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Daniel Brought to Babylon
1 In the third year of the reign of (A)Jehoiakim king of Judah, (B)Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the (C)Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the (D)vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of (E)Shinar, to the house of his [a]god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his [b](F)god.
3 Then the king said for Ashpenaz, the chief of his [c]officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal (G)seed and of the nobles, 4 youths in whom was (H)no defect, who were good in appearance, showing (I)insight in every branch of wisdom, being thoroughly [d]knowledgeable and discerning knowledge, and who had ability to stand in the king’s palace; and he said for him to teach them the [e]literature and (J)tongue of the (K)Chaldeans. 5 And the king appointed for them a daily ration from the (L)king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be [f]educated three years, at the end of which they were to (M)stand before the king. 6 Now among them from the sons of Judah were (N)Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 Then the commander of the officials set names for them; and for Daniel he set the name (O)Belteshazzar, for Hananiah (P)Shadrach, for Mishael (Q)Meshach, and for Azariah (R)Abed-nego.
Daniel’s Heart
8 But Daniel set in his heart that he would not (S)defile himself with the (T)king’s choice food or with the (U)wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God granted Daniel (V)lovingkindness and compassion before the commander of the officials, 10 and the commander of the officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking more haggard than the youths who are your own age? Then you would [g]make me forfeit my head to the king.” 11 But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days, and let us be (W)given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance be [h]observed before you and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king’s choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.”
14 So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was seen that their appearance was (X)better and that [i]they were fatter than all the youths who had been eating the king’s choice food. 16 So the overseer continued to [j]withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and kept (Y)giving them vegetables.
17 And as for these four youths, (Z)God gave them knowledge and insight in every branch of [k]literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of (AA)visions and dreams.
18 Then at the end of the days which the king had spoken of for bringing them in, the commander of the officials brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like (AB)Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; so they (AC)stood in service before the king. 20 And as for every matter of (AD)wisdom in understanding which the king sought from them, he found them (AE)ten times (AF)better than all the [l](AG)magicians and conjurers who were in all his kingdom. 21 And Daniel [m]continued until the (AH)first year of Cyrus the king.
Nebuchadnezzar’s Troubling Dream
2 Now in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar [n](AI)had dreams; and his spirit was troubled, and his (AJ)sleep [o]left him. 2 Then the king said to call in the [p](AK)magicians, the conjurers, the sorcerers, and the [q]Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3 Then the king said to them, “I [r](AL)had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.”
4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in [s](AM)Aramaic: “(AN)O king, live forever! (AO)Say the dream to your servants, and we will declare the interpretation.” 5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you will be [t](AP)torn limb from limb, and your houses will be made a rubbish heap. 6 But if you declare the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me (AQ)gifts and a reward and great glory; therefore declare to me the dream and its interpretation.” 7 They answered a second time and said, “Let the king (AR)say the dream to his servants, and we will declare the interpretation.” 8 The king answered and said, “I know for certain that you are buying time, inasmuch as you have seen that the word from me is firm, 9 that if you do not make the dream known to me, there is only (AS)one law for you. Indeed, you have agreed together to speak lying and corrupt [u]words before me until the time is changed; therefore say the dream to me, that I may (AT)know that you can declare to me its interpretation.” 10 The Chaldeans answered [v]the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who is able to declare the matter [w]for the king, inasmuch as no great king or powerful ruler has ever asked about a matter like this of any [x](AU)magician, conjurer, or Chaldean. 11 Moreover, the matter which the king asks is [y]difficult, and there is no one else who could declare it [z]to the king except (AV)gods, whose (AW)dwelling place is not with flesh.”
12 Because of this the king became (AX)indignant and very furious and said for them to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the law went forth that the wise men were to be killed; and they sought out (AY)Daniel and his friends to [aa]kill them.
14 Then Daniel replied with discretion and discernment to (AZ)Arioch, the captain of the king’s [ab]bodyguard, who had gone forth to kill the wise men of Babylon; 15 he answered and said to Arioch, a powerful [ac]official for the king, “For what reason is the law from the king so [ad]urgent?” Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. 16 So Daniel went in and sought from the king that he would [ae]give him time, in order that he might declare the interpretation to the king.
God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to his friends, to (BA)Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 18 so that they might (BB)seek compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be (BC)destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night (BD)vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven; 20 Daniel answered and said,
“Let the name of God be (BE)blessed forever and ever,
For (BF)wisdom and might belong to Him.
