the burning trash, at the Valley of Hinnom, outside of Jerusalem (Greek: Gehenna).

¹² Then on the thirteenth day of the first month, the king's scribes were summoned. They put in writing Haman's orders to all the king's captains and the rulers of every division of his kingdom and the chiefs of every people. It was to be for every division of the kingdom in the writing commonly used there, and to every people in the language which was theirs. It was signed in the name of King Ahasuerus and stamped with the king's ring. ¹³ Runners delivered letters to every division of the kingdom. They ordered the death and destruction of all Jews, young and old, little children and women, on the same day, even the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month Adar, and the taking of all their goods by force. ¹⁴ A copy of the writing, to be made public in every part of the kingdom, was sent out to all the peoples, so that they might be ready when that day came. ¹⁵ The runners went out quickly with the king's order. A public statement was made in Shushan. The king and Haman took wine together, but the town of Shushan was troubled.

²⁰ Can wicked rulers be allied with you? They frame mischief by decree (the law).

¹⁵ Like a roaring lion and a charging bear, so is a wicked ruler over the helpless people. ¹⁶ The ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor. He who hates covetousness will prolong his days. ¹⁷ A violent and bloodthirsty man will run to the pit; let no man help him.

¹ How horrible it will be for those who enact unjust laws and who decree oppressive regulations.

¹⁹ The king interviewed them and found out that none was found to be like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they served the king. ²⁰ The king found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire realm. This was in every matter of wisdom and understanding.

⁹ King Darius signed the document for the decree.« ¹⁰ Daniel knew that the decree was signed. He went into his house. His windows were open in his chamber toward Jerusalem. He kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, like he did before. ¹¹ These men assembled together. They found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. ¹² They approached the king about his decree: »Did you sign a decree stating that every man that shall make petition to any god or man within thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the den of lions?« The king answered: »The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be altered.« ¹³ Then they said: »Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, does not show you respect, O king, nor the decree that you signed. He offers his prayer three times a day.« ¹⁴ Then the king, when he heard these words, was very displeased with himself. He was determined that Daniel not be delivered to him; and he labored all day to rescue him. ¹⁵ Then these men assembled before the king and said: »Know, O king that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no decree or statute that the king establishes may be changed.«

³⁶ Meanwhile, in Egypt the Midianites sold Joseph to Potiphar, one of the king’s officers, who was the captain of the palace guard.

¹⁶ A wise woman shouted from the top of the wall: »Hear this! Listen to me! I must talk to Joab! Tell him to come here!« ¹⁷ He came near. She asked: »Are you Joab?« »I am,« He answered. »Listen to what I have to say,« She told him. »I am listening,« He answered. ¹⁸ She said: »There is an old saying: ‘Be sure to seek guidance from Abel before doing anything.’ That is the way they settle disputes. ¹⁹ »We are peaceful and faithful Israelites. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel? Why should you swallow up what belongs to Jehovah?’« ²⁰ Joab answered: »That is unthinkable! I do not wish to swallow it up or destroy it. ²¹ »That is not so. A man from the mountains of Ephraim by the name of Sheba son of Bichri has rebelled against King David. Give him to me and I will withdraw from the city.« The woman told Joab: »Watch, for his head will be thrown to you from the wall.« ²² She went to the people of the city with her plan. They cut off Sheba’s head and threw it over the wall to Joab. He blew the trumpet as a signal for his men to leave the city. They went back home. Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

¹³ I have seen this wisdom under the sun, and it seemed important to me. ¹⁴ There was a little city with a small population. A great king moved against it. He built great bulwarks against it and attacked it. ¹⁵ Now there was found in it a poor wise man. By his wisdom he delivered the city. Yet no man remembered that same poor man. ¹⁶ Then I said: »Wisdom is better than strength.« Nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. ¹⁷ The words of the wise heard in quietness are more than the loud cry of the ruler of fools. ¹⁸ Wisdom is better than weapons of war, yet one sinner destroys much good.

⁹ Finally Nebuzaradan, the commanding officer, took away as prisoners to Babylon the people who were left in the city, together with those who had deserted to him.

¹² On the tenth day of the fifth month of Nebuchadnezzar's nineteenth year as king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, who was the captain of the guard and an officer of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem.

¹⁴ The entire Babylonian army that was with the captain of the guard tore down the walls around Jerusalem.

²⁴ Therefore Daniel went to Arioch. Arioch was appointed by the king to destroy the wise men of Babylon. Daniel said to him: »Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king and I will show the king the interpretation.«

¹⁸ When the appointed time for learning ended the chief officer brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. ¹⁹ The king interviewed them and found out that none was found to be like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they served the king.

⁹ »If you do not tell me my dream, the law will apply to you. You are stalling by speaking lies to me until I change my requirements. Tell me the dream, and I will know that you can show me the interpretation of it.« ¹⁰ The Chaldeans answered: »There is no man on earth who can do what the king requires. No king, lord, or ruler, has asked such a thing of any magician, or enchanter, or Chaldean. ¹¹ »It is a rare thing that the king requires. There is no other person who can show it to the king, except the gods, and they do not live with humans.«

⁶ Now among these children of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. ⁷ The officer in charge gave names to them: To Daniel he gave the name of Belteshazzar. Hananiah was called Shadrach. Mishael was called Meshach and Azariah was named Abednego.

¹¹ Daniel answered the officer appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

¹² »The Jews whom you appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego have not listened to you. They do not serve your gods. They do not worship the golden image that you set up.«

²⁸ »Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous. Would you destroy the entire city for lack of five?« So He (God) said: »If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.«

³⁷ »Jehovah saved me from lions and bears. He will save me from this Philistine.« Saul answered: »Go and Jehovah be with you.«

¹⁵ Esther sent them back to Mordecai with this answer: ¹⁶ »Go assemble all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me. Take no food or drink night or day for three days. My women and I will do the same. Then I will go in to the king even though it is against the law. If death is to be my fate, then let it come.« ¹⁷ So Mordecai went away and did everything that Esther said.

¹⁵ »Call on me in times of trouble. I will rescue you, and you will honor me.«

¹⁵ When you call to me, I will answer you. I will be with you when you are in trouble. I will deliver you and honor you.

⁵ Trust in Jehovah with all your heart. Do not lean on your own understanding. ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge (recognize) Him and He will make your paths straight.

⁴ »‘Perhaps Jehovah your God will hear the words of Rabshakeh. His master the king of Assyria has sent him to reproach the living God! He will rebuke the words Jehovah your God has heard. Therefore, offer a prayer for the remnant that survives.’«

³ ‘Call to me and I will answer you. I will tell you grand and impressive things, things you do not know.’«

¹⁷ »If it is so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the blazing furnace. He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. ¹⁸ »Once again my people will see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between the person who serves God and the one who does not.«

¹² »What do you think? A man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone wandering away. Will he leave the ninety-nine and go in search of the wandering one?

¹⁹ »Again, I say to you, that if two of you are in agreement on earth about anything for which they will make a request, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.

²⁴ When they heard they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said: »Jehovah, you are God, who made heaven and earth, the sea and all in them. ²⁵ »You spoke by the mouth of your servant David: Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? (Psalm 2:1) ²⁶ »The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against Jehovah, and against his Christ. (Psalm 2:2) ²⁷ Truly both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the people of the nations and the people of Israel, were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you have anointed. ²⁸ »They were there to do the things your hand and council foreordained to occur. ²⁹ »Now Jehovah behold their threats and grant that your servants keep speaking your word with boldness. ³⁰ »You extend your hand to heal and signs and wonders appear in the name of your holy servant Jesus.« ³¹ When they prayed, the place where they assembled together was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

⁴ When he apprehended him, he put him in prison. He turned him over to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him. After Passover he would be presented to the people.

³⁰ Now I beg you, brothers, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me.

¹⁷ But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me; that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the people of the nations might hear. I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion (Satan the Devil) (great danger) (1 Peter 5:8) (Psalm 22:21) (1 Thessalonians 2:18). ¹⁸ The Lord will deliver me from every evil work. He will save me to his heavenly kingdom. To him is the glory forever and ever. Amen.

⁹ Jehovah knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to preserve the unrighteous for the Day of Judgment. (Psalm 34:19) (Matthew 25:46)

⁶ He said: »Listen to my words: ‘When there are prophets of Jehovah among you, I make myself known to them in visions or speak to them in dreams.

⁸ The king of Syria was at war with Israel. He consulted his officers and chose a place to set up camp. ⁹ Elisha sent word to the king of Israel. He warned him not to go near that place, because the Syrians were waiting to ambush him. ¹⁰ The king of Israel warned the people who lived there. So they were on guard. This happened several times. ¹¹ The Syrian king was greatly upset over this. He called in his officers and asked them: »Show me who of us is on the side of the king of Israel?« ¹² One of his servants said: »No one is, Your Majesty. The prophet Elisha tells the king of Israel what you say even in the privacy of your own bedroom.«

¹³ »I am with disturbing thoughts from visions in the night, when deep sleep falls on people.

¹⁵ »In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men as they slumber in their beds, ¹⁶ he may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings,

¹⁴ Jehovah is intimate with those who respect him. He reveals the intent of his covenant to them.

¹⁷ God gave these young people knowledge, understanding, and wisdom of all types of literature and learning. Daniel had understanding and wisdom in all visions and dreams.

²² »He reveals the deep and hidden things. He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.

