Month: November 2023

Daniel’s Vision of Four Beasts

7 Earlier, during the first year of King Belshazzar’s reign in Babylon,^[a] Daniel had a dream and saw visions as he lay in his bed. He wrote down the dream, and this is what he saw.

² In my vision that night, I, Daniel, saw a great storm churning the surface of a great sea, with strong winds blowing from every direction. ³ Then four huge beasts came up out of the water, each different from the others.

⁴ The first beast was like a lion with eagles’ wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off, and it was left standing with its two hind feet on the ground, like a human being. And it was given a human mind.

⁵ Then I saw a second beast, and it looked like a bear. It was rearing up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And I heard a voice saying to it, “Get up! Devour the flesh of many people!”

⁶ Then the third of these strange beasts appeared, and it looked like a leopard. It had four bird’s wings on its back, and it had four heads. Great authority was given to this beast.

⁷ Then in my vision that night, I saw a fourth beast—terrifying, dreadful, and very strong. It devoured and crushed its victims with huge iron teeth and trampled their remains beneath its feet. It was different from any of the other beasts, and it had ten horns.

⁸ As I was looking at the horns, suddenly another small horn appeared among them. Three of the first horns were torn out by the roots to make room for it. This little horn had eyes like human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly.

¹¹ I continued to watch because I could hear the little horn’s boastful speech. I kept watching until the fourth beast was killed and its body was destroyed by fire. ¹² The other three beasts had their authority taken from them, but they were allowed to live a while longer.^[c]

¹³ As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man^[d] coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. ¹⁴ He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.

The Vision Is Explained

¹⁵ I, Daniel, was troubled by all I had seen, and my visions terrified me. ¹⁶ So I approached one of those standing beside the throne and asked him what it all meant. He explained it to me like this: ¹⁷ “These four huge beasts represent four kingdoms that will arise from the earth. ¹⁸ But in the end, the holy people of the Most High will be given the kingdom, and they will rule forever and ever.”

¹⁹ Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, the one so different from the others and so terrifying. It had devoured and crushed its victims with iron teeth and bronze claws, trampling their remains beneath its feet. ²⁰ I also asked about the ten horns on the fourth beast’s head and the little horn that came up afterward and destroyed three of the other horns. This horn had seemed greater than the others, and it had human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly. ²¹ As I watched, this horn was waging war against God’s holy people and was defeating them, ²² until the Ancient One—the Most High—came and judged in favor of his holy people. Then the time arrived for the holy people to take over the kingdom.

²³ Then he said to me, “This fourth beast is the fourth world power that will rule the earth. It will be different from all the others. It will devour the whole world, trampling and crushing everything in its path. ²⁴ Its ten horns are ten kings who will rule that empire. Then another king will arise, different from the other ten, who will subdue three of them. ²⁵ He will defy the Most High and oppress the holy people of the Most High. He will try to change their sacred festivals and laws, and they will be placed under his control for a time, times, and half a time.

²⁶ “But then the court will pass judgment, and all his power will be taken away and completely destroyed. ²⁷ Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey him.”

²⁸ That was the end of the vision. I, Daniel, was terrified by my thoughts and my face was pale with fear, but I kept these things to myself.

Introduction

1 We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning,^[a] whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. ² This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. ³ We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. ⁴ We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.^[b]

Living in the Light

⁵ This is the message we heard from Jesus^[c] and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. ⁶ So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. ⁷ But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

⁸ If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. ⁹ But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. ¹⁰ If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

Resh

Shin

Taw

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

6 ^[a]Darius the Mede decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province. ² The king also chose Daniel and two others as administrators to supervise the high officers and protect the king’s interests. ³ Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire.

⁴ Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy. ⁵ So they concluded, “Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion.”

⁶ So the administrators and high officers went to the king and said, “Long live King Darius! ⁷ We are all in agreement—we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors—that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions. ⁸ And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.” ⁹ So King Darius signed the law.

¹⁰ But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. ¹¹ Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help. ¹² So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. “Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions?”

“Yes,” the king replied, “that decision stands; it is an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.”

¹³ Then they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.”

¹⁴ Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament.

¹⁵ In the evening the men went together to the king and said, “Your Majesty, you know that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, no law that the king signs can be changed.”

¹⁶ So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.”

¹⁷ A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel. ¹⁸ Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep at all that night.

¹⁹ Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den. ²⁰ When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”

²¹ Daniel answered, “Long live the king! ²² My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.”

²³ The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God.

²⁴ Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den.

²⁵ Then King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world:

²⁸ So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.^[b]

The Day of the Lord Is Coming

3 This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory. ² I want you to remember what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles.

³ Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. ⁴ They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.”

⁵ They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. ⁶ Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. ⁷ And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed.

⁸ But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. ⁹ The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. ¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.^[a]

¹¹ Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, ¹² looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. ¹³ But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness.

¹⁴ And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.

¹⁵ And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him— ¹⁶ speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.

Peter’s Final Words

¹⁷ You already know these things, dear friends. So be on guard; then you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. ¹⁸ Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.

Pe

Tsadhe

Qoph

The Writing on the Wall

5 Many years later King Belshazzar gave a great feast for 1,000 of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. ² While Belshazzar was drinking the wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver cups that his predecessor,^[a] Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem. He wanted to drink from them with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. ³ So they brought these gold cups taken from the Temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. ⁴ While they drank from them they praised their idols made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

⁵ Suddenly, they saw the fingers of a human hand writing on the plaster wall of the king’s palace, near the lampstand. The king himself saw the hand as it wrote, ⁶ and his face turned pale with fright. His knees knocked together in fear and his legs gave way beneath him.

⁷ The king shouted for the enchanters, astrologers,^[b] and fortune-tellers to be brought before him. He said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever can read this writing and tell me what it means will be dressed in purple robes of royal honor and will have a gold chain placed around his neck. He will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom!”