21 And He (BG)changes the times and the seasons;
He (BH)removes kings and [af]establishes kings;
He gives (BI)wisdom to wise men
And knowledge to [ag]men of understanding.
22 He (BJ)reveals the deep and hidden things;
(BK)He knows what is in the darkness,
And the (BL)light dwells with Him.
23 To You, O (BM)God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise,
For You have given me (BN)wisdom and might;
Even now You have made known to me what we (BO)sought from You,
For You have made known to us the king’s matter.”
8 [a]Now to sum up, (A)all of you be like-minded, sympathetic, (B)brotherly, (C)tender-hearted, and (D)humble in spirit; 9 (E)not returning evil for evil or (F)reviling for reviling, but [b]giving a (G)blessing instead, for (H)you were called for the very purpose that you might (I)inherit a blessing. 10 For,
“(J)The one who desires life, to love and see good days,
Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.
11 (K)He must turn away from evil and do good;
He must seek peace and pursue it.
12 (L)For the eyes of the [c]Lord are toward the righteous,
And His ears attend to their prayer,
But the face of the [d]Lord is against those who do evil.”
Suffering for Righteousness
13 (M)And who is [e]there to [f]harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should (N)suffer for the sake of righteousness, (O)you [g]are blessed. (P)And do not fear their fear, and do not be troubled, 15 but [h]sanctify (Q)Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready (R)to make [i]a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the (S)hope that is in you, yet (T)with gentleness and (U)fear, 16 having a (V)good conscience so that in the thing in which (W)you are slandered, those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame. 17 For (X)it is better, (Y)if [j]God should will it so, that you suffer for doing good rather than for doing wrong. 18 For (Z)Christ also suffered for sins (AA)once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, so that He might (AB)bring you to God, having been put to death (AC)in the flesh, but made alive (AD)in the [k]spirit; 19 in [l]which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20 who once were disobedient, when the (AE)patience of God (AF)kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of (AG)the ark, in which a few, that is, (AH)eight (AI)persons, were brought safely through the [m]water. 21 (AJ)Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—(AK)not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal [n]of a (AL)good conscience to God—through (AM)the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 (AN)who is at the right hand of God, (AO)having gone into heaven, (AP)after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.
Keep Fervent in Your Love
4 Therefore, since (AQ)Christ has [o]suffered in the flesh, (AR)arm yourselves also with the same purpose—because (AS)he who has [p]suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin— 2 (AT)so as to no longer live (AU)the rest of the time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the (AV)will of God. 3 For (AW)the time already past is sufficient for you to have worked out the desire of the Gentiles, [q](AX)having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and [r]abominable idolatries. 4 In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of (AY)dissipation, (AZ)maligning you, 5 but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge (BA)the living and the dead. 6 For to this (BB)the gospel has been [s]proclaimed even to those who are now dead, so that though they were judged in the flesh as men, they live in the spirit according to the will of God.
Teth
65 You have dealt well with Your slave,
O Yahweh, according to Your word.
66 Teach me good [a](A)discernment and knowledge,
For I believe in Your commandments.
67 (B)Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep Your word.
68 You are (C)good and (D)do good;
(E)Teach me Your statutes.
69 The arrogant have (F)smeared me with lying;
With all my heart I will (G)observe Your precepts.
70 Their heart is [b](H)covered with fat,
But I (I)delight in Your law.
71 It is (J)good for me that I was afflicted,
That I may learn Your statutes.
72 The (K)law of Your mouth is better to me
Than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
Yodh
73 (L)Your hands made me and established me;
(M)Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
74 May those who [c]fear You (N)see me and be glad,
Because I [d](O)wait for Your word.
75 I know, O Yahweh, that Your judgments are (P)righteous,
And that (Q)in faithfulness You have afflicted me.
76 Oh may Your lovingkindness [e]comfort me,
According to Your [f]word to Your slave.
77 May (R)Your compassion come to me that I may live,
For Your law is my (S)delight.
78 May (T)the arrogant be ashamed, for they wrong me (U)with lying;
But I shall (V)muse on Your precepts.
79 May those who [g]fear You turn to me,
And those who know Your testimonies.
80 May my heart be [h](W)blameless in Your statutes,
So that I will not (X)be ashamed.
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