²⁷ Daniel answered: »Wise men, enchanters, magicians, and soothsayers cannot show the secret the king demanded. ²⁸ »There is a God in heaven that reveals secrets. He made known to king Nebuchadnezzar what will be in days to come. Your dream and visions are these: ²⁹ »As for you, O king, your thoughts while you were in bed were about what will happen in the future. He who reveals secrets revealed the future to you.

⁹ ‘»O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and no secret troubles you! Tell me the visions I have seen in my dream. Give me the interpretation.

⁷ »After this I saw more visions in the night. I saw a FOURTH BEAST terrible and powerful, and exceedingly strong! It had great iron teeth. It devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet. It was different from the beasts that came before it. It had ten horns!

⁷ »The Lord Jehovah will do nothing without revealing his secrets to his servants the prophets.

¹² God warned the astrologers in a dream not to go back to Herod. So they departed for their country by a different road. ¹³ When they left, the angel of God appeared to Joseph in a dream and said: »Herod is looking to kill the young child. Arise, take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you to leave.«

⁹ It is written: »Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, and it has not entered into the heart of man, the things God prepared for those who love him.« (Isaiah 64:4) ¹⁰ But God revealed them to us by his Spirit. For the Spirit investigates (searches) all things, yes even the deep things of God.

²⁰ »Blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!« Abram gave him one tenth of everything.

⁵⁶ »THANKS TO JEHOVAH! He has given his people Israel rest, as he has promised. None of the good promises he made through his servant Moses has failed to come true.

¹⁰ »There in front of the whole assembly King David praised Jehovah. He said: Jehovah, God of our father (ancester) Israel. May you be praised forever and ever! ¹¹ »You are great and powerful, glorious, splendid, and majestic. Everything in heaven and earth is yours, and you, O Jehovah, are king, supreme ruler over all. ¹² »All riches and wealth come from you. You rule everything by your strength and power. You are able to make anyone great and strong.

²⁰ Then David commanded the people: Praise Jehovah your God! The entire assembly praised Jehovah, the God of their ancestors. They bowed low and gave honor to Jehovah and also to the king.

²¹ »After consulting with the people, the king ordered some musicians to put on the robes they wore on sacred occasions and to march ahead of the army. They sang: ‘Praise Jehovah! His love is eternal!’«

¹³ »To God belong wisdom and power. Counsel and understanding are his.

¹⁶ »To him belong strength and victory. Both deceived and deceivers are his. ¹⁷ »He leads counselors away stripped and makes fools of judges. ¹⁸ »He takes off the bonds put on by kings and ties a belt around their waist. ¹⁹ »He leads priests away stripped and overthrows men long established. ²⁰ »He silences the lips of trusted advisers and takes away the discernment of elders. ²¹ »He pours out contempt upon nobles and disarms the mighty. ²² »He uncovers the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light.

¹³ Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.

²³ »Whoever offers thanks as a sacrifice honors me. I will let everyone who continues in my way see the salvation that comes from God.«

¹¹ God has spoken once. I have heard it said twice: Power belongs to God.

¹⁸ Blessed be Jehovah God, the God of Israel, who alone does miracles. ¹⁹ Blessed be to his glorious name forever. May the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and amen!

¹ ([Psalm of David]) Bless Jehovah with all my being. With all that I am I praise his holy name! ² With all my heart I praise Jehovah! Do not forget how kind he has been.

² Blessed is the name of Jehovah from now and forever.

¹⁸ We will bless Jehovah now and forever. Praise Jehovah!

¹ ([Psalm of David]) I will praise you, my God and King! I will consecrate your name forever and ever. ² Every day I will bless you. I will praise your name forever and ever.

⁵ Our Lord is great, and his power is great. There is no limit to his understanding.

¹⁴ »Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I understand and I am very strong.

¹⁹ »You are great in counsel and mighty in deed. Your eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men. You give to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds.

²¹ »He changes the times and the seasons. He removes kings, and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to the discerning. ²² »He reveals the deep and hidden things. He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. ²³ »I thank you, and praise you, O God of my fathers. You have given me wisdom and might. You have made known to me what we desired from you. For you have made known to us the king's situation.«

¹³ »‘And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil (the wicked one).’ (Psalm 82:4) (Psalm 97:10) (Matthew 13:19) (John 17:15) (1 John 5:19)

²⁴ Now to him that is able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before the presence of his glory without blemish with exceeding joy.

¹² They said with a loud voice: »The Lamb that was slaughtered is worthy to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.«

³ »I filled him with the Spirit of God (my power). I gave him understanding, skill, and ability for every kind of artistic work.

⁶ »I also appointed Oholiab, son of Ahisamach, from the tribe of Dan, to help him. I have given every craftsman the skill necessary to make what I have commanded you:

⁷ »Jehovah takes away and He gives riches. He brings low and lifts up high. ⁸ »He raises the poor from the dust. He lifts up the needy from the dunghill to set them among the princes. He causes them to inherit a throne of glory (honor). The pillars of the earth are Jehovah’s. He sets the world on them.

⁸ »I am among the people you have chosen to be your own. They are a people who are so many that they cannot be counted. ⁹ ‘Give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice. Help me know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours?« ¹⁰ Jehovah was pleased that Solomon asked for this. ¹¹ He said to him: »Because you have asked for the wisdom to rule justly, instead of long life for yourself or riches or the death of your enemies, ¹² »I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had. There has never been nor will ever be anyone like you.

²⁸ The people of Israel heard of Solomon's decision and were all filled with deep respect for him. They knew then that God had given him the wisdom to settle disputes fairly.

²⁹ God gave Solomon great wisdom and insight, and knowledge too great to be measured.

²⁴ They came from all over the earth to see Solomon and to listen to his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.

¹² »May Jehovah give you discretion and understanding when he puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of Jehovah your God.

³⁰ The records tell how he ruled, how powerful he was, and all the things that happened to him, to Israel, and to the surrounding kingdoms.

¹⁰ »Please give me the wisdom and knowledge I need to rule over them. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours?« ¹¹ God replied to Solomon: »You have made the right choice. Instead of asking for wealth, treasure, fame or the death of your enemies or even for long life for yourself, you have asked for wisdom and knowledge so that you can rule my people, over whom I have made you king. ¹² »For this reason I will give you wisdom and knowledge. And in addition, I will give you more wealth, treasure, and fame than any king has ever had before or will ever have again.« ¹³ The king spoke to the wise men that were experts with knowledge of the times. It was the king's practice.

¹⁸ »He takes off the bonds put on by kings and ties a belt around their waist.

²⁴ »He breaks mighty people into pieces without examining them and puts others in their places. ²⁵ »He knows what they do, so he overthrows them at night, and they are crushed. ²⁶ »In return for their evil, he strikes them in public. ²⁷ »This is because they turned away from following him. They did not consider any of his ways. ²⁸ »They forced the poor to cry out to him, and he hears the cry of those who suffer. ²⁹ »If God decided to do nothing at all, no one could criticize him. If he hid his face (refused to assist), we would be helpless.

¹⁴ I trust you, O Jehovah. I said: »You are my God.« ¹⁵ My future is in your hands. Rescue me from my enemies, from those who persecute me.

⁵ Do not lift up your horn on high. Do not speak with insolent pride. ⁶ There is no exaltation from the east, or from the west, or from the desert. ⁷ God is the Judge; He brings down one and exalts another.

⁷ He lifts the poor from the dust. He lifts the needy from a garbage heap. ⁸ He seats them with important people, with the leaders (princes) of his people.

⁶ Jehovah gives wisdom. From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. ⁷ He stores up insightful (sound) (substantial) wisdom for the upright. He is a shield for those who walk in integrity.

¹⁵ »Kings reign by me, and princes decree justice. ¹⁶ »By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

¹ For everything there is a season. There is a time for every purpose under the sun. ² There is a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pull up what is planted; ³ a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; ⁴ a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; ⁵ a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; ⁶ a time to get and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to throw away. ⁷ There is a time to tear and a time to sew, a time to keep silence and a time to speak. ⁸ There is also a time to love and a time to hate, a time of war and a time of peace.

⁵ »I used my great strength and my powerful arm to make the earth along with the people and the animals on it. I give it to anyone I please. ⁶ »Now I have handed all these countries over to my servant King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I have even made wild animals serve him. ⁷ »All nations will serve him, his son, and his grandson until Babylon is defeated. Then many nations and great kings will make him their slave.

¹⁷ ‘»The decision is by the decree of the watchers. The sentence by the word of the holy ones! It is to the intent that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will, and sets over it the lowest of men.«

³² »You will be driven from men. Your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You will have to eat grass like bulls. Seven times shall pass over you until you know the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.«

⁶ »At the end of years they will become allies (form an allience). The daughter of the king of the south will come to the king of the north to make an agreement. But she will not retain the strength of her arm (power); neither will he stand, nor his arm (power); but she will be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in those times.

⁵¹ »He shows strength with his arm. He scatters the proud in the thoughts of their heart. ⁵² »He removes rulers from their thrones and exalts the humble.

¹⁵ »I will give you ability to talk and words of wisdom, which your adversaries shall not be able to resist or refute.

²¹ »Afterward they desired a king. God gave Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, to them for forty years. ²² »When he removed him, he made David their king. He testified about him when he said: I found David the son of Jesse is a man after my own heart. He will do my will.

³⁰ It is because of him you are united with Christ Jesus, who became wisdom to us from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.

⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom let him ask of God. He gives to all generously and without reproach and it will be given to him.

¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above. It comes down from the Father of lights (truth and spiritual purity), with whom there is no variation. He does not change like shifting shadows.

¹⁵ This wisdom is not a wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and devilish. ¹⁶ For where jealousy and selfishness are, there is confusion and every evil deed. ¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable (yielding), full of mercy and good fruits, without discord (partiality), without hypocrisy.

¹⁶ He has on his garment and on his thigh a name written, »King of Kings« and »Lord of Lords«!

⁵ One time Joseph had a dream. He told his brothers about it and they hated him even more. ⁶ He said: »Please listen to the dream I had. ⁷ »We were all in the field tying up sheaves of wheat. My sheaf got up and stood up straight. Yours formed a circle around mine and bowed down to it.« ⁸ »Do you think you are going to be a king and rule over us?« his brothers asked. So they hated him even more because of his dreams and because of what he said about them. ⁹ Joseph had another dream and told his brothers: »I had another dream, in which I saw the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowing down to me.«

¹⁶ Joseph then answered Pharaoh: »I cannot do it myself, but God can give the meaning of your dreams.«

²⁵ Joseph said to Pharaoh: »Pharaoh had the same dream twice. God has told Pharaoh what he is going to do. ²⁶ »The seven good cows are seven years. The seven good heads of grain are seven years. It is all the same dream. ²⁷ »The seven thin, sickly cows that came up behind them are seven years. The seven empty heads of grain scorched by the east wind are also seven years. Seven years of famine are coming! ²⁸ »It is just as I said to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what he is going to do.

²² »He uncovers the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light.

⁶ »The grave is naked before God, and destruction has no covering.

⁹ For with you is the fountain (source) of life. In your light we see light. (Jeremiah 2:13) (Acts 17:28)

² You cover yourself with light as with a cloak. You stretch out clouds in the sky like a curtain.

¹¹ If I say: »Certainly the darkness will overwhelm me!« Then the light around me will be night. ¹² Even the darkness is not dark to you. And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to you.

²² »Bring in your idols to tell us what is going to happen. Tell us what the former things were, so that we may consider them and know their final outcome. Or declare to us the things to come.

²⁶ »Who told of this from the beginning, so we could know, or beforehand, so we could say: He was right? No one told of this, no one foretold it. No one heard any words from you!«

⁹ »The things I predicted have now come true. Now I will tell you of new things even before they begin to happen.«

⁷ »I make light and create darkness. I make blessings and create disasters. I, Jehovah, do all these things.

²⁴ »Can a man hide himself in hiding places so I do not see him?« asks Jehovah. »Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?« Declares Jehovah.

¹¹ »It is a rare thing that the king requires. There is no other person who can show it to the king, except the gods, and they do not live with humans.«

¹⁴ »I have heard of you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.

¹³ »I speak to them in illustrations (stories) (parables) (allegories), because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear. They just do not understand.

² »Everything covered up will be revealed. Everything hidden will be made known. ³ »That which you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light. That which you have spoken in the inner chambers will be proclaimed on the housetops.

⁹ The true light, which gives light to every man, came into the world. (Isaiah 49:6)

¹² Again Jesus spoke to them, saying: »I am the light of the world. He that follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.«

⁴⁵ »He that sees me sees (perceives) (discerns) (experiences) the one who sent me. ⁴⁶ »I have come as a light to the world. Everyone who believes in me will not remain in darkness.

¹⁷ The third time Jesus said to him: »Simon, son of John, do you have affection for me?« Peter was grieved. Because he said to him the third time, do you have affection for me? Peter replied: »Lord, you know all things; you know I have affection for you!« Jesus said to him: »Feed my sheep.«

²⁵ Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my good news, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the secret, which was kept secret since the world began. ²⁶ It is now made known by the Scriptures of the prophets according to the commandment of the everlasting God. It is made known to all nations for the obedience of faith.

⁹ It is written: »Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, and it has not entered into the heart of man, the things God prepared for those who love him.« (Isaiah 64:4) ¹⁰ But God revealed them to us by his Spirit. For the Spirit investigates (searches) all things, yes even the deep things of God. ¹¹ For what man knows the things of a man, except the mental disposition that is in man? Even so no one knows the things of God, but the Spirit of God.

⁵ Do not judge anything before the time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make apparent the counsels of the hearts. Then each man’s praise will come from God.

⁵ It was not made known to other generations of the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.

¹⁶ Only God has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light. No man has seen him, nor can see him. To him be honor and power forever. Amen.

¹³ Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. All things are uncovered and laid bare before him. We must account to him. (Romans 2:16; 14:12)

⁵ This is the message we heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

¹⁷ Jehovah said: »Shall I hide what I am doing from Abraham?

⁹ Then Jacob prayed: »O God of my father Abraham, the God of my father Isaac, O Jehovah, you said to me: ‘Go back to your country and your family and I will be good to you.’ ¹⁰ »I am less than nothing in comparison with all your love and your faithfulness to me your servant. I only had a stick in my hand when I traveled across Jordan. Now I have become two armies. ¹¹ »Save me from the hand of Esau, my brother. I fear that he will attack me and kill both mothers and children.

¹⁵ God, further said to Moses: »You shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘JEHOVAH, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ (JEHOVAH) THIS IS MY NAME FOREVER! This is my memorial-name to all generations.

⁵⁷ »May Jehovah our God be with us as he was with our ancestors. May he not leave us or abandon us.

³⁶ Then at the time of the offering, Elijah the prophet came near and said, »Jehovah, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be seen this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things by your order.

¹⁰ »There in front of the whole assembly King David praised Jehovah. He said: Jehovah, God of our father (ancester) Israel. May you be praised forever and ever!

¹³ »Now, our God, we give you thanks, and we praise your glorious name.

⁶ He prayed aloud: »O Jehovah, God of our ancestors, you rule in heaven over all the nations of the world. You are powerful and mighty. No one can oppose you.

¹⁴ »Bring your thanks to God as a sacrifice, and pay (make good) your vows to the Most High.

¹ ([Psalm of David]) Bless Jehovah with all my being. With all that I am I praise his holy name! ² With all my heart I praise Jehovah! Do not forget how kind he has been. ³ He forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases. ⁴ He redeems your life from ruin and crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies.

²² A wise man attacks the city of the mighty, and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust.

⁵ A wise man is strong. A man of knowledge increases strength.

¹⁹ Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten mighty men who are in the city.

¹⁶ Then I said: »Wisdom is better than strength.« Nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

¹⁸ Wisdom is better than weapons of war, yet one sinner destroys much good.

¹ In that day you will say: »I will praise you, O Jehovah. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me.

¹⁸ that they would request mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret. And they would request that Daniel and his companions would not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

²⁰ Daniel said: »Praise be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are his. ²¹ »He changes the times and the seasons. He removes kings, and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to the discerning.

²⁹ »As for you, O king, your thoughts while you were in bed were about what will happen in the future. He who reveals secrets revealed the future to you. ³⁰ »Concerning me, this secret is not revealed to me to give me more wisdom than anyone else. It is for the purpose that the interpretation may be made known to the king; that you may know the thoughts of your mind.

²⁵ Then Jesus prayed: »I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and have revealed them to children. (Acts 2:36)

²¹ In that same hour he rejoiced in Holy Spirit and said: »I thank you Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you did hide these things from the wise and the understanding and revealed them to babes. Father, it is pleasing in your sight.

⁴¹ So they took away the stone. Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said: »Father, I thank you that you hear me.

¹⁵ »I no longer call you servants for the servant does not know what the lord does. I have called you friends; for all things that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you.

¹ THE REVELATION GOD GAVE TO JESUS CHRIST, so that he could tell his servants the things that must soon take place. Christ then sent his angel to communicate the symbolic message to his servant John.

⁵ One of the elders said to me: »Do not weep; the Lion of the tribe of Judah of the Root of David has succeeded in opening the book and removing the seven seals.«

¹² This caused the king to be angry. In fact he became furious! He commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. ¹³ So the decree was delivered. The wise men were to be executed. They searched for Daniel and his companions to execute them. ¹⁴ Daniel sent an answer tempered with counsel and prudence to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, who was ordered to execute the wise men of Babylon.

²⁴ »He said, »Paul, do not be afraid. You must stand before Caessar and God has graciously given you the lives of you and all who sail with you.

⁶ These are the people of the divisions of the kingdom, among those who had been made prisoners by Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, and taken away by him, who went back to Jerusalem and Judah, every one to his town:

¹¹ If you do not deliver those who are condemned to death,

¹⁰ Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, where you are going.

⁶ Now among these children of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

¹³ Daniel was brought before the king. The king spoke to Daniel: »Are you that Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah?

¹³ Then they said: »Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, does not show you respect, O king, nor the decree that you signed. He offers his prayer three times a day.«

²⁷ Instead God chose the foolish things of the world to confuse (shame) the wise. God chose the weak things of the world to confuse (shame) the things that are mighty. ²⁸ God also chose the base things of the world, and things which are despised, yes, and things which are not, to bring to nothing things that are.

³³ Saul responded to David: »You cannot fight this Philistine. You are just a boy. He has been a warrior since he was your age.«

⁷ The officer in charge gave names to them: To Daniel he gave the name of Belteshazzar. Hananiah was called Shadrach. Mishael was called Meshach and Azariah was named Abednego.