⁸ But when all the king’s wise men had come in, none of them could read the writing or tell him what it meant. ⁹ So the king grew even more alarmed, and his face turned pale. His nobles, too, were shaken.

¹⁰ But when the queen mother heard what was happening, she hurried to the banquet hall. She said to Belshazzar, “Long live the king! Don’t be so pale and frightened. ¹¹ There is a man in your kingdom who has within him the spirit of the holy gods. During Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, this man was found to have insight, understanding, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your predecessor, the king—your predecessor King Nebuchadnezzar—made him chief over all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers of Babylon. ¹² This man Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, has exceptional ability and is filled with divine knowledge and understanding. He can interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.”

Daniel Explains the Writing

¹³ So Daniel was brought in before the king. The king asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles brought from Judah by my predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar? ¹⁴ I have heard that you have the spirit of the gods within you and that you are filled with insight, understanding, and wisdom. ¹⁵ My wise men and enchanters have tried to read the words on the wall and tell me their meaning, but they cannot do it. ¹⁶ I am told that you can give interpretations and solve difficult problems. If you can read these words and tell me their meaning, you will be clothed in purple robes of royal honor, and you will have a gold chain placed around your neck. You will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”

¹⁷ Daniel answered the king, “Keep your gifts or give them to someone else, but I will tell you what the writing means. ¹⁸ Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty, majesty, glory, and honor to your predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar. ¹⁹ He made him so great that people of all races and nations and languages trembled before him in fear. He killed those he wanted to kill and spared those he wanted to spare. He honored those he wanted to honor and disgraced those he wanted to disgrace. ²⁰ But when his heart and mind were puffed up with arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. ²¹ He was driven from human society. He was given the mind of a wild animal, and he lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them.

²² “You are his successor,^[c] O Belshazzar, and you knew all this, yet you have not humbled yourself. ²³ For you have proudly defied the Lord of heaven and have had these cups from his Temple brought before you. You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—gods that neither see nor hear nor know anything at all. But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny! ²⁴ So God has sent this hand to write this message.

²⁵ “This is the message that was written: Mene, mene, tekel, and Parsin. ²⁶ This is what these words mean:

²⁹ Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was dressed in purple robes, a gold chain was hung around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.

³⁰ That very night Belshazzar, the Babylonian^[e] king, was killed.^[f]

^31 [g]And Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.

The Danger of False Teachers

2 But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. ² Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. ³ In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed.

⁴ For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell,^[a] in gloomy pits of darkness,^[b] where they are being held until the day of judgment. ⁵ And God did not spare the ancient world—except for Noah and the seven others in his family. Noah warned the world of God’s righteous judgment. So God protected Noah when he destroyed the world of ungodly people with a vast flood. ⁶ Later, God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and turned them into heaps of ashes. He made them an example of what will happen to ungodly people. ⁷ But God also rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a righteous man who was sick of the shameful immorality of the wicked people around him. ⁸ Yes, Lot was a righteous man who was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day. ⁹ So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment. ¹⁰ He is especially hard on those who follow their own twisted sexual desire, and who despise authority.

These people are proud and arrogant, daring even to scoff at supernatural beings^[c] without so much as trembling. ¹¹ But the angels, who are far greater in power and strength, do not dare to bring from the Lord^[d] a charge of blasphemy against those supernatural beings.

¹² These false teachers are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed. They scoff at things they do not understand, and like animals, they will be destroyed. ¹³ Their destruction is their reward for the harm they have done. They love to indulge in evil pleasures in broad daylight. They are a disgrace and a stain among you. They delight in deception^[e] even as they eat with you in your fellowship meals. ¹⁴ They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lure unstable people into sin, and they are well trained in greed. They live under God’s curse. ¹⁵ They have wandered off the right road and followed the footsteps of Balaam son of Beor,^[f] who loved to earn money by doing wrong. ¹⁶ But Balaam was stopped from his mad course when his donkey rebuked him with a human voice.

¹⁷ These people are as useless as dried-up springs or as mist blown away by the wind. They are doomed to blackest darkness. ¹⁸ They brag about themselves with empty, foolish boasting. With an appeal to twisted sexual desires, they lure back into sin those who have barely escaped from a lifestyle of deception. ¹⁹ They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you. ²⁰ And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. ²¹ It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life. ²² They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit.”^[g] And another says, “A washed pig returns to the mud.”

Samekh

Ayin

4 (3:31)^[a] King Nebuchadnezzar, to all peoples, nations, and language groups that live in all the land: “Peace and prosperity!^{[b] 2} I am delighted to tell you about the signs and wonders that the most high God has done for me.

Nebuchadnezzar Dreams of a Tree Chopped Down

⁴ (4:1)^[d] I, Nebuchadnezzar, was relaxing in my home,^[e] living luxuriously^[f] in my palace. ⁵ I saw a dream that^[g] frightened me badly. The things I imagined while lying on my bed—these visions of my mind—were terrifying me. ⁶ So I issued an order^[h] for all the wise men of Babylon to be brought^[i] before me so that they could make known to me the interpretation of the dream. ⁷ When the magicians, astrologers, wise men, and diviners entered, I recounted the dream for them. But they were unable to make known its interpretation to me. ⁸ Later Daniel entered (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god,^[j] and in whom there is a spirit of the holy gods). I recounted the dream for him as well, ⁹ saying, “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, in whom I know there to be a spirit of the holy gods and whom no mystery baffles, consider^[k] my dream that I saw and set forth its interpretation! ¹⁰ Here are the visions of my mind^[l] while I was on my bed.

