The chief officer told Daniel, "I fear his majesty the king, who has determined what you eat and drink. If he notices that your faces are more pale than the other young men in your group, I will forfeit my head to the king."

The Chaldeans responded to the king in Aramaic: "May the king live forever. Tell the dream to your servants, and we'll reveal its meaning."

In reply the king told the Chaldeans, "Here is what I have commanded: If you don't tell me both the dream and its meaning, you'll be destroyed and your houses will be reduced to rubble.

But if you do relate the dream to me as well as its meaning, you'll receive gifts, rewards, and great honor from me. Therefore reveal the dream to me, along with its meaning."

The king responded, "I'm convinced that you're stalling for time because you're aware of what I've commanded.

So if you don't disclose the dream to me, there will be only one sentence for all of you. You have conspired together to present lies and corrupt interpretations until the situation changes. Now tell me the dream and I'll know that you can reveal its true meaning."

and said, "May the name of God be blessed forever and ever; wisdom and power are his for evermore.

To you, God of my ancestors, I give thanks and praise, because you have given me wisdom and power; you have now revealed to me what we asked of you by making known to us what the king commanded."

After this, Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to execute the advisors of Babylon. He told him, "Don't destroy the advisors of Babylon. Bring me before the king and I'll explain the meaning to him."

King Nebuchadnezzar replied by saying to Daniel (whose Babylonian name is Belteshazzar), "Are you able to tell me about the dream and its meaning?"

As for me, this secret was made known to me, not because my own wisdom is greater than anyone else alive, but in order that the meaning may be made known to the king, and that you might understand the thoughts of your heart.

Nebuchadnezzar asked them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don't worship my gods and that you don't worship the golden statue that has been set up?

Now, if you are ready at this very moment to obey "the sound of the trumpet, the flute, the lyre, the four-stringed lyre, and the harp,' and worship the image that I have made" If you do not so worship, you will immediately have cast yourselves into the middle of the blazing fire, and what god is there who can deliver you from my power?"

It gives me great pleasure to tell about the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me.

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was resting in my home and prospering in my palace.

I had a dream that made me afraid. The thoughts that went through my mind while in bed and the visions in my head terrified me.

So I gave an order to bring in all of the advisors of Babylon so they would tell me the interpretation of the dream.

Then the diviners, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers came in, and I told them the dream. But they could not reveal its interpretation to me.

Eventually, Daniel appeared before me. (He is called Belteshazzar, in accordance with the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is within him.) I told him my dream:

"Belteshazzar, chief of the diviners, since I know that the spirit of the holy gods is within you, and no mystery too difficult for you, explain to me the vision of my dream that I saw, along with its interpretation.

This is what I saw in the visions of my head while I was in bed: I was looking and listen carefully! I saw a tree in the middle of the earth, the height of which was very great.

"Then I saw in the visions of my head while I was in bed and take careful notice! I saw a holy observer descend from heaven.

This order is announced by the observers, and the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over human kingdoms and grants them to whomever he desires, and he places the least important of men over them.'

"This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Belteshazzar, tell me its meaning, since none of the advisors in my kingdom can tell me its interpretation. But you are able to do so because the spirit of the holy gods is in you."

Therefore, your majesty, may my advice be acceptable to you: Stop your sinning, do what's right, and put a stop to your wickedness by showing kindness to the oppressed. Perhaps your tranquility will continue."

he commented to himself, "Isn't Babylon great? I've built a royal palace in it by my own might and power, for the sake of my majesty."

"When that period of time was over, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven and my sanity returned to me. I blessed the Most High, praising and honoring the one who lives forever: For his sovereignty is eternal, and his kingdom continues from generation to generation.

At that moment I recovered my sanity, and my honor and majesty returned to me, for the sake of my kingdom. My advisors and officials sought me out, my throne was restored, and even more greatness than I had before was added to me.

The king cried out to bring in enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers. He announced to the advisors of Babylon, "Whoever can read this writing and tell me its meaning will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain placed around his neck, and will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom."

Then Daniel was brought before the king. The king spoke up and told Daniel, "So you are Daniel, one of the Judean exiles whom my grandfather the king brought from Judah!

Take note that the advisors and enchanters were brought before me to read the writing and explain its meaning, but they were unable to do so.

Daniel replied to the king, "May your majesty live forever!