³ The king said: »I had a dream that troubles me and I want to understand what the dream means.« ⁴ The Chaldeans spoke in the Syrian language: »O king, may you live for a very long time. Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.« ⁵ The king answered: »I have decided. If you do not make the dream known to me and it’s interpretation you will be cut in pieces, and your houses will be made a dunghill (foul smelling pile of rubbish). ⁶ »But if you tell me the dream and what it means you will receive gifts and rewards and great honor from me. Therefore tell me the dream and the interpretation of it.« ⁷ They answered the second time. They said: »Let the king tell his servants the dream. Then we will tell the interpretation.«

⁸ »Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, finally came to me. He has the spirit of the holy gods. So I told the dream to him saying:

¹⁸ ‘»I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen this dream and you O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation! For all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make the interpretation known to me. You are able for the spirit of the holy gods is in you!’ ¹⁹ »Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was stricken dumb for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king said, Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or the interpretation trouble you. Belteshazzar answered: My lord, the dream may be to them that hate you and the interpretation to your adversaries.

¹² »Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, has an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding for interpreting dreams, showing of dark sentences, and dissolving doubts. Let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.«

¹⁶ »I have heard that you can give interpretations and dissolve doubts. If you can read the writing and make the interpretation known to me you will be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about your neck, and will be the third ruler in the kingdom.«

¹² »He keeps shrewd (crafty) (cunning) people from carrying out their plans so that they cannot do anything successfully. ¹³ »He catches the wise with their own craftiness. The plans of schemers are quickly halted.

¹² Keep all your magic spells and charms. You have used them since you were young. Perhaps they will be of some help to you. Perhaps you can frighten your enemies. ¹³ »You are powerless in spite of the advice you get. Let your astrologers come forward and save you! Let those people who study the stars, who map out the zones of the heavens tell you from month to month what is going to happen to you. ¹⁴ »Surely they are like stubble. The fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame. Here are no coals to warm anyone and no fire to sit by.

² The king summoned the magicians, enchanters (conjurers), sorcerers, and the Chaldeans and commanded them to tell the king about his dreams. They came in and stood before the king.

⁷ The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. / The king spoke to the wise men of Babylon: »Whoever reads this writing, and shows me the interpretation of it will be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck. He will be the third ruler in the kingdom«. ⁸ All the king’s wise men came. But they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation.

¹ Jacob called for his sons. He said: »Gather around, and I will tell you what will happen to you in the future.

¹⁴ »Now I am going to my people. Come along and I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the days to come.«

³⁰ »When you are in trouble (distress) and all these things happen to you in the latter days, turn to Jehovah your God and obey his voice.

¹⁹ »Write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the sons of Israel. Put it on their lips, so that this song may be a witness for me against the sons of Israel.

³ Our God is in heaven. He does whatever he pleases.

² In the last days the mountain of the house of Jehovah will be established as the highest of the mountains and exalted above the hills. All the nations will stream to it.

²² »Bring in your idols to tell us what is going to happen. Tell us what the former things were, so that we may consider them and know their final outcome. Or declare to us the things to come. ²³ »Tell us what the future holds, so we may know that you are gods. Do something, whether good or bad, so that we will be shocked and filled with fear.

²⁴ Jehovah’s burning rage will not turn back until he has done everything he intends to do. You will understand this clearly in the last days.

⁴⁷ »‘In the future, however, I will make good things happen to Moab. It will be prosperous again,’ says Jehovah. As of now the judgement of Moab.’«

⁸ »‘»After many days you will be summoned. In the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel that had been a continual waste. Its people were brought out from the nations, and all of them are living securely.

¹⁶ »‘You will come up against my people Israel like a cloud to cover the land. It shall come about in the last days that I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I am sanctified through you before their eyes, O Gog.«’

⁴⁷ The king spoke to Daniel: »It is true, your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing you were able to reveal this secret.«

¹⁴ »Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the future for the vision is yet for many days.«

⁵ Afterward the children of Israel will return and seek Jehovah their God. David their king will come with trembling to Jehovah and to his goodness in the last days.

¹³ »Behold he who formed the mountains and created the wind and declared to man his thoughts, also made the morning darkness and treads upon the high places of the Earth: Jehovah, the God of Hosts, is his name.«

¹ It will happen in the last days! The mountain of the house of Jehovah will be established above the top of the mountains. It will be exalted above the hills. Peoples will flow to it. ² Many nations will come. They will say: »Come you people, let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths!« For out of Zion will go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem.

⁹ »‘Our Father in heaven, holy is your name. (Exodus 6:3) (Psalm 83:18) (Isaiah 42:8; 54:5; 63:16; 64:8)

¹ Know this also that in the last days perilous (dangerous) times will come.

¹ Long ago on many occasions and in many ways God spoke to our fathers through the prophets.

³ Know this first, that in the last days, mockers will come with mockery, walking after their own lusts,

¹⁰ »The Lord Jehovah says: ‘It will come about on that day, that thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil plan.

²⁸ »There is a God in heaven that reveals secrets. He made known to king Nebuchadnezzar what will be in days to come. Your dream and visions are these:

³ »I AM JEHOVAH YOUR GOD, THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL, YOUR SAVIOR. Egypt is the ransom I exchanged for you. Sudan and Seba are the price I paid for you. ⁴ »I honor you because you are precious to me and I love you. I will exchange others for you. Nations will be the price I pay for your life.

⁴ »For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen one, I have called you by name. I have given you a title of honor, although you do not know me.

¹⁷ Then Daniel went back to his house, and explained everything to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: ¹⁸ that they would request mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret. And they would request that Daniel and his companions would not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

⁴⁹ Daniel requested that the king appoint Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon. Daniel sat in the court of the king.

²² »Unless those days are shortened, no flesh will be saved. For the sake of the chosen ones (selected individuals), those days will be shortened.

²⁰ »Unless Jehovah shortened the days no flesh would be saved. For the sake of his chosen anointed he will shorten the days.

¹² When Peter saw this he spoke to the people: »You men of Israel, why are you amazed at this? Why do you look at us as though our own power or holiness made this man walk?

²⁸ We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.

²¹ Therefore let no man boast in men. For all things are yours. ²² Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours! ²³ And you belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God.

⁸ And last of all I also saw him, as of one with an untimely birth. ⁹ I am the least of the apostles and do not deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the people of God. ¹⁰ By the divine influence of God I am what I am. His grace was not given to me in vain for I labored more than all of them. Yet it was not I. It was the divine influence and favor of God in me. ¹¹ Therefore whether they preached or I preached, you believed. ¹² If we preached that Christ was raised from the dead, how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead?

¹⁵ All things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

¹¹ »I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. I will also end the arrogance of the proud. I will demean (disgrace) the arrogance of tyranny.

³ Therefore strong peoples will glorify you. Cities of ruthless nations will fear you. ⁴ You have been a refuge to the poor, a refuge to the needy in their distress, a shelter from the rainstorm and a shade from the heat. When the blast of the ruthless was like a winter rainstorm, ⁵ the noise of strangers like heat in a dry place, you subdued the heat with the shade of clouds; the song of the ruthless was stilled.

⁷ ‘»I will bring strangers, ruthless nations, upon you. They will draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom and defile your splendor.

³ »Four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. ⁴ »The first was like a LION. It had eagle's wings. I watched till the wings were pulled off. It was lifted up from the earth and made to stand upon two feet like a man. A man's heart and mind was given to it. ⁵ »Look, a second beast, like a BEAR. It was raised up on one side. Three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth. They said to it, ‘Arise and devour much flesh.’ ⁶ »I saw another beast. It was like a LEOPARD. It had four wings as a bird on its back. The beast also had four heads. Dominion (ruling authority) was given to it. ⁷ »After this I saw more visions in the night. I saw a FOURTH BEAST terrible and powerful, and exceedingly strong! It had great iron teeth. It devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet. It was different from the beasts that came before it. It had ten horns! ⁸ »I looked at the horns and another one, a little horn came. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man. It had a mouth that spoke great (domineering) (boastful) things. The three first horns were plucked up roots and all. ⁹ »I watched as thrones were placed. The ANCIENT OF DAYS sat on one throne. His clothing was white as snow. His hair was like pure wool. His throne was like fiery flames, and the wheels on it were like burning fire. ¹⁰ »A fiery stream issued from before him. Thousands of thousands ministered to him. Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The judgment was set and the books were opened. ¹¹ »I paid attention because of the sound of the great (boastful) words the horn spoke. I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed. It was burned with fire. ¹² »The dominion (authority) was taken away from the other beasts. Yet their lives were prolonged for a season. ¹³ »I saw in the night-visions someone like a SON OF MAN came with the clouds of heaven. He came to the Ancient of Days. They brought him near before him. ¹⁴ »He was given legal power and a kingdom. Out of his glory all the peoples, nations, and languages will serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away. His kingdom will not be destroyed. (Revelation 11:15) (Daniel 2:44) (Psalm 45:6) ¹⁵ »I, Daniel, was grieved to the center of my being, and the visions in my head troubled me. ¹⁶ I came near to one of them that stood nearby, and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me. ‘HE MADE ME KNOW THE INTERPRETATION OF EVERYTHING. ¹⁷ ‘»These FOUR GREAT BEASTS, ARE FOUR KINGS, that arise out of the earth.

⁷ »They are feared and dreaded. Their justice and dignity are of their own being.

⁸ This time the Devil took Jesus to an extremely high mountain. He showed him all the kingdoms of the world with all their greatness.

⁵ He led him up to a high place and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

⁴ You will mock the king of Babylon with this saying: »How the tyrant has come to an end! How his attacks have come to an end!