¹⁸ “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its^[ae] interpretation, for none of the wise men in^[af] my kingdom are able to make known to me the interpretation. But you can do so, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

Daniel Interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

¹⁹ Then Daniel (whose name is also Belteshazzar) was upset for a brief time;^[ag] his thoughts were alarming him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream and its interpretation alarm you.” But Belteshazzar replied, “Sir,^[ah] if only the dream were for your enemies and its interpretation applied to your adversaries! ²⁰ The tree that you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached to the sky, and that could be seen^[ai] in all the land, ²¹ whose foliage was attractive and its fruit plentiful, and from which there was food available for all, under whose branches wild animals^[aj] used to live, and in whose branches birds of the sky used to nest— ²² it is you,^[ak] O king! For you have become great and strong. Your greatness is such that it reaches to heaven, and your authority to the ends of the earth. ²³ As for the king seeing a holy sentinel coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its taproot in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, surrounded by the grass of the field. Let it become damp with the dew of the sky, and let it live with the wild animals, until seven periods of time go by for him’— ²⁴ this is the interpretation, O king. It is the decision of the Most High that this has happened to my lord the king. ²⁵ You will be driven^[al] from human society,^[am] and you will live^[an] with the wild animals. You will be fed^[ao] grass like oxen,^[ap] and you will become damp with the dew of the sky. Seven periods of time will pass by for you, before^[aq] you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes. ²⁶ They said to leave the taproot of the tree, for your kingdom will be restored to you when you come to understand that heaven^[ar] rules. ²⁷ Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps your prosperity will be prolonged.”^[as]

²⁸ Now all this happened^[at] to King Nebuchadnezzar. ²⁹ After twelve months, he happened to be walking around on the battlements^[au] of the royal palace of Babylon. ³⁰ The king uttered these words: “Is this not the great Babylon that I have built for a royal residence^[av] by my own mighty strength^[aw] and for my majestic honor?” ³¹ While these words were still on the king’s lips,^[ax] a voice came down from heaven: “It is hereby announced to you,^[ay] King Nebuchadnezzar, that your kingdom has been removed from you! ³² You will be driven from human society, and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed grass like oxen, and seven periods of time will pass by for you before^[az] you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes.”

³³ Now in that very moment^[ba] this pronouncement about^[bb] Nebuchadnezzar came true.^[bc] He was driven from human society, he ate grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until his hair became long like an eagle’s feathers, and his nails like a bird’s claws.^[bd]

³⁴ But at the end of the appointed time^[be] I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up^[bf] toward heaven, and my sanity returned to me.

³⁶ At that time my sanity returned to me. I was restored^[bi] to the honor of my kingdom, and my splendor returned to me. My ministers and my nobles were seeking me out, and I was reinstated^[bj] over my kingdom. I became even greater than before. ³⁷ Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all his deeds are right and his ways are just. He is able to bring down those who live^[bk] in pride.

Salutation

1 From Simeon^[a] Peter,^[b] a slave^[c] and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who through the righteousness of our God^[d] and Savior,^[e] Jesus Christ, have been granted^[f] a faith just as precious^[g] as ours. ² May grace and peace be lavished on you^[h] as you grow^[i] in the rich knowledge^[j] of God and of Jesus our Lord!^[k]

Believers’ Salvation and the Work of God

³ I can pray this because his divine power^[l] has bestowed on us everything necessary^[m] for life and godliness through the rich knowledge^[n] of the one who called^[o] us by^[p] his own glory and excellence. ⁴ Through these things^[q] he has bestowed on us his precious and most magnificent promises, so that by means of what was promised^[r] you may become partakers of the divine nature,^[s] after escaping^[t] the worldly corruption that is produced by evil desire.^{[u] 5} For this very reason,^[v] make every effort^[w] to add to your faith excellence,^[x] to excellence, knowledge; ⁶ to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance;^[y] to perseverance, godliness; ⁷ to godliness, brotherly affection; to brotherly affection, unselfish^[z] love.^{[aa] 8} For if^[ab] these things are really yours^[ac] and are continually increasing,^[ad] they will keep you from becoming^[ae] ineffective and unproductive in your pursuit of^[af] knowing our Lord Jesus Christ more intimately.^{[ag] 9} But^[ah] concerning the one who lacks such things^[ai]—he is blind. That is to say, he is^[aj] nearsighted, since he has forgotten about the cleansing of his past sins. ¹⁰ Therefore, brothers and sisters,^[ak] make every effort to be sure of your calling and election.^[al] For by doing this^[am] you will never^[an] stumble into sin.^{[ao] 11} For thus an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be richly provided for you.

Salvation Based on the Word of God

¹² Therefore, I intend to remind you constantly^[ap] of these things even though you know them and are well established in the truth that you now have. ¹³ Indeed, as long as I am in this tabernacle,^[aq] I consider it right to stir you up by way of a reminder, ¹⁴ since I know that my tabernacle will soon be removed,^[ar] because^[as] our Lord Jesus Christ revealed this to me.^{[at] 15} Indeed, I will also make every effort that, after my departure, you have a testimony of these things.^[au]

¹⁶ For we did not follow cleverly concocted fables when we made known to you the power and return^[av] of our Lord Jesus Christ;^[aw] no,^[ax] we were^[ay] eyewitnesses of his^[az] grandeur.^{[ba] 17} For he received honor and glory from God the Father, when that^[bb] voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory: “This is my dear Son, in whom I am delighted.”^{[bc] 18} When this voice was conveyed from heaven, we ourselves^[bd] heard it, for we were with him on the holy mountain.^{[be] 19} Moreover,^[bf] we^[bg] possess the prophetic word as an altogether reliable thing.^[bh] You do well if you pay attention^[bi] to this^[bj] as you would^[bk] to a light shining in a murky place, until the day dawns and the morning star^[bl] rises in your hearts.^{[bm] 20} Above all, you do well if you recognize^[bn] this:^[bo] No prophecy of scripture ever comes about by the prophet’s own imagination,^{[bp] 21} for no prophecy was ever borne of human impulse; rather, men^[bq] carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

