Writing on the Wall, Faith in the Den

1. Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. 2. Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded that the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem be brought to him; that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink from them. 3. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of God’s house which was at Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, drank from them. 4. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. 5. In the same hour, the fingers of a man’s hand came out and wrote near the lamp stand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace. The king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 6. Then the king’s face was changed in him, and his thoughts troubled him; and the joints of his thighs were loosened, and his knees struck one against another. 7. The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” 8. Then all the king’s wise men came in; but they could not read the writing, and couldn’t make known to the king the interpretation. 9. Then king Belshazzar was greatly troubled, and his face was changed in him, and his lords were perplexed. 10. The queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house. The queen spoke and said, “O king, live forever; don’t let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your face be changed. 11. There is a man in your kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him. The king Nebuchadnezzar your father, yes, the king, your father, made him master of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; 12. because an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting of dreams, showing of dark sentences, and dissolving of doubts were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.” 13. Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah? 14. I have heard of you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light, understanding, and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15. Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known to me its interpretation; but they could not show the interpretation of the thing. 16. But I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations, and dissolve doubts. Now if you can read the writing, and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” 17. Then Daniel answered before the king, “Let your gifts be to yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation. 18. “You, king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty. 19. Because of the greatness that he gave him, all the peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. He killed whom he wanted to, and he kept alive whom he wanted to. He raised up whom he wanted to, and he put down whom he wanted to. 20. But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. 21. He was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the animals’, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the sky; until he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and that he sets up over it whomever he will. 22. “You, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, 23. but have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. You have praised the gods of silver and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which don’t see, or hear, or know; and you have not glorified the God in whose hand your breath is, and whose are all your ways. 24. Then the part of the hand was sent from before him, and this writing was inscribed. 25. “This is the writing that was inscribed: ‘MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.’ 26. “This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE: God has counted your kingdom, and brought it to an end. 27. TEKEL: you are weighed in the balances, and are found wanting. 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, being about sixty-two years old. 1. It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty satraps, who should be throughout the whole kingdom; 2. and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one; that these satraps might give account to them, and that the king should suffer no loss. 3. Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 4. Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they could find no occasion or fault, because he was faithful. There wasn’t any error or fault found in him. 5. Then these men said, “We won’t find any occasion against this Daniel, unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.” 6. Then these presidents and satraps assembled together to the king, and said thus to him, “King Darius, live forever! 7. All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a strong decree, that whoever asks a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except of you, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. 8. Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which doesn’t alter.” 9. Therefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. 10. When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his room toward Jerusalem) and he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before. 11. Then these men assembled together, and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. 12. Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king’s decree: “Haven’t you signed a decree that every man who makes a petition to any god or man within thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered, “This thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which doesn’t alter.” 13. Then they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, doesn’t respect you, O king, nor the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.” 14. Then the king, when he heard these words, was very displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored until the going down of the sun to rescue him. 15. Then these men assembled together to the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no decree nor statute which the king establishes may be changed.” 16. Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you.” 17. A stone was brought, and laid on the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. 18. Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting. No musical instruments were brought before him; and his sleep fled from him. 19. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste to the den of lions. 20. When he came near to the den to Daniel, he cried with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God, whom you serve continually, able to deliver you from the lions?” 21. Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! 22. My God has sent his angel, and has shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not hurt me; because as before him innocence was found in me; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” 23. Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24. The king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions mauled them, and broke all their bones in pieces, before they came to the bottom of the den. 25. Then king Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you. 26. “I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; “for he is the living God, and steadfast forever. His kingdom is that which will not be destroyed. His dominion will be even to the end. 27. He delivers and rescues. He works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.” 28. So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

1. Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples, 2. saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sat on Moses’ seat. 3. All things therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do, but don’t do their works; for they say, and don’t do. 4. For they bind heavy burdens that are grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not lift a finger to help them. 5. But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad, enlarge the fringes of their garments, 6. and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7. the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’ by men. 8. But don’t you be called ‘Rabbi,’ for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers. 9. Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven. 10. Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ. 11. But he who is greatest among you will be your servant. 12. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. 13. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and as a pretense you make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. 14. “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men; for you don’t enter in yourselves, neither do you allow those who are entering in to enter. 15. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel around by sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of Gehenna as yourselves. 16. “Woe to you, you blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obligated.’ 17. You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold? 18. ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obligated?’ 19. You blind fools! For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift? 20. He therefore who swears by the altar, swears by it, and by everything on it. 21. He who swears by the temple, swears by it, and by him who has been living in it. 22. He who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits on it. 23. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone. 24. You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel! 25. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and unrighteousness. 26. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the platter, that its outside may become clean also. 27. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. 28. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 29. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and decorate the tombs of the righteous, 30. and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn’t have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’ 31. Therefore you testify to yourselves that you are children of those who killed the prophets. 32. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. 33. You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of Gehenna? 34. Therefore behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify; and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city; 35. that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar. 36. Most certainly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation. 37. “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not! 38. Behold, your house is left to you desolate. 39. For I tell you, you will not see me from now on, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’” 1. Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way. His disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple. 2. But he answered them, “You see all of these things, don’t you? Most certainly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone on another, that will not be thrown down.” 3. As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?” 4. Jesus answered them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray. 5. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will lead many astray. 6. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you aren’t troubled, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet. 7. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines, plagues, and earthquakes in various places. 8. But all these things are the beginning of birth pains. 9. Then they will deliver you up to oppression, and will kill you. You will be hated by all of the nations for my name’s sake. 10. Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another. 11. Many false prophets will arise, and will lead many astray. 12. Because iniquity will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold. 13. But he who endures to the end, the same will be saved. 14. This Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. 15. “When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16. then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take out the things that are in his house. 18. Let him who is in the field not return back to get his clothes. 19. But woe to those who are with child and to nursing mothers in those days! 20. Pray that your flight will not be in the winter, nor on a Sabbath, 21. for then there will be great oppression, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever will be. 22. Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved. But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be shortened. 23. “Then if any man tells you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or, ‘There,’ don’t believe it. 24. For there will arise false christs, and false prophets, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones. 25. “Behold, I have told you beforehand. 26. If therefore they tell you, ‘Behold, he is in the wilderness,’ don’t go out; ‘Behold, he is in the inner rooms,’ don’t believe it. 27. For as the lightning flashes from the east, and is seen even to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28. For wherever the carcass is, that is where the vultures gather together. 29. But immediately after the oppression of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken; 30. and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 31. He will send out his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. 32. “Now from the fig tree learn this parable. When its branch has now become tender, and produces its leaves, you know that the summer is near. 33. Even so you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 34. Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away, until all these things are accomplished. 35. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 36. But no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 37. “As the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ship, 39. and they didn’t know until the flood came, and took them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one will be left. 41. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and one will be left. 42. Watch therefore, for you don’t know in what hour your Lord comes. 43. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44. Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don’t expect, the Son of Man will come. 45. “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has set over his household, to give them their food in due season? 46. Blessed is that servant whom his lord finds doing so when he comes. 47. Most certainly I tell you that he will set him over all that he has. 48. But if that evil servant should say in his heart, ‘My lord is delaying his coming,’ 49. and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with the drunkards, 50. the lord of that servant will come in a day when he doesn’t expect it, and in an hour when he doesn’t know it, 51. and will cut him in pieces, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. That is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be. 1. “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3. Those who were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them, 4. but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5. Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!’ 7. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8. The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9. But the wise answered, saying, ‘What if there isn’t enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10. While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11. Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us.’ 12. But he answered, ‘Most certainly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ 13. Watch therefore, for you don’t know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. 14. “For it is like a man, going into another country, who called his own servants, and entrusted his goods to them. 15. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey. 16. Immediately he who received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17. In the same way, he also who got the two gained another two. 18. But he who received the one talent went away and dug in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. 19. “Now after a long time the lord of those servants came, and reconciled accounts with them. 20. He who received the five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Behold, I have gained another five talents besides them.’ 21. “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22. “He also who got the two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained another two talents besides them.’ 23. “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 24. “He also who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter. 25. I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth. Behold, you have what is yours.’ 26. “But his lord answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I didn’t sow, and gather where I didn’t scatter. 27. You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest. 28. Take away therefore the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29. For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away. 30. Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 31. “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32. Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33. He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34. Then the King will tell those on his right hand, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35. for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in. 36. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.’ 37. “Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink? 38. When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you? 39. When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?’ 40. “The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ 41. Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels; 42. for I was hungry, and you didn’t give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink; 43. I was a stranger, and you didn’t take me in; naked, and you didn’t clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ 44. “Then they will also answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn’t help you?’ 45. “Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you didn’t do it to one of the least of these, you didn’t do it to me.’ 46. These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

1. Yahweh is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? Yahweh is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? 2. When evildoers came at me to eat up my flesh, even my adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell. 3. Though an army should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war should rise against me, even then I will be confident. 4. One thing I have asked of Yahweh, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in Yahweh’s house all the days of my life, to see Yahweh’s beauty, and to inquire in his temple. 5. For in the day of trouble, he will keep me secretly in his pavilion. In the secret place of his tabernacle, he will hide me. He will lift me up on a rock. 6. Now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me; I will offer sacrifices of joy in his tent. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to Yahweh. 7. Hear, Yahweh, when I cry with my voice. Have mercy also on me, and answer me. 8. When you said, “Seek my face,” my heart said to you, “I will seek your face, Yahweh.” 9. Don’t hide your face from me. Don’t put your servant away in anger. You have been my help. Don’t abandon me, neither forsake me, God of my salvation. 10. When my father and my mother forsake me, then Yahweh will take me up. 11. Teach me your way, Yahweh. Lead me in a straight path, because of my enemies. 12. Don’t deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen up against me, such as breathe out cruelty. 13. I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of Yahweh in the land of the living. 14. Wait for Yahweh. Be strong, and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for Yahweh.