⁷ »Babylon was like a gold cup in my hand, making the whole world drunk. The nations drank its wine and went out of their minds.

³⁷ »You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the glory. ³⁸ »He gave the children of men, the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens to your hand. He made you the ruler over them all! You are the head of gold. ³⁹ »After you another inferior kingdom will arise and another third kingdom of brass, which will rule over all the earth.

²² It is you O king! You have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown, and reaches to heaven. Your dominion is to the end of the earth.

³⁰ The king spoke: »Is this not great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling-place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?«

⁴ »The first was like a LION. It had eagle's wings. I watched till the wings were pulled off. It was lifted up from the earth and made to stand upon two feet like a man. A man's heart and mind was given to it. ⁵ »Look, a second beast, like a BEAR. It was raised up on one side. Three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth. They said to it, ‘Arise and devour much flesh.’ ⁶ »I saw another beast. It was like a LEOPARD. It had four wings as a bird on its back. The beast also had four heads. Dominion (ruling authority) was given to it.

³ A ram with two horns stood next to the river. The two horns were tall, but one was taller than the other, and the taller one came up last. ⁴ I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward. No beasts could stand before him. Neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand. He did what ever he wanted and boasted about himself. ⁵ As I observed a he-goat came from the west over the face of the whole earth. It did not touch the ground. The goat had a notable horn between his eyes. ⁶ He approached the ram that had the two horns, which I saw standing next to the river. He charged him with the full fury of his power. ⁷ I saw him come close to the ram. He was driven with anger and he struck the ram and broke his two horns. The ram had no power to stand before him. He threw him down to the ground, and trampled upon him. No one could deliver the ram out of his hand. ⁸ The he-goat promoted (boasted about) himself exceedingly. He was strong. The great horn was broken and instead of it there came up four notable horns toward the four winds of heaven.

² »Now I will tell you the truth. Look, there will be three more kings in Persia. Then the fourth will be richer than the others. When he is strong because of his riches he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece. ³ »A mighty king will stand up and rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. ⁴ »After he appears his kingdom will be broken. It will be divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion as he ruled. His kingdom will be plucked up, even for others besides these. ⁵ »The king of the south will be strong along with one of his princes. His prince will be stronger than him, and have dominion. His dominion will be a great dominion. ⁶ »At the end of years they will become allies (form an allience). The daughter of the king of the south will come to the king of the north to make an agreement. But she will not retain the strength of her arm (power); neither will he stand, nor his arm (power); but she will be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in those times. ⁷ »But out of a shoot from her roots will one stand up in his place. He will come with the army and enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and will fight against them, and will prevail. ⁸ He will carry captive into Egypt their gods, with their molten images, and with their valuable vessels of silver and of gold. He will stand off some years from the king of the north. ⁹ »The king of the north will come into the realm of the king of the south, but he will return into his own land. ¹⁰ »And his sons will be warlike and will assemble a multitude of great forces, which will come on, and overflow, and pass through; and they will return and fight, even to his fortress. ¹¹ »And the king of the south will be moved with anger, and will come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north. He will assemble a large army, and the army will be defeated. ¹² »The army will be lifted up, and his heart will be filled with pride. He will cast down tens of thousands, but he will not prevail. ¹³ »The king of the north will return, and will set forth an army greater than the former. He will come on at the end of the times with a great army that is well supplied with much equipment. ¹⁴ »In those times there will many who stand up against the king of the south. Also the children of the violent among your people will rebel up to establish the vision, but they will fall. ¹⁵ »So the king of the north will come, and cast up a siege ramp, and capture a well-fortified city. The forces of the south will not stand, neither his chosen people, neither will there be any strength to stand. ¹⁶ »But he that comes against him will do according to his own will, and none will stand against him. He will stand in the glorious land, and in his hand will be destruction. ¹⁷ »And he will be determined to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and with him equitable conditions. He will perform them. He will give him the daughter of women, to corrupt her; but she will not stand or be on his side. ¹⁸ »He will turn back to the coastlands and will capture many. However, a prince will cause the reproach offered by him to cease. He will cause his reproach to turn upon him. ¹⁹ »Then he will turn his attention toward the fortresses of his own land; but he shall stumble and fall, and will not be found. ²⁰ »Then one will stand up in his place who will send an oppressor (tax collecter) to pass through the glory of the kingdom. However, he will be destroyed within a few days, neither in anger, nor in battle.

⁴ The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet. She was adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She had a golden cup in her hand. It was full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.

⁴⁰ »The fourth kingdom will be strong as iron, since iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things. It is iron that crushes all these. It will break in pieces and crush. ⁴¹ »The feet and toes you saw, part of potters' clay, and part of iron will be a divided kingdom. It will have the strength of iron. However, you saw the iron mixed with clay. ⁴² »As the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong, and partly broken. ⁴³ »The iron mixed with clay will mingle with the seed of men. But they will not adhere to one another. For iron does not stick to clay.

⁷ »After this I saw more visions in the night. I saw a FOURTH BEAST terrible and powerful, and exceedingly strong! It had great iron teeth. It devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet. It was different from the beasts that came before it. It had ten horns! ⁸ »I looked at the horns and another one, a little horn came. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man. It had a mouth that spoke great (domineering) (boastful) things. The three first horns were plucked up roots and all.

¹⁹ »I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast that was different from the others. This beast was exceeding terrible. It had teeth made of iron. Its claws were made of copper. It devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped what was left with its feet. ²⁰ »There were ten horns on its head. Three horns fell and another horn came up. The horn that had eyes and a mouth spoke great (domineering) (boastful) things. Its appearance was greater than the others. ²¹ »I watched that same horn as it made war with the holy ones. It prevailed against (defeated) them. ²² »Then the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the holy ones of the Most High, and the time came that the holy ones possessed the kingdom. (Revelation 5:10; 20:4, 6) ²³ »He said: ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on earth. It will be different from all other kingdoms. It will devour the entire earth. It will trample it down and break it in pieces. ²⁴ ‘»The ten horns are ten kings that will arise out of this kingdom! Another will arise after them. He will be different from the former, and he will subdue three kings. ²⁵ ‘»He will speak words against the Most High (Supreme God) and wear down (afflict) (cause great distress) the holy ones of the Most High. He will think to change the times and law and will have control until a time and times and half a time. (Three and one-half years) ²⁶ ‘»But the judgment shall be set (applied) and they will take away his power forever.

⁸ »Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. ⁹ »You will rule them with an iron scepter. You will dash them to pieces like pottery!« ¹⁰ Listen you kings, be wise (show discernment) and be warned you rulers of the earth. ¹¹ Serve Jehovah with deep respect and rejoice with trembling. ¹² Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed (happy) are all who take refuge (put trust) in him.

⁵ Jehovah is at your right hand. He will crush kings in the day of his anger. ⁶ He will pass judgment on the nations and fill them with dead bodies. Throughout the earth he will execute their rulers.

²² The stone that the builders rejected as worthless turned out to be the most important of all.

⁶ Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands ⁷ to take vengeance on the nations, to punish the people of the world, ⁸ to put their kings in chains and their leaders in iron shackles, ⁹ to carry out the judgment that is written against them. This is an honor that belongs to all his God-like ones. Praise Jehovah!

¹⁶ Therefore this is what The Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: »Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation. It is a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily.

¹² »Nations and kingdoms that do not serve you will be destroyed. The nations will definitely be ruined.

⁴⁴ »In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. Its sovereignty will not be entrusted to another people. It will break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms and it will stand forever! ⁴⁵ »You saw a stone cut out of the mountain without hands. It broke the iron, brass, clay, silver, and the gold to pieces. The great God made known to the king what will happen in the future. The dream is certain, and the interpretation of it is sure.«

¹³ »I saw in the night-visions someone like a SON OF MAN came with the clouds of heaven. He came to the Ancient of Days. They brought him near before him. ¹⁴ »He was given legal power and a kingdom. Out of his glory all the peoples, nations, and languages will serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away. His kingdom will not be destroyed. (Revelation 11:15) (Daniel 2:44) (Psalm 45:6)

²⁷ ‘»The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people who are the holy ones of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom! All dominions (legal authorities) will serve and obey him.’

²⁵ »Through his policy he will cause deceit to prosper in his hand. He will boast about himself in his heart. In their security they will destroy many. He will even stand up against the prince of princes; but he will be destroyed without human power.

⁶ He answered: »This is the word of Jehovah to Zerubbabel.« Then Jehovah of Hosts said: ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit.’«

³ »It will happen in that day! I will make Jerusalem a heavy weight for all the people. All who lift it will be severely injured. All the nations of the earth will gather against her.«

¹⁸ »You are Peter (Greek: petros: piece of rock), and on this rock-mass (Greek: petra: mass of rock) (referring to Jesus) I will build my congregation. The entrance to the grave (Greek: Hades) will not have power to stop it.

¹³ They were born from God. It was not from blood, or the will of the flesh, or the will of man.

¹¹ »This is the stone that was rejected by you builders. It became the chief corner stone.

¹ We know that if our earthly house (human body) (habitation of life) is destroyed; we have a building from God. It is an everlasting house in the heavens, not made with human hands.

²⁴ Christ has not entered into the Holy Place made with human hands. This is a copy of the true one. He has entered into heaven to appear before the presence of God for us.