מ (Mem)

נ (Nun)

²⁴ Then Daniel went in to see^[a] Arioch (whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon). He came^[b] and said to him, “Don’t destroy the wise men of Babylon! Escort me^[c] to the king, and I will disclose the interpretation to him.”^[d]

²⁵ So Arioch quickly ushered Daniel into the king’s presence, saying to him, “I^[e] have found a man from the captives of Judah who can make known the interpretation to the king.” ²⁶ The king then asked Daniel (whose name was also Belteshazzar), “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I saw, as well as its interpretation?” ²⁷ Daniel replied to the king, “The mystery that the king is asking about is such that no wise men, astrologers, magicians, or diviners can possibly disclose it to the king. ²⁸ However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries,^[f] and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the times to come.^[g] The dream and the visions you had while lying on your bed^[h] are as follows:

²⁹ “As for you, O king, while you were in your bed your thoughts turned to future things.^[i] The revealer of mysteries has made known to you what will take place. ³⁰ As for me, this mystery was revealed to me not because I possess more wisdom^[j] than any other living person, but so that the king may understand^[k] the interpretation and comprehend the thoughts of your mind.^[l]

³¹ “You, O king, were watching as a great statue—one^[m] of impressive size and extraordinary brightness—was standing before you. Its appearance caused alarm. ³² As for that statue, its head was of fine gold, its chest and arms were of silver, its belly and thighs were of bronze. ³³ Its legs were of iron; its feet were partly of iron and partly of clay.^{[n] 34} You were watching as^[o] a stone was cut out,^[p] but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its iron and clay feet, breaking them in pieces. ³⁵ Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold were broken in pieces without distinction^[q] and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors that the wind carries away. Not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a large mountain that filled the entire earth. ³⁶ This was the dream. Now we^[r] will set forth before the king its interpretation.

Daniel Interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

³⁷ “You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has granted you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor. ³⁸ Wherever human beings,^[s] wild animals,^[t] and birds of the sky live—he has given them into your power.^[u] He has given you authority over them all. You are the head of gold. ³⁹ Now after you another kingdom^[v] will arise, one inferior to yours. Then a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule in all the earth. ⁴⁰ Then there will be a fourth kingdom, one strong like iron. Just like iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything, and as iron breaks in pieces^[w] all these metals,^[x] so it will break in pieces and crush the others.^{[y] 41} In that you were seeing feet and toes^[z] partly of wet clay^[aa] and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom. Some of the strength of iron will be in it, for you saw iron mixed with wet clay.^{[ab] 42} In that the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, the latter stages of this kingdom will be partly strong and partly fragile. ⁴³ And^[ac] in that you saw iron mixed with wet clay, so people will be mixed^[ad] with one another^[ae] without adhering to one another, just as^[af] iron does not mix with clay. ⁴⁴ In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever. ⁴⁵ You saw that a stone was cut from a mountain, but not by human hands; it smashed the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold into pieces. The great God has made known to the king what will occur in the future.^[ag] The dream is certain, and its interpretation is reliable.”

⁴⁶ Then King Nebuchadnezzar bowed down with his face to the ground^[ah] and paid homage to Daniel. He gave orders to offer sacrifice and incense to him. ⁴⁷ The king replied to Daniel, “Certainly your God is a God of gods and Lord of kings and revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery!” ⁴⁸ Then the king elevated Daniel to high position and bestowed on him many marvelous gifts. He granted him authority over the entire province of Babylon and made him the main prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. ⁴⁹ And at Daniel’s request, the king^[ai] appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the administration of the province of Babylon. Daniel himself served in the king’s court.^[aj]

Daniel’s Friends Are Tested

3 ^[ak] King Nebuchadnezzar had a golden^[al] statue made.^[am] It was 90 feet^[an] tall and 9 feet^[ao] wide. He erected it on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. ² Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent out a summons to assemble the satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates,^[ap] and all the other authorities of the province to attend the dedication of the statue that he^[aq] had erected. ³ So the satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other provincial authorities assembled for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected. They were standing in front of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had erected.^[ar]

⁴ Then the herald^[as] made a loud^[at] proclamation: “To you, O peoples, nations, and language groups, the following command is given:^{[au] 5} When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither,^[av] trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must^[aw] bow down and pay homage to the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has erected. ⁶ Whoever does not bow down and pay homage will immediately^[ax] be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire!” ⁷ Therefore when they all^[ay] heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes,^[az] and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations, and language groups began bowing down and paying homage to the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected.

⁸ Now^[ba] at that time certain^[bb] Chaldeans came forward and brought malicious accusations against^[bc] the Jews. ⁹ They said^[bd] to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever!^{[be] 10} You have issued an edict, O king, that everyone must bow down and pay homage to the golden statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music. ¹¹ And whoever does not bow down and pay homage must be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. ¹² But there are Jewish men whom you appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—and these men^[bf] have not shown proper respect to you, O king. They don’t serve your gods and they don’t pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected.”

¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar in a fit of rage^[bg] demanded that they bring^[bh] Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before him. So they brought them^[bi] before the king. ¹⁴ Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don’t serve my gods and that you don’t pay homage to the golden statue that I erected? ¹⁵ Now if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must bow down and pay homage to the statue that I had made. If you don’t pay homage to it, you will immediately be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. Now, who is that god who can rescue you from my power?”^{[bj] 16} Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to King Nebuchadnezzar,^[bk] “We do not need to give you a reply^[bl] concerning this. ¹⁷ If^[bm] our God whom we are serving exists,^[bn] he is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he will rescue us, O king, from your power as well. ¹⁸ But if he does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we don’t serve your gods, and we will not pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected.”

