Daily Text and Bible Reading: Monday, September 29 [Press play below]

5.1 As regards King Belshazzar, he held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in front of them.
5.2 While under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave an order to bring in the vessels of gold and silver that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his concubines and his secondary wives could drink from them.
5.3 Then they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple of the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his concubines and his secondary wives drank from them.
5.4 They drank wine, and they praised the gods of gold and silver, of copper, iron, wood, and stone.
5.5 At that very moment the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace opposite the lampstand, and the king could see the back of the hand as it was writing.
5.6 Then the king turned pale and his thoughts terrified him, and his hips shook and his knees began to knock together.
5.7 The king called out loudly to summon the conjurers, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king said to the wise men of Babylon: “Any man who reads this writing and tells me its interpretation will be clothed with purple, a gold necklace will be placed around his neck, and he will rule as the third one in the kingdom.”
5.8 Then all the wise men of the king came in, but they were not able to read the writing or to make known the interpretation to the king.
5.9 So King Belshazzar was very frightened and his face turned pale; and his nobles were perplexed.
5.10 Because of the words of the king and his nobles, the queen entered the banqueting hall. The queen said: “O king, may you live on forever. Do not let your thoughts terrify you, nor let your face turn pale.
5.11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of holy gods. In the days of your father, enlightenment and insight and wisdom like the wisdom of gods were found in him. King Nebuchadnezzar your father appointed him as chief of the magic-practicing priests, conjurers, Chaldeans, and astrologers; your father did this, O king.
5.12 For Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, had an extraordinary spirit and knowledge and insight to interpret dreams, to explain riddles, and to solve knotty problems. Now let Daniel be summoned, and he will tell you the interpretation.”
5.13 So Daniel was brought in before the king. The king asked Daniel: “Are you Daniel of the exiles of Judah, whom my father the king brought out of Judah?
5.14 I have heard concerning you that the spirit of gods is in you and that enlightenment and insight and extraordinary wisdom have been found in you.
5.15 Now the wise men and the conjurers were brought in before me to read this writing and to make its interpretation known to me, but they are not able to tell the interpretation of the message.
5.16 But I have heard concerning you that you are able to provide interpretations and to solve knotty problems. Now if you are able to read the writing and to make its interpretation known to me, you will be clothed with purple, a gold necklace will be placed around your neck, and you will rule as the third one in the kingdom.”
5.17 Daniel then replied to the king: “You may keep your gifts and give your presents to others. However, I will read the writing to the king and make known its interpretation to him.
5.18 As for you, O king, the Most High God granted to Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom and greatness and honor and majesty.
5.19 Because of the greatness He gave him, all peoples, nations, and language groups trembled with fear before him. Whomever he wanted, he killed or let live, and whomever he wanted, he exalted or humiliated.
5.20 But when his heart became haughty and his spirit became hardened, so that he acted presumptuously, he was brought down from the throne of his kingdom, and his dignity was taken away from him.
5.21 He was driven away from mankind, and his heart was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was given vegetation to eat just like bulls, and his body became wet with the dew of the heavens, until he came to know that the Most High God is Ruler in the kingdom of mankind and that he sets up over it whomever he wants.
5.22 “But you, his son Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all of this.
5.23 Instead, you exalted yourself against the Lord of the heavens, and you had them bring you the vessels of his house. Then you and your nobles, your concubines and your secondary wives drank wine from them and praised gods of silver and gold, of copper, iron, wood, and stone, gods that see nothing and hear nothing and know nothing. But you have not glorified the God in whose hand is your breath and all your ways.
5.24 So the hand was sent from him, and this writing was inscribed.
5.25 And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN.
5.26 “This is the interpretation of the words: MENE, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end.
5.27 “TEKEL, you have been weighed in the balances and found lacking.
5.28 “PERES, your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and the Persians.”
5.29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and placed a gold necklace around his neck; and they heralded concerning him that he was to become the third ruler in the kingdom.
5.30 That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed.
5.31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom; he was about 62 years old.
Chapter 6

