Day 339 of 365

Dan 5:1–31

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 to bring the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; 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 the house of God 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 came forth the fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

6 Then the king's face was turned pale, and his thoughts troubled him; and the joints of his thighs gave way, and his knees began knocking together.

7 The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, "Whoever shall read this writing, and show 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 came in all the king's wise men; but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation.

9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his face turned pale, and his lords were perplexed.

10 Now 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; do not 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; and king Nebuchadnezzar your father, the king, I say, your father, made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners;

12 because an extraordinary spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and explaining riddles, and solving problems, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation."

13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Are you that Daniel, who are 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 and understanding and extraordinary 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 solve problems. 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 about your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom."

17 Then Daniel answered before the king, "Keep your gifts for 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 And because of the greatness that he gave him, all the peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would he killed, and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he raised up, and whom he would he put down.

20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was removed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him.

21 And he was driven from the sons of men, and his mind 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 wants.

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. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see, nor hear, nor know. And the God in whose hand your breath is, and whose are all your ways, you have not glorified.

24 Then was the part of the hand 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 numbered 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 commanded Belshazzar, 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.

Heb 11:23–40

23 By faith, Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

24 By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,

25 choosing rather to share ill treatment with God's people, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time;

26 accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

27 By faith, he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

28 By faith, he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.

29 By faith, they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do so, they were swallowed up.

30 By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been encircled for seven days.

31 By faith, Rahab the prostitute, did not perish with those who were disobedient, having received the spies in peace.

32 What more shall I say? For the time would fail me if I told of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets;

33 who, through faith subdued kingdoms, worked out righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, grew mighty in war, and caused foreign armies to flee.

35 Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.

36 Others were tried by mocking and scourging, yes, moreover by bonds and imprisonment.

37 They were stoned. They were sawn apart. They were slain with the sword. They went around in sheep skins and in goat skins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated

38 (of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts, mountains, caves, and the holes of the earth.

39 These all, having had testimony given to them through their faith, did not receive the promise,

40 God having provided some better thing concerning us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Ps 141:1–10

1 Lord, I have called on you. Come to me quickly! Listen to my voice when I call to you.

2 Let my prayer be set before you like incense; the lifting up of my hands like the evening sacrifice.

3 Set a watch, Lord, before my mouth. Keep the door of my lips.

4 Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice deeds of wickedness with men who work iniquity. Do not let me eat of their delicacies.

5 Let the righteous strike me, it is kindness; let him reprove me, it is like oil on the head; do not let my head refuse it; Yet my prayer is always against evil deeds.

6 Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock. They will hear my words, for they are well spoken.

7 "As when one plows and breaks up the earth, our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol."

8 For my eyes are on you, Lord, the Lord. In you, I take refuge. Do not leave my soul destitute.

9 Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, from the traps of the workers of iniquity.

10 Let the wicked fall together into their own nets, while I pass by.