¹⁹ Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and his disposition changed^[bo] toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave orders^[bp] to heat the furnace seven times hotter than it was normally heated. ²⁰ He ordered strong^[bq] soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. ²¹ So those men were tied up while still wearing their cloaks, trousers, turbans, and other clothes,^[br] and were thrown into the furnace^[bs] of blazing fire. ²² But since the king’s command was so urgent, and the furnace was so excessively hot, the men who escorted^[bt] Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were killed^[bu] by the leaping flames.^{[bv] 23} But those three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell into the furnace^[bw] of blazing fire while still securely bound.^[bx]

God Delivers His Servants

²⁴ Then King Nebuchadnezzar was startled and quickly got up. He said to his ministers, “Wasn’t it three men that we tied up and threw^[by] into^[bz] the fire?” They replied to the king, “For sure, O king.” ²⁵ He answered, “But I see four men, untied and walking around in the midst of the fire! No harm has come to them! And the appearance of the fourth is like that of a god!”^{[ca] 26} Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire. He called out,^[cb] “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the most high God, come out! Come here!”

Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego emerged from the fire.^{[cc] 27} Once the satraps, prefects, governors, and ministers of the king had gathered around, they saw that those men were physically^[cd] unharmed by the fire.^[ce] The hair of their heads was not singed, nor were their trousers damaged. Not even the smell of fire was to be found on them!

²⁸ Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed,^[cf] “Praised be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent forth his angel^[cg] and has rescued his servants who trusted in him, ignoring^[ch] the edict of the king and giving up their bodies rather than^[ci] serve or pay homage to any god other than their God! ²⁹ I hereby decree^[cj] that any people, nation, or language group that blasphemes^[ck] the God of Shadrach, Meshach, or Abednego will be dismembered and his home reduced to rubble! For there exists no other god who can deliver in this way.” ³⁰ Then Nebuchadnezzar^[cl] promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Service, Suffering, and Judgment

⁷ For the culmination of all things is near. So be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of prayer.^{[a] 8} Above all keep^[b] your love for one another fervent,^[c] because love covers a multitude of sins.^{[d] 9} Show hospitality^[e] to one another without complaining. ¹⁰ Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another^[f] as good stewards of the varied grace of God. ¹¹ Whoever speaks, let it be with^[g] God’s words.^[h] Whoever serves, do so with the strength^[i] that God supplies, so that in everything God will be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong^[j] the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

¹² Dear friends, do not be astonished^[k] that a trial by fire is occurring among you,^[l] as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³ But rejoice in the degree that you have shared in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed^[m] you may also rejoice and be glad.^{[n] 14} If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory,^[o] who is the Spirit of God,^[p] rests^[q] on you. ¹⁵ But let none of you suffer as a murderer or thief or criminal or as a troublemaker.^{[r] 16} But if you suffer as a Christian,^[s] do not be ashamed, but glorify^[t] God that you bear such a name.^{[u] 17} For it is time for judgment to begin, starting with the house^[v] of God. And if it starts with us, what will be the fate^[w] of those who are disobedient to the gospel of God? ¹⁸ And if the righteous are barely saved, what will become of^[x] the ungodly and sinners?^{[y] 19} So then let those who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator as they do good.^[z]

Leading and Living in God’s Flock

5 So as your fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings and as one who shares in the glory that will be revealed, I urge the elders among you: ² Give a shepherd’s care to^[aa] God’s flock among you, exercising oversight^[ab] not merely as a duty^[ac] but willingly under God’s direction,^[ad] not for shameful profit but eagerly. ³ And do not lord it over^[ae] those entrusted to you,^[af] but be examples to the flock. ⁴ Then^[ag] when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that never fades away.

⁵ In the same way, you who are younger,^[ah] be subject to the elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.^{[ai] 6} And God will exalt you in due time,^[aj] if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand^{[ak] 7} by casting^[al] all your cares^[am] on him because he cares for you. ⁸ Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion,^[an] is on the prowl looking for someone^[ao] to devour. ⁹ Resist him,^[ap] strong in your faith, because you know^[aq] that your brothers and sisters^[ar] throughout the world^[as] are enduring^[at] the same kinds of suffering.^{[au] 10} And, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ^[av] will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.^{[aw] 11} To him belongs^[ax] the power forever. Amen.

Final Greetings

¹² Through Silvanus,^[ay] whom I know to be a faithful brother,^[az] I have written to you briefly, in order to encourage you and testify^[ba] that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.^{[bb] 13} The church^[bc] in Babylon,^[bd] chosen together with you,^[be] greets you, and so does Mark, my son. ¹⁴ Greet one another with a loving kiss.^[bf] Peace to all of you who are in Christ.^[bg]

כ (Kaf)

ל (Lamed)

Daniel Finds Favor in Babylon

1 In the third^[a] year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar^[b] of Babylon advanced against Jerusalem and laid it under siege.^{[c] 2} Now the Lord^[d] delivered^[e] King Jehoiakim of Judah into his power,^[f] along with some of the vessels^[g] of the temple of God.^[h] He brought them to the land of Babylonia^[i] to the temple of his god^[j] and put^[k] the vessels in the treasury of his god.

