Belteshazzar responded, "Your majesty, if only the dream were about your enemies and its meaning about those who oppose you! The tree that you saw, which grew large and strong until its top reached the sky and became visible to the whole earth

As these words were being spoken by the king, a voice came out of heaven: "King Nebuchadnezzar, this is declared to you:

Then all the king's advisors came in, but they were unable to read the writing or tell the king what it meant.

So King Belshazzar became even more frightened, and his facial expression showed it. His officials also were thrown into confusion.

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.

Because of this, the administrators and regional authorities tried to bring allegations of dereliction of duty in government affairs against Daniel, but they were unable to find any charges of corruption. Daniel was trustworthy, and no evidence of negligence or corruption could be found against him.

Daniel said, "I observed the vision during the night. Look! The four winds of the skies were stirring up the Mediterranean Sea.

Four magnificent animals were rising from the sea, each different from the other.

The first resembled a lion, but it had eagles' wings. I continued to watch until its wings were plucked off, it was lifted up off the ground, and it was forced to stand on two feet like a man. A human soul was imparted to it.

"While I was thinking about the horns look another horn, this time a little one, grew up among them. Three of the first horns were yanked up by their roots right in front of it. Look! It had eyes like those of a human being and a mouth that boasted with audacious claims."

"I kept on watching until the Ancient of Days was seated. His clothes were white, like snow, and the hair on his head was like pure wool. His throne burned with flaming fire, and its wheels burned with fire.

A river of fire flowed out from before him. Thousands upon thousands were serving him, with millions upon millions waiting before him. The court sat in judgment, and record books were unsealed.

Now as to the other animals, their authority was removed, but they were granted a reprieve from execution for an appointed period of time."

in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, noted in the Scripture the total years that were assigned by the message from the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem: 70 years.

His body was like beryl, his face flashed like lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and legs were like polished bronze, and his speech roared like that of a crowd.

"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,

""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.

Even though they sold themselves to the nations, I will gather them. They will mourn for a while for the burden they were to the king and princes.

Therefore a disaster will come upon your people, and all of your fortresses will be ruined. As Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel in wartime, mothers were dashed to pieces along with their children.

As their pastures flourished, all their desires were met. As they were satiated, they became arrogant and therefore ignored me.

"Hear this, you elders! Listen, all of you residents of the land! Has there ever been anything like this during your lifetime, or even when your ancestors were alive?

chanting to the sound of stringed instruments as if they were David, composing songs to themselves as if they were musicians,

This is what the Lord GOD showed me: Look! He was forming locust swarms as the latter plantings were just beginning to sprout. Indeed, the king had just taken his first fruit tax.

"On the day you just stood by, when strangers carried away Jacob's wealth and foreigners entered his gates, casting lots for Jerusalem, you were just like one of them.

"You should not have gloated over your brother, on the day of his calamity. You should not have rejoiced when the descendants of Judah were perishing. You should not have boasted when they were in distress.

Then the LORD sent a great wind over the sea, and a severe storm broke out. It seemed as if the ship were about to break up.

In mounting terror, the men asked him, "What have you done?" The men were aware that he was fleeing from the LORD, because he had admitted this to them.

Even so, the crewmen rowed hard to bring the ship toward dry land, but they were unsuccessful, because the sea was growing more and more stormy.

"You inhabitants of Lachish, harness your chariot to your swiftest steed the daughter of Zion has begun to sin because within you the transgressions of Israel were revealed.

Lately my people have acted like an enemy you strip travelers who thought they were as secure as those who return from war.

"Then they will cry to the LORD, but he will not listen to them. In fact, he will hide his face from them at that time, because they were so wicked in what they were doing."

I will transform the lame into survivors, and those who were scattered into a strong nation; and the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion, now and forever."

Sudan was her source of strength, along with Egypt there were no limits. Put and the Libyans were her allies.

But she, too, was exiled she went into captivity! Her young children were dashed to pieces at every crossroad of their streets, and her famous citizens were sold by lottery, while all of her aristocrats were put in chains.

"Look out at the nations and pay attention! Be astounded! Be really astounded! Because something is happening in your lifetime that you won't believe, even if it were described down to the smallest detail.

He stood up and shook the land; with his stare he startled the nations. The age-old mountains were shattered, and the ancient hilltops bowed down. His ways are eternal.

I have said, "If only you would fear me, if only you would take my instructions to heart.' Then their houses would not have been torn down. I have chastened them, but they were eager to corrupt everything they were doing."

I will gather the afflicted from the solemn assembly; those who were with you, who were bearing a burden of disgrace.

So Haggai responded, "If someone who is unclean because of contact with a dead body were to touch any of these things, would they become unclean?" The priests responded, "They would be unclean."

When someone came to a pile of grain to get 20 measures, there were only ten. Or when someone approached the wine press to siphon out 50 measures, there were only 20.