⁷ This precious value is for those who believe. But for the unbeliever: »The stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone.«

¹⁵ The seventh angel blew his trumpet. There were great voices in heaven, saying: »The kingdom of the world has become our God’s, and his Christ will rule as king forever and ever.«

¹⁴ »They will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome (conquer) them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings. Those who are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.«

¹¹ I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse; and he who sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. ¹² His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns (diadems). He had a name written that no man knew, but himself. ¹³ He was clothed with a garment dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. ¹⁴ The armies in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. ¹⁵ Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword, that with it he should strike the nations. He will rule them with a rod of iron. He treads the winepress of the fierceness and anger of Almighty God. ¹⁶ He has on his garment and on his thigh a name written, »King of Kings« and »Lord of Lords«! ¹⁷ Then I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried with a loud voice to all the fowls that fly in midheaven: »Come and gather yourselves together to the supper of the great God; ¹⁸ »that you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of military commanders, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.« ¹⁹ I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him who sat on the horse, and against his army. ²⁰ The beast was captured, and with him the false prophet that performed signs before him, with which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast, and those who worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur. ²¹ The rest were killed with the sword that came from the mouth of the one who sat on the horse. All the birds were filled with their flesh.

¹⁷ but that cease to flow in the dry season, and in the heat vanishes from their channels.

⁴ This is not so for the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. ⁵ Therefore the wicked will not stand (be upright) in the judgment. The sinners will not stand (endure) in the assembly of the righteous.

²⁷ All the ends of the earth will remember and return to Jehovah. All the families from all the nations will worship you.

¹⁰ A short time from now the wicked man will be no more. You will look carefully for his place and he will not be there.

³⁶ Then he passed away, and lo, he was no more. I searched for him, but he could not be found.

⁹ He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth! He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two. He burns the chariots (instruments of destruction) with fire.

⁴ The whole earth will worship you. They will sing praises to you. They will make music to praise your name.

¹ May God be merciful to us and bless us. May he cause his face to shine on us. ² That your way may be known on earth, and your salvation among all nations:

¹⁶ There shall be abundance of grain throughout the land. Its fruit sways like Lebanon. Let it flourish, thriving like the grass of the field. ¹⁷ His name will endure forever. His name will continue as long as the sun shines. May all nations be blessed through him and call him blessed.

⁹ You cleared the ground for it so that it took root and filled the land. ¹⁰ Its shade covered the mountains. Its branches covered the mighty cedars.

⁹ All the nations that you have made will bow in your presence, Jehovah. They will honor (glorify) you.

¹⁶ The wind passes over it, and it is gone; and its place shall know it no more.

² In the last days the mountain of the house of Jehovah will be established as the highest of the mountains and exalted above the hills. All the nations will stream to it. ³ Then many people will come and say: »Let us go to the mountain of Jehovah, to the House of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways so that we may live by them.« The law will go out from Zion. The word of Jehovah will go out from Jerusalem.

⁹ They will not hurt or destroy in my entire holy mountain. This is because the earth will be full of the knowledge of Jehovah just as the waters cover the sea.

¹³ The nations will rush like the raging of many waters. But God will rebuke them and they will flee far away. They will be chased like the chaff of the mountains before the wind, like a rolling dust before the whirlwind. ¹⁴ In the evening, sudden terror! Before the morning, they are gone! This is the portion of those who loot us, the lot of those who rob us.

¹⁵ »See I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them. You will reduce the hills to chaff. ¹⁶ »You will winnow them. The wind will pick them up and a gale will blow them away. But you will rejoice in Jehovah and glory in the Holy One of Israel.

³ »That is why they will be like fog in the morning and like morning dew that disappears quickly. They will be like straw blown away from threshing floors. They will be like smoke rising from chimneys.

¹³ »Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion! I will make your horn like iron and I will make your hoofs like brass. You will pulverize many nations into pieces. I will devote their profit and wealth to Jehovah the Lord of the whole earth.«

⁸ »It will happen! Living waters will go out from Jerusalem: half of them toward the eastern sea, and half of them toward the western sea. It will be both in the summer and in the winter. ⁹ »Jehovah will be King over all the earth. Jehovah will be the only one and his name will be the only one in that day.

²⁵ For he (Christ) must rule as king until he (God) puts all enemies under his feet (his control). (Psalm 2; 110) (Daniel 2:44) (Revelation 5:10; 20:6)

⁸ The dragon lost and no place in heaven was found for him any longer.

² He seized the dragon, the old serpent that is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. ³ He hurled him into the bottomless pit, and shut it and sealed it over him. He could not deceive the nations anymore till the thousand years ended. After that he must be let loose for a little while.

¹¹ I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it. From before him the earth and heaven fled away. There was found no place for them.

²³ »I thank you, and praise you, O God of my fathers. You have given me wisdom and might. You have made known to me what we desired from you. For you have made known to us the king's situation.« ²⁴ Therefore Daniel went to Arioch. Arioch was appointed by the king to destroy the wise men of Babylon. Daniel said to him: »Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king and I will show the king the interpretation.«

²⁴ Solomon ruled over all the land west of the Euphrates River, from Tiphsah on the Euphrates as far west as the city of Gaza. All the kings west of the Euphrates were subject to him. He was at peace with all the neighboring countries.

²³ Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: »Jehovah, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all his people, may Jehovah his God be with him, and let him go up!«

² »These are the words of Cyrus, king of Persia: ‘Jehovah the God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has made me responsible for building a house for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

¹² »Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, scribe of the law of the God of heaven, all peace;

¹⁵ »Kings reign by me, and princes decree justice.

⁸ »He boasts: ‘Every one of my commanders is a king!

⁵ »Sit silently and go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans. You will no longer be called the queen of kingdoms.

¹⁴ »The Lord Jehovah, the God of Israel, said: ‘He will put an iron yoke on all these nations and that they will serve King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Jehovah said that he would make even the wild animals serve Nebuchadnezzar.«’«

⁷ »The Lord Jehovah says: ‘I will bring upon Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. He is king of kings. He has many horses, chariots, cavalry and a great army.

³ »How great are his signs! How mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

²⁵ You will be driven from men. Your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field. You will eat grass like oxen and will be wet with the dew of heaven. Seven times shall pass over you until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.

³⁴ »At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven and my understanding returned to me. I blessed the Most High and I praised and honored the one who lives forever. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation.

¹⁸ »O you king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty.

¹⁰ »Even though they sold themselves among the nations, I will gather them now. They will suffer for a while under the burdens of kings and princes.

¹¹ Jesus answered him: »You would have no power against me except it was given you from above. Therefore he that delivered me to you has greater sin.«

⁵ And from Jesus Christ, who is the Faithful Witness, and the firstborn from the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To the one who loves us and released us from our sins by his blood.

¹¹ »You are worthy, Jehovah our God, to receive glory and honor and power: for you have created all things, and because of your will they are and were created.«

¹⁰ »Every living thing in the forest, even the cattle on a thousand hills, is mine. ¹¹ »I know every bird in the mountains. Everything that moves in the fields is mine.

²¹ whose leaves were beautiful and fruit abundant, and in it was food for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the birds of the heavens lived: ²² It is you O king! You have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown, and reaches to heaven. Your dominion is to the end of the earth.

²⁸ »‘I say of Cyrus: ‘He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please. He will say of Jerusalem, ‘Let it be rebuilt,’ and of the Temple, ‘Let its foundations be laid.’«

³² »The statue had a head of pure gold, chest and arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of brass.

²⁸ »PERES; your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.« ²⁹ Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. ³⁰ In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean King was slain. ³¹ Darius the Mede received the kingdom. He was sixty-two years old.

⁵ »Look, a second beast, like a BEAR. It was raised up on one side. Three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth. They said to it, ‘Arise and devour much flesh.’ ⁶ »I saw another beast. It was like a LEOPARD. It had four wings as a bird on its back. The beast also had four heads. Dominion (ruling authority) was given to it. ⁷ »After this I saw more visions in the night. I saw a FOURTH BEAST terrible and powerful, and exceedingly strong! It had great iron teeth. It devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet. It was different from the beasts that came before it. It had ten horns!

²³ »He said: ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on earth. It will be different from all other kingdoms. It will devour the entire earth. It will trample it down and break it in pieces.

³ A ram with two horns stood next to the river. The two horns were tall, but one was taller than the other, and the taller one came up last. ⁴ I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward. No beasts could stand before him. Neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand. He did what ever he wanted and boasted about himself. ⁵ As I observed a he-goat came from the west over the face of the whole earth. It did not touch the ground. The goat had a notable horn between his eyes. ⁶ He approached the ram that had the two horns, which I saw standing next to the river. He charged him with the full fury of his power. ⁷ I saw him come close to the ram. He was driven with anger and he struck the ram and broke his two horns. The ram had no power to stand before him. He threw him down to the ground, and trampled upon him. No one could deliver the ram out of his hand. ⁸ The he-goat promoted (boasted about) himself exceedingly. He was strong. The great horn was broken and instead of it there came up four notable horns toward the four winds of heaven. ⁹ A little horn cam out of one of them. The little horn became very great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the glorious land. ¹⁰ It grew great, even to the host of heaven. It threw down to the ground some of the host and it trampled them. ¹¹ It magnified itself, even to the prince of the host. It took the continual burnt offering from him and the place of his sanctuary was thrown down. ¹² The host was given over to it together with the continual burnt offering through transgression. It cast down truth to the ground, and whatever it wanted to do and prospered. ¹³ Then I heard a holy one speak and another holy one said to it: »How long will the vision be concerning the continual burnt-offering and the transgression that makes desolate to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot?« ¹⁴ He said to me: »Two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary will be cleansed.«

²⁰ »The ram that you saw that had the two horns symbolizes (represents) the kings of MEDIA and PERSIA.