³ The king commanded^[l] Ashpenaz,^[m] who was in charge of his court officials,^[n] to choose^[o] some of the Israelites who were of royal and noble descent^[p]— ⁴ young men in whom there was no physical defect and who were handsome,^[q] well versed in all kinds of wisdom, well educated^[r] and having keen insight,^[s] and who were capable^[t] of entering the king’s royal service^[u]—and to teach them the literature and language^[v] of the Babylonians.^{[w] 5} So the king assigned them a daily ration^[x] from his royal delicacies^[y] and from the wine he himself drank. They were to be trained^[z] for the next three years. At the end of that time they were to enter the king’s service.^{[aa] 6} As it turned out,^[ab] among these young men^[ac] were some from Judah:^[ad] Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.^{[ae] 7} But the overseer of the court officials renamed them. He gave^[af] Daniel the name Belteshazzar, Hananiah he named Shadrach, Mishael he named Meshach, and Azariah he named Abednego.^[ag]

⁸ But Daniel made up his mind^[ah] that he would not defile^[ai] himself with the royal delicacies or the royal wine.^[aj] He therefore asked the overseer of the court officials for permission not to defile himself. ⁹ Then God made the overseer of the court officials sympathetic to Daniel.^{[ak] 10} But he^[al] responded to Daniel, “I fear my master the king. He is the one who has decided^[am] your food and drink. What would happen if he saw that you looked malnourished in comparison to the other young men your age?^[an] If that happened,^[ao] you would endanger my life^[ap] with the king!” ¹¹ Daniel then spoke to the warden^[aq] whom the overseer of the court officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: ¹² “Please test your servants for ten days by providing us with some vegetables to eat and water to drink. ¹³ Then compare our appearance^[ar] with that of^[as] the young men who are eating the royal delicacies;^[at] deal with us^[au] in light of what you see.” ¹⁴ So the warden^[av] agreed to their proposal^[aw] and tested them for ten^[ax] days.

¹⁵ At the end of the ten days their appearance was better and their bodies were healthier^[ay] than all the young men who had been eating the royal delicacies. ¹⁶ So the warden removed the delicacies and the wine^[az] from their diet^[ba] and gave them a diet of vegetables instead. ¹⁷ Now as for these four young men, God endowed them with knowledge and skill in all sorts of literature and wisdom—and Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.

¹⁸ When the time appointed by the king arrived,^[bb] the overseer of the court officials brought them into Nebuchadnezzar’s presence. ¹⁹ When the king spoke with them, he did not find among the entire group^[bc] anyone like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, or Azariah. So they entered the king’s service.^{[bd] 20} In every matter of wisdom and^[be] insight the king asked them about, he found them to be ten times^[bf] better than any of the magicians and astrologers that were in his entire empire. ²¹ Now Daniel lived on until the first^[bg] year of Cyrus the king.

Nebuchadnezzar Has a Disturbing Dream

2 In the second year of his^[bh] reign Nebuchadnezzar had many dreams.^[bi] His mind^[bj] was disturbed and he suffered from insomnia.^{[bk] 2} The king issued an order^[bl] to summon the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and wise men^[bm] in order to explain his dreams to him.^[bn] So they came and awaited the king’s instructions.^[bo]

³ The king told them, “I have had a dream,^[bp] and I^[bq] am anxious to understand the dream.” ⁴ The wise men replied to the king: [What follows is in Aramaic^[br]] “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will disclose its^[bs] interpretation.” ⁵ The king replied^[bt] to the wise men, “My decision is firm.^[bu] If you do not inform me of both the dream and its interpretation, you will be dismembered^[bv] and your homes reduced to rubble! ⁶ But if you can disclose the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts, a reward, and considerable honor. So disclose to me the dream and its interpretation.” ⁷ They again replied, “Let the king inform us^[bw] of the dream; then we will disclose its^[bx] interpretation.” ⁸ The king replied, “I know for sure that you are attempting to gain time, because you see that my decision is firm. ⁹ If you don’t inform me of the dream, there is only one thing that is going to happen to you.^[by] For you have agreed among yourselves to report to me something false and deceitful^[bz] until such time as things might change. So tell me the dream, and I will have confidence^[ca] that you can disclose its interpretation.”

¹⁰ The wise men replied to the king, “There is no man on earth who is able to disclose the king’s secret,^[cb] for no king, regardless of his position and power, has ever requested such a thing from any magician, astrologer, or wise man. ¹¹ What the king is asking is too difficult, and no one exists who can disclose it to the king, except for the gods—but they don’t live among mortals!”^[cc]

¹² Because of this the king got furiously angry^[cd] and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. ¹³ So a decree went out, and the wise men were about^[ce] to be executed. They also sought^[cf] Daniel and his friends so that they could be executed.

¹⁴ Then Daniel spoke with prudent counsel^[cg] to Arioch, who was in charge of the king’s executioners and who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon. ¹⁵ He inquired of Arioch the king’s deputy, “Why is the decree from the king so urgent?”^[ch] Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter. ¹⁶ So Daniel went in and^[ci] requested the king to grant him time, that he might disclose the interpretation to the king. ¹⁷ Then Daniel went to his home and informed his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the matter. ¹⁸ He asked them to pray for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery so that he^[cj] and his friends would not be destroyed along with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. ¹⁹ Then in a night vision the mystery was revealed to Daniel. So Daniel praised^[ck] the God of heaven, ²⁰ saying:^[cl]

Suffering for Doing Good

⁸ Finally, all of you be harmonious,^[a] sympathetic, affectionate, compassionate, and humble. ⁹ Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but instead bless^[b] others^[c] because you were called to inherit a blessing. ¹⁰ For

¹³ For^[g] who is going to harm you if you are devoted to what is good? ¹⁴ But in fact, if you happen to suffer^[h] for doing what is right,^[i] you are blessed. But do not be terrified of them^[j] or be shaken.^{[k] 15} But set Christ^[l] apart^[m] as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess.^{[n] 16} Yet do it with courtesy and respect,^[o] keeping a good conscience, so that those who slander your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame when they accuse you.^{[p] 17} For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God wills it,^[q] than for doing evil.