"I stared into the night, and there was a man mounted on a red horse! The horse was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him there were red, brown, and white horses."

So the angel continued to tell those who were standing in his presence, "Remove his filthy clothes." And he told Joshua, "Look how I've removed your iniquity. Now I'm clothing you with fine garments."

Then I looked up and saw four chariots coming out from between two mountains! And the mountains were made of brass!

Attached to the first chariot were red horses. Attached to the second chariot were black horses.

Attached to the third chariot were white horses. Attached to the fourth chariot were speckled horses and gray horses.

Then the gray horses went out. They were eager to go out on patrol throughout the earth, so the angel said, "Go patrol the earth." So they went out on patrol throughout the earth.

The people of Bethel were sending Sharezer, Regem-melech, and their men to pray in the LORD's presence

"Talk to everyone in the land, as well as to the priests. Ask them, "When you were fasting and mourning during the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, were you really fasting for me?

Isn't this what the LORD proclaimed through the former prophets, when a prosperous Jerusalem was inhabited, as were its surrounding cities, the Negev, and the Shephelah?'"

For I have bent Judah as if it were my bow, loading it with Ephraim. I raised up your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, wielding you like a mighty warrior's sword."

I will whistle for them, gathering them together, because I have redeemed them, and they will multiply as they were before.

It was broken at that time so the oppressed of the flock who were observing me would know that it had been a message from the LORD.

Even though Edom may claim, "We were crushed, but we will return and rebuild the ruins,' this is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "They may rebuild, but I'll demolish. People will call them, "The Wicked Land,' and, "The People With Whom the LORD is Forever Angry.'

True teachings were in his mouth, and falsehood was not found on his lips. He walked with me peacefully and righteously, and he turned many from sin.

Yet you ask, "For what reason?' Because the LORD acts as a witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you were unfaithful to her, your partner, the wife of your covenant.

So all the generations from Abraham to David totaled fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon totaled fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah there were fourteen generations.

When they saw the star, they were ecstatic with joy.

Herod flew into a rage when he learned that he had been tricked by the wise men, so he ordered the execution of all the male children in Bethlehem and all its neighboring regions, who were two years old and younger, according to the time that he had determined from the wise men.

"Get up," he said. "Take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead."

While Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers Simon (also called Peter) and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, because they were fishermen.

Going on from there he saw two other brothers James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee repairing their nets. When he called them,

When Jesus had finished saying all these things, the crowds were utterly amazed at his teaching,

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and told those who were following him, "I tell all of you with certainty, not even in Israel have I found this kind of faith!

When evening came, people brought to him many who were possessed by demons. He drove out the spirits by speaking a command and healed everyone who was sick.

The men were amazed. "What kind of man is this?" they asked. "Even the winds and the sea obey him!"

When Jesus arrived on the other side in the region of the Gerasenes, two demon-possessed men met him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so violent that no one could travel on that road.

But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking, replied, "Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts?

And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly told them, "See to it that nobody knows about this."

As the men were going out, a man who couldn't talk because he was demon-possessed was brought to him.

As soon as the demon had been driven out, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!"

When he saw the crowds, he was deeply moved with compassion for them, because they were troubled and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

These were the Twelve whom Jesus sent out after he had given them these instructions: "Don't turn on to the road that leads to the unbelievers, and don't enter Samaritan towns.

As they were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John. "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

But he told them, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?

All the crowds were amazed and kept saying, "This man isn't the Son of David, is he?"

He knew what they were thinking and told them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.

But when the sun came up, they were scorched. Since they did not have any roots, they dried up.

While people were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.

He went to his hometown and began teaching the people in their synagogue in such a way that they were amazed and asked, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miracles?

And they were offended by him.

All of them ate and were filled. Then the disciples picked up what was left of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full.

Now those who had eaten were about 5,000 men, besides women and children.

When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified and cried out, "It's a ghost!" And they screamed in terror.

Then the disciples came and asked him, "Do you realize that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?"

As a result, the crowd was amazed to see those who were unable to talk speaking, the crippled healed, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. So they praised the God of Israel.

All of them ate until they were filled, then the disciples picked up what was left of the broken pieces seven baskets full.

Now those who had eaten were four thousand men, besides women and children.

When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified.

While they were gathering together in Galilee, Jesus told them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands.

They will kill him, but he will be raised on the third day." Then they were filled with grief.

"If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a large millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned at the bottom of the sea.

"When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were very disturbed and went and reported to their master everything that had occurred.

Then some little children were brought to him so that he might lay his hands on them and pray. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.

When the disciples heard this, they were completely astonished. "Who, then, can be saved?" they asked.

Those who were hired at five o'clock came, and each received a denarius.

When Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and told them as they were walking along,

As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Jesus.

When two blind men who were sitting by the roadside heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, "Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!"

When he came into Jerusalem, the whole city was trembling with excitement. The people were asking, "Who is this?"

When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree dry up so quickly?" they asked.