My God sent his angel and sealed the mouths of the lions. They have not harmed me, proving that I'm innocent before him. Also against you, your majesty, I've committed no offense."

Afterward, King Darius wrote to all nations, nations, and languages who lived throughout his realm: "May great prosperity be yours!

"I hereby decree that in every area of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, who endures forever. His kingdom is one that will not be destroyed, and his dominion continues forever.

"Now as for me, Daniel, I was emotionally troubled, and what I had seen in the visions kept alarming me.

So I approached one of those who was standing nearby and began to ask the meaning of all of this. He spoke to me and caused me to understand the interpretation of these things.

"At this point the vision ended. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts continued to alarm me, and I lost my natural color, but I kept quiet about the matter."

"During the third year of King Belshazzar's reign, I, Daniel, saw a vision after the earlier vision that had appeared to me.

"Then I turned my head to look, and to my surprise, a two-horned ram was standing beside the canal. The two horns grew long, the first one growing longer than the second, with the longer one springing up last.

"He told me, "For 2,300 days. Then the Holy Place will be restored.'"

"After I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I tried to understand it. All of a sudden, there was standing in front of me one who appeared to be valiant.

"As he approached where I was standing, I became terrified and fell on my face. But he told me, "Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end.'

"While he had been speaking with me, I had fainted on my face, but he touched me and enabled me to stand upright on my feet.

"Pay attention! I'm going to brief you about what will happen at the end of the period of wrath, because its end is appointed. The ram that you saw with a pair of horns are the kings of Media and Persia.

"So I turned my attention to the Lord God, seeking him in prayer and supplication, accompanied with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

I prayed to the LORD my God, confessing and saying:

"Lord, listen! "Lord, forgive! "Lord, take note and take action! "For your own sake, don't delay, my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.'"

"While I was still speaking in prayer, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and placing my request in the presence of the LORD my God on behalf of the holy mountain of God

while I was still speaking, Gabriel, the man of God whom I had seen in the previous vision, appeared to me about the time of the evening offering.

He gave instructions, and this is what he spoke to me:

"Daniel, I've now come to give you insight and understanding. Because you're highly regarded, the answer was issued when you began your prayer, and I've come to tell you. Pay attention to my message and you'll understand the vision.

I ate no fancy foods neither meat nor wine entered my mouth. Furthermore, I didn't use any ointment until the end of the entire three weeks.

I lifted up my eyes to look, and to my surprise, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose waist was encircled with gold from Uphaz!

"Now I, Daniel, was the only one to receive the vision the men who were with me didn't see it. However, an enormous fear overwhelmed them, so they ran away to hide,

and I was left alone to observe this magnificent vision. Nevertheless, no strength remained in me my face lost its color, and I became weak.

As I listened to the sound of his words, I fell down on my face unconscious, with my face to the ground."

"All of a sudden, a hand touched me and lifted me upon my hands and knees.

He told me, "Daniel, man highly regarded, understand the message that I'm about to relate to you. Stand up, because I've been sent to you.' When he spoke this statement to me, I stood there trembling.

""Don't be afraid, Daniel,' he told me, "because from the first day that you committed yourself to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I've come in answer to your prayers.

However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for 21 days. Then all of a sudden, Michael, one of the chief angels, came to assist me! I had been detained there near the kings of Persia.

"After he had spoken to me like this, I bowed my face to the ground, unable to speak.

But suddenly someone who resembled a human being touched my lips, so addressing the one who was standing in front of me, I opened my mouth and said, "Sir, I'm overwhelmed with anguish by this vision. I have no strength left.

So how can a servant of my lord talk with someone like you, sir? And as for me, there's no strength left in me, and I can hardly breathe.'

"Then this person who looked like a man touched me again and strengthened me

and said, "Don't be afraid, man highly regarded. Be at peace, and be strong.' "As soon as he spoke to me, I gained strength and replied, "Sir, please speak, now that you've strengthened me.'

"Then he said, "Do you understand why I came to you? Soon I'll return to fight the prince of Persia. I'm going forth to war and take note the prince of Greece is coming!

I'll inform you about what has been recorded in the Book of Truth. No one stands firmly with me against these opponents, except Michael your prince.

Some of the insightful will fall so they may be refined, purged, and purified until the time of the end, since it will surely come about.'"