²⁰ after they were disobedient long ago^[y] when God patiently waited^[z] in the days of Noah as an ark was being constructed. In the ark^[aa] a few, that is eight souls, were delivered through water. ²¹ And this prefigured baptism, which now saves you^[ab]—not the washing off of physical dirt^[ac] but the pledge^[ad] of a good conscience to God—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²² who went into heaven and is at the right hand of God^[ae] with angels and authorities and powers subject to him.^[af]

4 So, since Christ suffered^[ag] in the flesh, you also arm yourselves with the same attitude, because the one who has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin,^{[ah] 2} in that he spends the rest of his time^[ai] on earth concerned about the will of God and not human desires. ³ For the time that has passed was sufficient for you to do what the non-Christians^[aj] desire.^[ak] You lived then^[al] in debauchery, evil desires, drunkenness, carousing, drinking bouts,^[am] and wanton idolatries.^{[an] 4} So^[ao] they are astonished^[ap] when you do not rush with them into the same flood of wickedness, and they vilify you.^{[aq] 5} They will face a reckoning before^[ar] Jesus Christ^[as] who stands ready to judge the living and the dead. ⁶ Now it was for this very purpose^[at] that the gospel was preached to those who are now dead,^[au] so that though^[av] they were judged in the flesh^[aw] by human standards^[ax] they may live spiritually^[ay] by God’s standards.^[az]

ט (Tet)

י (Yod)

Water from the Temple

47 Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple. I noticed^[a] that water was flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from under the right side of the temple, from south of the altar. ² He led me out by way of the north gate and brought me around the outside of the outer gate that faces toward the east; I noticed^[b] that the water was trickling out from the south side.

³ When the man went out toward the east with a measuring line in his hand, he measured 1,750 feet,^[c] and then he led me through water, which was ankle deep. ⁴ Again he measured 1,750 feet and led me through the water, which was now knee deep. Once more he measured 1,750 feet and led me through the water, which was waist deep. ⁵ Again he measured 1,750 feet, and it was a river I could not cross, for the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed. ⁶ He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?”

Then he led me back to the bank of the river. ⁷ When I had returned, I noticed^[d] a vast number of trees on the banks of the river, on both sides. ⁸ He said to me, “These waters go out toward the eastern region and flow down into the rift valley; when they enter the Dead Sea,^[e] where the sea is stagnant,^[f] the waters become fresh.^{[g] 9} Every living creature that swarms where the river^[h] flows will live; there will be many fish, for these waters flow there. It will become fresh,^[i] and everything will live where the river flows. ¹⁰ Fishermen will stand beside it; from En Gedi to En Eglaim they will spread nets. They will catch many kinds of fish, like the fish of the Great Sea.^{[j] 11} But its swamps and its marshes will not become fresh; they will remain salty. ¹² On both sides of the river’s banks, every kind of tree will grow for food. Their leaves will not wither nor will their fruit fail, but they will bear fruit every month, because their water source flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.”^[k]

Boundaries for the Land

¹³ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Here^[l] are the borders^[m] you will observe as you allot the land to the twelve tribes of Israel. (Joseph will have two portions.)^{[n] 14} You must divide it equally just as I vowed to give it to your forefathers;^[o] this land will be assigned as your inheritance.^[p]

¹⁵ “This will be the border of the land:^[q] On the north side, from the Great Sea by way of Hethlon to the entrance of Zedad; ¹⁶ Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath, as far as Hazer Hattikon, which is on the border of Hauran. ¹⁷ The border will run from the sea to Hazar Enan, at the border of Damascus, and on the north is the border of Hamath. This is the north side. ¹⁸ On the east side, between Hauran and Damascus, and between Gilead and the land of Israel, will be the Jordan. You will measure from the border to the eastern sea. This is the east side. ¹⁹ On the south side it will run from Tamar to the waters of Meribah Kadesh, the river,^[r] to the Great Sea. This is the south side. ²⁰ On the west side the Great Sea will be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo Hamath. This is the west side.

²¹ “This is how you will divide this land for yourselves among the tribes of Israel. ²² You must allot it as an inheritance among yourselves and for the resident foreigners who live among you, who have fathered sons among you. You must treat them as native-born among the people of Israel; they will be allotted an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.^{[s] 23} In whatever tribe the resident foreigner lives, there you will give him his inheritance,” declares the Sovereign Lord.

The Tribal Portions

48 “These are the names of the tribes: From the northern end beside the road of Hethlon to Lebo Hamath, as far as Hazar Enan (which is on the border of Damascus, toward the north beside Hamath), extending from the east side to the west, Dan will have one portion. ² Next to the border of Dan, from the east side to the west side, Asher^[t] will have one portion. ³ Next to the border of Asher from the east side to the west side, Naphtali will have one portion. ⁴ Next to the border of Naphtali from the east side to the west side, Manasseh will have one portion. ⁵ Next to the border of Manasseh from the east side to the west side, Ephraim will have one portion. ⁶ Next to the border of Ephraim from the east side to the west side, Reuben will have one portion. ⁷ Next to the border of Reuben from the east side to the west side, Judah^[u] will have one portion.

⁸ “Next to the border of Judah from the east side to the west side will be the allotment you must set apart. It is to be 8¼ miles^[v] wide, and the same length as one of the tribal portions, from the east side to the west side; the sanctuary will be in the middle of it. ⁹ The allotment you set apart to the Lord will be 8¼ miles^[w] in length and 3⅓ miles^[x] in width. ¹⁰ These will be the allotments for the holy portion: for the priests, toward the north 8¼ miles^[y] in length, toward the west 3⅓ miles^[z] in width, toward the east 3⅓ miles^[aa] in width, and toward the south 8¼ miles^[ab] in length; the sanctuary of the Lord will be in the middle. ¹¹ This will be for the priests who are set apart from the descendants of Zadok who kept my charge and did not go astray when the people of Israel strayed off, as the Levites did.^{[ac] 12} It will be their portion from the allotment of the land, a Most Holy Place, next to the border of the Levites.