²⁰ Then he said: »Do you know why I have come to you? Now I will return to fight with the prince of Persia. The prince of Greece will also come.

³ and in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grizzled strong horses.

⁶ »The chariot with the black horses goes toward the North Country. The white went forth after them; and the grizzled went forth toward the South Country.

¹² »Can a man break iron, especially the iron from the north that is mixed with copper?

³³ »It had legs of iron and its feet were partly of iron, and partly of clay.

²⁴ »He will be mighty, but not by his own power. He will destroy excessively (cause great devistation) and will prosper and do anything he wants to do. He will destroy the mighty ones and the holy people.

²⁶ »And after the sixty-two weeks the anointed one will be cut off (destroyed) (killed) and shall have nothing. The people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be by the flood of war and desolations.

³⁶ »The king will do according to his will. He will exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god. He will speak horrable (atrocious) things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the indignation is accomplished for that which is determined will be done. ³⁷ »Neither will he honor the gods of his father’s, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god for he will magnify himself above them all. ³⁸ »He will honor the god of military fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know. He will honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and expensive gifts. ³⁹ »He will deal with the strongest fortresses by the help of a foreign god. Whoever acknowledges him will increase with glory. He will make them rulers over many, and will divide the land for a price. ⁴⁰ »The king of the south will contend with him at the time of the end. The king of the north will come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with a large fleet of ships. He will enter into the countries and overflow and pass through them. ⁴¹ »He will also invade the glorious land, and many countries will be overthrown. These will be delivered out of his hand: Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. ⁴² »He will stretch forth his power and authority over many countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape. ⁴³ »He will exercise power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt. The Libyans and the Ethiopians will be under his control. ⁴⁴ »News from the east and the north will trouble him. He will go forth with great fury to destroy and annihilate many. ⁴⁵ »He will plant the tents of his palace (dwell in and control) between the sea and the glorious holy mountain. But he will come to his end, and none will help him.

³ »I will not hold back punishment,« said Jehovah, »For the many transgressions of Damascus. This is because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron.

⁴⁸ »If we let him alone all men will believe in him. Then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.«

³³ »It had legs of iron and its feet were partly of iron, and partly of clay. ³⁴ »You watched while a stone was cut out without hands. It struck the statue upon its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. ³⁵ »The iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broke in pieces together. It became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors. The wind carried them away and no place was found for them. The stone that struck the statue became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

²⁴ ‘»The ten horns are ten kings that will arise out of this kingdom! Another will arise after them. He will be different from the former, and he will subdue three kings.

³ Another sign appeared in heaven. It was a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

¹ The dragon stood on the shore by the sea. I saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns. His horns had ten crowns on them. Blasphemous names were on his heads.

¹² »The ten horns that you saw are ten kings. They have not yet received a kingdom. But they receive power (authority) (influence) as kings for one hour with the beast.

¹⁰ »The royal scepter shall not depart from Judah. His descendants will always rule. Nations will bring him tribute and bow in obedience before him. This, until Shiloh comes and all will obey him.

⁶ »I have installed (anointed) (established) my king on Zion, my holy mountain.« ⁷ I will proclaim the decree of Jehovah: He said to me: »You are my Son. Today I have become your Father. (I have begotten you.)

⁸ Your hand (spirit and power) will discover all your enemies. Your powerful hand will find all who hate you. ⁹ When you appear, you will make them burn like a blazing furnace. Jehovah will swallow them up in his anger. Fire will devour them.

¹ ([Prayers of David]) O God, give the king your justice. Give your righteousness to the royal son. ² He will judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice. ³ The mountains shall bring prosperity to the people. The hills bring the fruit of righteousness. ⁴ He will judge the poor of the people. He will save the children of the needy, and will break the oppressor in pieces. ⁵ They will fear you as long as the sun and moon endures, throughout all generations. ⁶ He will come down like rain on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth. ⁷ In his day the righteous will flourish. There will be abundance of peace, until the moon is no more. ⁸ He will have dominion from sea to sea, from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. ⁹ Those who dwell in the wilderness will bow before him. His enemies shall lick the dust. ¹⁰ The kings of Tarshish and of the isles will bring tribute (presents). The kings of Sheba and Seba will offer gifts. ¹¹ Yes, all kings will bow down before him. All nations will serve him. ¹² When he cries he will deliver the needy and the poor who have no helper. ¹³ He will have pity on the poor and needy. He will save the needy. ¹⁴ He will redeem (rescue) them from oppression and violence. Their blood will be precious in his sight. ¹⁵ He will live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba. Men shall pray for him continually. They shall praise him all day long. ¹⁶ There shall be abundance of grain throughout the land. Its fruit sways like Lebanon. Let it flourish, thriving like the grass of the field. ¹⁷ His name will endure forever. His name will continue as long as the sun shines. May all nations be blessed through him and call him blessed. ¹⁸ Blessed be Jehovah God, the God of Israel, who alone does miracles. ¹⁹ Blessed be to his glorious name forever. May the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and amen! ²⁰ The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

³ »I made a covenant with my chosen; I swore to David my servant: ⁴ ‘I will establish your seed forever and build up your throne to all generations.’

¹⁹ Once you spoke in vision to your godly ones. You said: »I have given help to one who is mighty. I have exalted one chosen from the people.« ²⁰ I have found David my servant. I anointed him with my holy oil. ²¹ With him my hand will be established; my arm also will strengthen him. ²² No enemy will tax him. No wicked man will oppress him. ²³ I will beat down his adversaries before him. I will strike those who hate him. ²⁴ But my faithfulness and my loving kindness will be with him. In my name, his horn (power) (strength) will be exalted (increased). ²⁵ I will set his hand also on the sea, and his right hand on the rivers. ²⁶ He will call to me: »You are my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation!« ²⁷ I will also appoint him my firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. ²⁸ I will keep my loving kindness for him forevermore. My covenant will stand firm with him. ²⁹ I will make his descendants endure forever and his throne like the days of heaven. ³⁰ If his descendants abandon my law and do not live by my rules, ³¹ if they violate my statutes and do not obey my commandments, ³² then with a rod I will punish their transgression and their crimes with beatings. ³³ But I will not take my loving kindness away from him or allow my truth to become perverted. ³⁴ I will not dishonor my promise or alter my own agreement. ³⁵ On my holiness I have taken an oath: I will not lie to David. ³⁶ His descendants will last forever. His throne will be in my presence like the sun.

¹ ([Psalm of David]) Jehovah said to my Lord: »Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.« ² Jehovah will extend your powerful scepter from Zion. He will say: »Rule in the midst of your enemies.« ³ Your people will volunteer in the day of your power. Your young people will come to you in holy splendor like dew from the womb of the dawn (in the early morning). ⁴ Jehovah has taken an oath and will not change his mind: »You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.«

¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion throughout all generations.

⁶ For unto us a child is born. Unto us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. ⁷ Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of Jehovah of Hosts will accomplish this.

²⁵ »‘»They will live in the land that I gave my servant Jacob, the land where their ancestors lived. They, their children, and their grandchildren will live in it for a very long time. My servant David will be their prince for a very long time.

³⁴ »You watched while a stone was cut out without hands. It struck the statue upon its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.

³⁷ »You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the glory.

²⁶ »I make a decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble with respect before the God of Daniel. He is the living God, and steadfast forever! His kingdom will not be destroyed. His dominion will be even unto the end.

⁷ »I will make the lame a remnant and the outcast far off a strong nation. Jehovah will reign over them in mount Zion from now on and forever.

² »Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.« ³ Isaiah spoke of John when he said: »He is a voice shouting in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of Jehovah. Make his paths straight.’« (Isaiah 40:3)

¹⁸ Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying: »All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.

³² »He will be great. He will be called the Son of the Most High. Jehovah God will give him the throne of his father David. (Isaiah 11:1-10) ³³ »He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will not end.«

³⁴ The crowd answered him: »We have heard from the law that the Christ lives forever. Why do you say the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?«

²⁴ In the end Christ will deliver the kingdom to God the Father. Christ will destroy every ruler and all authority and all power. ²⁵ For he (Christ) must rule as king until he (God) puts all enemies under his feet (his control). (Psalm 2; 110) (Daniel 2:44) (Revelation 5:10; 20:6)

²⁰ He operated in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places. ²¹ It is far above all governments and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. ²² He (God) put all things in subjection under his feet, and made him head over all things to the congregation,

²⁷ »'He will rule them with a rod of iron and break them to pieces like clay vessels: even as I received from my Father.

¹⁵ Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword, that with it he should strike the nations. He will rule them with a rod of iron. He treads the winepress of the fierceness and anger of Almighty God. ¹⁶ He has on his garment and on his thigh a name written, »King of Kings« and »Lord of Lords«! ¹⁷ Then I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried with a loud voice to all the fowls that fly in midheaven: »Come and gather yourselves together to the supper of the great God; ¹⁸ »that you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of military commanders, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.« ¹⁹ I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him who sat on the horse, and against his army. ²⁰ The beast was captured, and with him the false prophet that performed signs before him, with which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast, and those who worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur.

²⁸ »It is just as I said to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what he is going to do.

³² »The reason Pharaoh has had a recurring dream is because the matter has been definitely decided by God. He will do it very soon.