6.1 It seemed good to Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the whole kingdom.
6.2 Over them were three high officials, one of whom was Daniel; and the satraps would report to them, so that the king would not suffer loss.
6.3 Now Daniel was distinguishing himself over the other high officials and the satraps, for there was an extraordinary spirit in him, and the king intended to elevate him over the entire kingdom.
6.4 At that time the high officials and the satraps were seeking to find some grounds for accusation against Daniel respecting matters of state, but they could find no grounds for accusation or anything corrupt, for he was trustworthy and no negligence or corruption could be found in him.
6.5 These men then said: “We will find in this Daniel no grounds for accusation at all, unless we find it against him in the law of his God.”
6.6 So these high officials and satraps went in as a group to the king, and they said to him: “O King Darius, may you live on forever.
6.7 All the royal officials, prefects, satraps, high royal officers, and governors have consulted together to establish a royal decree and to enforce a ban, that for 30 days whoever makes a petition to any god or man except to you, O king, should be thrown into the lions’ pit.
6.8 Now, O king, may you establish the decree and sign it, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be annulled.”
6.9 So King Darius signed the decree and the ban.
6.10 But as soon as Daniel knew that the decree had been signed, he went to his house, which had the windows of his roof chamber open toward Jerusalem. And three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed and offered praise before his God, as he had regularly done prior to this.
6.11 At that time those men burst in and found Daniel petitioning and pleading for favor before his God.
6.12 So they approached the king and reminded him about the royal ban: “Did you not sign a ban stating that for 30 days any man who makes a petition to any god or man except to you, O king, should be thrown into the lions’ pit?” The king replied: “The matter is well-established according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be annulled.”
6.13 They immediately said to the king: “Daniel, who is of the exiles of Judah, has paid no regard to you, O king, nor to the ban that you signed, but three times a day he is praying.”
6.14 As soon as the king heard this, he was greatly distressed, and he tried to think of a way to rescue Daniel; and until the sun set he made every effort to save him.
6.15 Finally those men went in as a group to the king, and they said to the king: “Take note, O king, that the law of the Medes and the Persians is that any ban or decree that the king establishes cannot be changed.”
6.16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the pit of lions. The king said to Daniel: “Your God whom you are continually serving will rescue you.”
6.17 Then a stone was brought and placed over the entrance of the pit, and the king sealed it with his signet ring and with the signet ring of his nobles, so that nothing could be changed with regard to Daniel.
6.18 The king then went to his palace. He passed the night fasting and refused any entertainment, and he could not sleep.
6.19 Finally at the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ pit.
6.20 As he got near the pit, he called out to Daniel with a sad voice. The king asked Daniel: “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God whom you are continually serving been able to rescue you from the lions?”
6.21 Daniel immediately said to the king: “O king, may you live on forever.
6.22 My God sent his angel and shut the mouth of the lions, and they have not harmed me, for I was found innocent before him; nor have I done any wrong to you, O king.”
6.23 The king was overjoyed, and he commanded that Daniel be lifted up out of the pit. When Daniel was lifted up out of the pit, he was completely unharmed, because he had trusted in his God.
6.24 The king then gave an order, and the men who had accused Daniel were brought, and they were thrown into the lions’ pit, along with their sons and their wives. They had not reached the bottom of the pit before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
6.25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and language groups dwelling throughout the earth: “May you have abundant peace!
6.26 I am issuing an order that in every domain of my kingdom, people are to tremble in fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God and he endures forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his rulership is eternal.
6.27 He rescues, saves, and performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth, for he rescued Daniel from the paw of the lions.”
6.28 So this Daniel prospered in the kingdom of Darius and in the kingdom of Cyrus the Persian.
Chapter 7

7.1 In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head as he lay on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream; he recorded a complete account of the matters.
7.2 Daniel declared: “I was watching in my visions during the night, and look! the four winds of the heavens were stirring up the vast sea.
7.3 And four huge beasts came out of the sea, each different from the others.
7.4 “The first one was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were plucked out, and it was lifted up from the earth and was made to stand up on two feet like a man, and it was given the heart of a man.
7.5 “And look! another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, ‘Get up, eat much flesh.’
7.6 “After this I kept watching, and look! another beast, like a leopard, but on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. And the beast had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.
7.7 “After this I kept watching in the visions of the night, and I saw a fourth beast, fearsome and terrifying and unusually strong, and it had large iron teeth. It was devouring and crushing, and what was left it trampled down with its feet. It was different from all the other beasts that were prior to it, and it had ten horns.
7.8 While I considered the horns, look! another horn, a small one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were plucked up from before it. And look! there were eyes like human eyes in this horn, and there was a mouth speaking arrogantly.
7.9 “I kept watching until thrones were set in place and the Ancient of Days sat down. His clothing was white like snow, and the hair of his head was like clean wool. His throne was flames of fire; its wheels were a burning fire.
7.10 A stream of fire was flowing and going out from before him. A thousand thousands kept ministering to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The Court took its seat, and books were opened.
7.11 “I kept watching at that time because of the sound of the arrogant words that the horn was speaking; I watched until the beast was killed and its body was destroyed and it was given over to be burned in the fire.
7.12 But as for the rest of the beasts, their rulerships were taken away, and their lives were prolonged for a time and a season.
7.13 “I kept watching in the visions of the night, and look! with the clouds of the heavens, someone like a son of man was coming; and he gained access to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him up close before that One.
7.14 And to him there were given rulership, honor, and a kingdom, that the peoples, nations, and language groups should all serve him. His rulership is an everlasting rulership that will not pass away, and his kingdom will not be destroyed.
7.15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me because the visions of my head frightened me.
7.16 I went near to one of those who were standing there to ask him about the true meaning of this. So he replied and made known to me the interpretation of these things.
7.17 “‘These huge beasts, four in number, are four kings who will stand up from the earth.
7.18 But the holy ones of the Supreme One will receive the kingdom, and they will possess the kingdom forever, yes, forever and ever.’
7.19 “Then I wanted to know more about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others; it was extraordinarily fearsome, with iron teeth and copper claws, and it was devouring and crushing, and trampling down what was left with its feet;
7.20 and about the ten horns on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth speaking arrogantly and whose appearance was bigger than that of the others.
7.21 “I kept watching as that horn made war on the holy ones, and it was prevailing against them,
7.22 until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was rendered in favor of the holy ones of the Supreme One, and the appointed time arrived for the holy ones to take possession of the kingdom.
7.23 “This is what he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, there is a fourth kingdom that will come to be on the earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour all the earth and will trample it down and crush it.
7.24 As for the ten horns, ten kings will rise up out of that kingdom; and still another one will rise up after them, and he will be different from the first ones, and he will humiliate three kings.
7.25 He will speak words against the Most High, and he will continually harass the holy ones of the Supreme One. He will intend to change times and law, and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.
7.26 But the Court sat, and they took away his rulership, in order to annihilate him and to destroy him completely.
7.27 “‘And the kingdom and the rulership and the grandeur of the kingdoms under all the heavens were given to the people who are the holy ones of the Supreme One. Their kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all rulerships will serve and obey them.’
7.28 “This is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts alarmed me greatly, so that I turned pale; but I kept the matter in my own heart.”