¹³ “Alongside the border of the priests, the Levites will have an allotment 8¼ miles^[ad] in length and 3⅓ miles^[ae] in width. The whole length will be 8¼ miles^[af] and the width 3⅓ miles.^{[ag] 14} They must not sell or exchange any of it; they must not transfer this choice portion of land, for it is set apart^[ah] to the Lord.

¹⁵ “The remainder, 1⅔ miles^[ai] in width and 8¼ miles^[aj] in length, will be for common use by the city, for houses and for open space. The city will be in the middle of it; ¹⁶ these will be its measurements: The north side will be 1½ miles,^[ak] the south side 1½ miles, the east side 1½ miles, and the west side 1½ miles. ¹⁷ The city will have open spaces: On the north there will be 437½ feet,^[al] on the south 437½ feet, on the east 437½ feet, and on the west 437½ feet. ¹⁸ The remainder of the length alongside the holy allotment will be 3⅓ miles^[am] to the east and 3⅓ miles toward the west, and it will be beside the holy allotment. Its produce will be for food for the workers of the city. ¹⁹ The workers of the city from all the tribes of Israel will cultivate it. ²⁰ The whole allotment will be 8¼ miles^[an] square; you must set apart the holy allotment with the possession of the city.

²¹ “The rest, on both sides of the holy allotment and the property of the city, will belong to the prince. Extending from the 8¼ miles^[ao] of the holy allotment to the east border, and westward from the 8¼ miles^[ap] to the west border, alongside the portions, it will belong to the prince. The holy allotment and the sanctuary of the temple will be in the middle of it. ²² The property of the Levites and of the city will be in the middle of that which belongs to the prince. The portion between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin will be for the prince.

²³ “As for the rest of the tribes: From the east side to the west side, Benjamin will have one portion. ²⁴ Next to the border of Benjamin, from the east side to the west side, Simeon will have one portion. ²⁵ Next to the border of Simeon, from the east side to the west side, Issachar will have one portion. ²⁶ Next to the border of Issachar, from the east side to the west side, Zebulun will have one portion. ²⁷ Next to the border of Zebulun, from the east side to the west side, Gad will have one portion. ²⁸ Next to the border of Gad, at the south side, the border will run from Tamar to the waters of Meribah Kadesh, to the Stream of Egypt,^[aq] and on to the Great Sea. ²⁹ This is the land that you will allot to the tribes of Israel, and these are their portions, declares the Sovereign Lord.

³⁰ “These are the exits of the city: On the north side, 1½ miles^[ar] by measure, ³¹ the gates of the city^[as] will be named for the tribes of Israel. There will be three gates to the north: one gate for Reuben, one gate for Judah, and one gate for Levi. ³² On the east side, 1½ miles in length, there will be three gates: one gate for Joseph, one gate for Benjamin, and one gate for Dan. ³³ On the south side, 1½ miles by measure, there will be three gates: one gate for Simeon, one gate for Issachar, and one gate for Zebulun. ³⁴ On the west side, 1½ miles in length, there will be three gates: one gate for Gad, one gate for Asher, and one gate for Naphtali. ³⁵ The circumference of the city will be 6 miles.^[at] The name of the city from that day forward will be: ‘The Lord Is There.’”^[au]

¹¹ Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to keep away from fleshly desires that do battle against the soul, ¹² and maintain good conduct^[a] among the non-Christians,^[b] so that though^[c] they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears.^[d]

Submission to Authorities

¹³ Be subject to every human institution^[e] for the Lord’s sake, whether to a king as supreme ¹⁴ or to governors as those he commissions^[f] to punish wrongdoers and praise^[g] those who do good. ¹⁵ For God wants you^[h] to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. ¹⁶ Live^[i] as free people, not using your freedom as a pretext for evil, but as God’s slaves.^{[j] 17} Honor all people, love the family of believers,^[k] fear God, honor the king.

¹⁸ Slaves,^[l] be subject^[m] to your masters with all reverence, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are perverse. ¹⁹ For this finds God’s favor,^[n] if because of conscience toward God^[o] someone endures hardships in suffering unjustly. ²⁰ For what credit is it if you sin and are mistreated and endure it? But if you do good and suffer and so endure, this finds favor with God.^{[p] 21} For to this you were called, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving an example for you to follow in his steps. ²² He^[q] committed no sin nor was deceit found in his mouth.^{[r] 23} When he was maligned, he^[s] did not answer back; when he suffered, he threatened^[t] no retaliation,^[u] but committed himself to God^[v] who judges justly. ²⁴ He^[w] himself bore our sins^[x] in his body on the tree, that we may cease from sinning^[y] and live for righteousness. By his^[z] wounds^[aa] you were healed.^{[ab] 25} For you were going astray like sheep^[ac] but now you have turned back to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

Wives and Husbands

3 In the same way, wives, be subject to your own husbands. Then,^[ad] even if some are disobedient to the word, they will be won over without a word by the way you live,^{[ae] 2} when they see your pure and reverent conduct.^{[af] 3} Let your^[ag] beauty^[ah] not be external—the braiding of hair and wearing of gold jewelry^[ai] or fine clothes— ⁴ but the inner person^[aj] of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious in God’s sight. ⁵ For in the same way the holy women who hoped in God long ago adorned themselves by being subject to their husbands, ⁶ like Sarah who obeyed^[ak] Abraham, calling him lord. You become her children^[al] when you do what is good and have no fear in doing so.^{[am] 7} Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as the weaker partners and show them honor^[an] as fellow heirs of the grace of life. In this way nothing will hinder your prayers.^[ao]

ז (Zayin)

ח (Khet)