¹⁷ »Jehovah your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords! He is the great, the powerful, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe.

²² »For this reason you are great, O Sovereign Lord Jehovah. There is none like you. There is no God besides you according to all that we have heard with our ears.

²⁵ JEHOVAH IS GREAT! He should be highly praised. He should be reverenced (held in awe) (respected) more than all other gods.

¹⁴ And after looking, I got up and said to the great ones and to the chiefs and to the rest of the people, »Have no fear of them. Keep in mind Jehovah who is great and greatly to be feared. Take up arms for your brothers, your sons, and your daughters, your wives and your houses.«

³² »Now, our God, the great, the strong, the God who is to be respected, who keeps faith and mercy, do not let his trouble seem small to you. It has come on us, and on our kings and our rulers and on our priests and our prophets and our fathers and on all your people from the time of the kings of Assyria till this day.

²⁶ »How great is God! He is beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out.

¹ ([Sons of Korah]) Great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, his sacred mountain.

⁴ For Jehovah is great, and greatly to be praised! He should be reverenced above all gods.

⁵ For I know that Jehovah is great, and Jehovah is above all gods.

³ Great is Jehovah, and highly to be praised. His greatness is unsearchable (beyond human calculation).

¹⁸ »You show loving kindness to thousands, but repay the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children after them. O great and mighty God. Jehovah of Hosts is his name. ¹⁹ »You are great in counsel and mighty in deed. Your eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men. You give to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds.

⁴⁴ »In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. Its sovereignty will not be entrusted to another people. It will break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms and it will stand forever!

¹¹ »Where ever the sun rises and sets my name will be great among the people of the nations. Incense will be offered to my name everywhere. It will be a pure offering! For my name will be great among the nations,« said Jehovah of Hosts.

²⁴ Jesus answered: »I will ask you one question. If you give me the answer, I will say by what authority I do these things.

³⁵ »Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

²⁰ The Pharisees asked: »When does the kingdom of God come?« Jesus answered them: »The kingdom of God does not come with observable signs.

⁴ The weapons we use in our fight are not of the flesh but God's powerful weapons, which we use to destroy strongholds. We destroy false arguments. ⁵ We cast down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God. We bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

¹⁹ »Write the things that you have seen and the things that are and the things that will be.

¹ After this I saw a door opened in heaven: and the first voice that I heard was talking to me like a trumpet. It said: »Come up here and I will show you things from the future.«

¹⁷ Then I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried with a loud voice to all the fowls that fly in midheaven: »Come and gather yourselves together to the supper of the great God;

³¹ »‘I will make your cities deserted and ruin your sacred places. I will no longer accept the soothing aroma from your sacrifices.

¹⁰ »That they may make offerings of a sweet smell to the God of heaven, with prayers for the life of the king and of his sons.

¹⁶ He fell on his face at Jesus feet and thanked him. He was a Samaritan.

²⁵ Cornelius met Peter and fell down at his feet with adoration for him.

¹³ Then the priest of Jupiter whose temple was there in the city, brought cattle and garlands to the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people.

⁶ The people were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. They waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him. They changed their minds and said he was a god.

¹⁶ The twenty-four elders, who sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshiped God,

¹⁰ I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me: »Do not do that. I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers. You have the witness from Jesus: worship God! For the witness from Jesus is the spirit (mind-set) of prophecy.«

⁸ I John saw these things and heard them. When I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.

²² »The Mighty, Divine One is God of Gods! He is Jehovah! The Mighty, Divine One is God of Gods! He is Jehovah! He knows why we did this, and we want you to know too! If we rebelled and did not keep faith with Jehovah, do not allow us to live any longer!

¹⁹ »He leads priests away stripped and overthrows men long established.

¹⁰ Listen you kings, be wise (show discernment) and be warned you rulers of the earth. ¹¹ Serve Jehovah with deep respect and rejoice with trembling.

¹¹ Yes, all kings will bow down before him. All nations will serve him.

¹ ([Psalm of Asaph]) God stands in the congregation of the mighty. He pronounces judgment among the god-like ones: (John 10:35)

² Give thanks to the God of gods. His loving kindness is everlasting.

¹⁹ The secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Daniel praised the God of heaven.

⁸ »Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, finally came to me. He has the spirit of the holy gods. So I told the dream to him saying: ⁹ ‘»O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and no secret troubles you! Tell me the visions I have seen in my dream. Give me the interpretation.

³⁶ »The king will do according to his will. He will exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god. He will speak horrable (atrocious) things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the indignation is accomplished for that which is determined will be done.

¹⁵ The blessed and only Potentate (Sovereign) (Authority) will make him appear in his own appointed time. For he is the King of kings and Lord of lords.

³⁹ The king said to Joseph: »God has shown you all this. Therefore it is obvious that you have greater wisdom and insight than anyone else. ⁴⁰ »I will put you in charge of my country. All my people will obey your orders. Your authority will be second only to mine. ⁴¹ »I now appoint you governor over all Egypt.« ⁴² Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand. He clothed him in garments of fine linen and put the gold necklace around his neck. ⁴³ He had him ride in his second chariot. They proclaimed before him: »Bow the knee!« Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt.

¹⁶ When they came to Balaam they said to him: »This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Do not let anything keep you from coming to me. ¹⁷ »‘I will make sure you are richly rewarded. I will do whatever you ask. Please, come and curse (execrate) these people for me.’«

²⁵ They said to each other: »Look how he keeps coming out to insult us. The king offers a big reward to the man who kills Goliath. That man will even get to marry the king’s daughter. No one in his family will ever have to pay taxes again.«

² There was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. He was a very rich man. He had three thousand sheep and one thousand goats. He sheared his sheep in Carmel.

³² Barzillai was a very old man. He was eighty years old. He was very rich. He supplied the king with food while he was staying at Mahanaim.

¹ Naaman was a great soldier. He was commander of the Syrian army and highly respected and esteemed by the king of Syria (Aram). Jehovah gave victory to the Syrian forces through Naaman. He suffered from a dreaded skin disease.

³ He owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, one thousand head of cattle, and five hundred donkeys. He also had a large number of servants. In fact he was the greatest (richest) of all the Orientals in the East!

⁵ »I will go to the great men (leaders) and talk with them. Surely they know what their God requires, what Jehovah wants them to do. But all of them have rejected Jehovah’s authority and refuse to obey him.«

⁶ »But if you tell me the dream and what it means you will receive gifts and rewards and great honor from me. Therefore tell me the dream and the interpretation of it.«

¹ Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold. He set it up in the plain of Dura, the province of Babylon. It was ninety feet tall and nine feet wide.

³⁰ The king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

¹ It pleased Darius to appoint a hundred and twenty governors over the kingdom. They were to be located throughout the whole kingdom. ² Three commissioners were placed over them. Daniel was one of the commissioners. These governors were to give account to them so that the king would not suffer loss.

¹⁹ When the virgins came together in the second house of the women, Mordecai took his seat in the gate of the king's house.

²¹ In those days, while Mordecai was seated at the king's gate two of the king's servants, Bigthan and Teresh, keepers of the gate, being angry, looked for a chance to attack King Ahasuerus.

² All the king's servants who were in the king's house went down to the earth before Haman and gave him honor just as the king ordered. But Mordecai did not go down before him or give him honor.

¹² When righteous people rejoice, there is great glory, but when wicked people rise, people hide themselves.

³ When Jerusalem was captured, all the high officials of the king of Babylon came and took their places at the Middle Gate, including Nergal Sharezer, Samgar Nebo, Sarsechim, and another Nergal Sharezer.

¹⁷ Then Daniel went back to his house, and explained everything to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:

¹² »The Jews whom you appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego have not listened to you. They do not serve your gods. They do not worship the golden image that you set up.« ¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. They brought these men before the king. ¹⁴ Nebuchadnezzar said to them: »Is it true Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that you do not serve my god, nor worship the golden image that I set up? ¹⁵ »Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, zither, pipes, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, good! But if you do not worship it you will be thrown into the midst of a blazing furnace that same hour. What god will be able to rescue you from my hand?« ¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king: »O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. ¹⁷ »If it is so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the blazing furnace. He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. ¹⁸ »If not you should know O king that we will not serve your gods. We will not worship the golden image that you set up!« ¹⁹ Nebuchadnezzar was furious. The expression on his face changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than its required heat. ²⁰ He commanded the mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to throw them into the blazing furnace. ²¹ Then these men were bound in their coats, caps and their other garments. They were thrown into the midst of the blazing furnace. ²² Because of the urgency of the king's commandment and the exceeding hot furnace, the flame of the fire killed the men who delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. ²³ These three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the blazing furnace. ²⁴ Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished. He hurried to speak to his counselors: / »Did we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?« They answered: »True O king.« ²⁵ He said: »Look, I see four men walking in the midst of the fire. They are not hurt! The appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!« ²⁶ Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning blazing furnace. He called out: »Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the Most High God come here!« Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire. ²⁷ The satraps, deputies, governors, and the king's counselors, being gathered together, saw these men. They saw that the fire had no power upon their bodies. Not a single hair on their head was singed. Neither were their clothes changed and they did not smell like fire. ²⁸ Nebuchadnezzar said: »Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him. They violated the king's command and have yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. ²⁹ »Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut into pieces. Their houses shall be made a dunghill. There is no other god that is able to deliver like this.« ³⁰ The king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

¹⁵ »Hate evil, and love good! Establish justice in the gate. It may be that Jehovah, the God of Hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.«