1 GLT In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams. His spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. BSB BSB: In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that troubled his spirit, and sleep escaped him.
2 GLT Then the king gave orders to summon the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. BSB BSB: So the king gave orders to summon the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers to explain his dreams. When they came and stood before the king,
3 GLT The king said to them,“I have had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.” BSB BSB: he said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to understand it.”
5 GLT The king answered and said to the Chaldeans,“The word from me is firm. If you do not make known the dream to me and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb and your houses made a rubbish heap. BSB BSB: The king replied to the astrologers, “My word is final: If you do not tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will be cut into pieces and your houses will be reduced to rubble.
6 GLT But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you will receive gifts from me, a reward, and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.” BSB BSB: But if you tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and its interpretation.”
7 GLT They answered a second time and said,“Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.” BSB BSB: They answered a second time, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will give the interpretation.”
8 GLT The king answered and said,“I know for certain that you are trying to gain time because you see that the word from me is firm. BSB BSB: The king replied, “I know for sure that you are stalling for time because you see that my word is final.
9 GLT that if you do not make the dream known to me, there is only one sentence for you. For you have agreed together to speak lying and corrupt words before me until the times change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can show me its interpretion.” BSB BSB: If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one decree for you. You have conspired to speak before me false and fraudulent words, hoping the situation will change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I will know that you can give me its interpretation.”
10 GLT The Chaldeans answered the king and said,“There is not a man on earth who is able to reveal the matter for the king, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing from any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. BSB BSB: The astrologers answered the king, “No one on earth can do what the king requests! No king, however great and powerful, has ever asked anything like this of any magician, enchanter, or astrologer.
11 GLT The thing that the king demands is difficult, and there is no one else who can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.” BSB BSB: What the king requests is so difficult that no one can tell it to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.”
12 GLT Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and he gave an order to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. BSB BSB: This response made the king so angry and furious that he gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
13 GLT So the decree went out that the wise men were to be killed; and they searched for Daniel and his friends to kill them. BSB BSB: So the decree went out that the wise men were to be executed, and men went to look for Daniel and his friends to execute them.
14 GLT Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch the captain of the guard of the king, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. BSB BSB: When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, went out to execute the wise men of Babylon, Daniel responded with discretion and tact.
15 GLT He answered and said to Arioch, the commander of the king,“Why is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. BSB BSB: “Why is the decree from the king so harsh?” he asked. Then Arioch explained the situation to Daniel.
16 GLT Then Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would give him time so that he might show the interpretation to the king. BSB BSB: So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him some time, so that he could give him the interpretation.
17 GLT Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, BSB BSB: Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
18 GLT so that they might seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. BSB BSB: urging them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be killed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
19 GLT Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven BSB BSB: During the night, the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision, and he blessed the God of heaven
20 GLT Daniel answered and said,“Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever; for wisdom and power belong to him. BSB BSB: and declared: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him.
21 GLT He changes the times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. BSB BSB: He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
22 GLT He reveals the deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. BSB BSB: He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him.
23 GLT O God of my fathers, I thank you and praise you for the wisdom and power you have given to me. Now you have made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the matter that concerns the king.” BSB BSB: To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, because You have given me wisdom and power. And now You have made known to me what we have requested, for You have made known to us the dream of the king.”
24 GLT Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him,“Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon. Bring me in before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation.” BSB BSB: Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, “Do not execute the wise men of Babylon! Bring me before the king, and I will give him the interpretation.”
25 GLT Then Arioch brought in Daniel in haste before the king and said thus to him,“I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who will make known to the king the interpretation.” BSB BSB: Arioch hastily brought Daniel before the king and said to him, “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who will tell the king the interpretation.”
26 GLT The king said to Daniel(whose name was Belteshazzar),“Are you able to make known to me the dream that I saw and its interpretation?” BSB BSB: The king responded to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to tell me what I saw in the dream, as well as its interpretation?”
27 GLT Daniel answered before the king and said,“No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers are able to show to the king the mystery that the king has asked. BSB BSB: Daniel answered the king, “No wise man, enchanter, medium, or magician can explain to the king the mystery of which he inquires.
28 GLT However, there is a God in heaven, who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter days. This was your dream and the visions of your head while on your bed. BSB BSB: But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter days. Your dream and the visions that came into your mind as you lay on your bed were these:
29 GLT As for you, O king, your thoughts on your bed turned to what would happen after this, and he who reveals mysteries has made known to you what is going to happen. BSB BSB: As you lay on your bed, O king, your thoughts turned to the future, and the Revealer of Mysteries made known to you what will happen.
30 GLT As for me, this mystery was revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and so that you may know the thoughts of your mind. BSB BSB: And to me this mystery has been revealed, not because I have more wisdom than any man alive, but in order that the interpretation might be made known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.
31 GLT You, O King, were looking and behold, a great statue. This statue, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you. Its appearance was terrifying. BSB BSB: As you, O king, were watching, a great statue appeared. A great and dazzling statue stood before you, and its form was awesome.
32 GLT The head of this statue was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and its thighs of bronze, BSB BSB: The head of the statue was pure gold, its chest and arms were silver, its belly and thighs were bronze,
33 GLT its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. BSB BSB: its legs were iron, and its feet were part iron and part clay.
34 GLT You continued looking until a stone was cut out, although not by human hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and it crushed them. BSB BSB: As you watched, a stone was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and crushed them.
35 GLT Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed all at the same time and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away so that no trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. BSB BSB: Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold were shattered and became like chaff on the threshing floor in summer. The wind carried them away, and not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that had struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
36 GLT This was the dream. Now we will tell its interpretation before the king. BSB BSB: This was the dream; now we will tell the king its interpretation.
37 GLT You, O king, are the king of kings to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the glory; BSB BSB: You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given sovereignty, power, strength, and glory.
38 GLT and wherever the sons of men dwell, the animals of the fields and the birds of the heavens, he has given them into your hand, and he has made you rule over them all. You are the head of gold. BSB BSB: Wherever the sons of men or beasts of the field or birds of the air dwell, He has given them into your hand and has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold.
39 GLT After you will arise another kingdom inferior to you, then another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth. BSB BSB: But after you, there will arise another kingdom, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule the whole earth.
40 GLT Then there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron crushes and shatters all things. And like iron that breaks into pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces. BSB BSB: Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; for iron shatters and crushes all things, and like iron that crushes all things, it will shatter and crush all the others.
41 GLT And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of the clay of a potter and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; some of the firmness of iron will be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. BSB BSB: And just as you saw that the feet and toes were made partly of fired clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom, yet some of the strength of iron will be in it—just as you saw the iron mixed with clay.
42 GLT As the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. BSB BSB: And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle.
43 GLT As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. BSB BSB: As you saw the iron mixed with clay, so the peoples will mix with one another but will not hold together any more than iron mixes with clay.
45 GLT Just as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain by no human hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will happen after this. The dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.” BSB BSB: And just as you saw a stone being cut out of the mountain without human hands, and it shattered the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold, so the great God has told the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its interpretation is trustworthy.”
46 GLT Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and paid homage to Daniel, and he commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. BSB BSB: At this, King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, paid homage to Daniel, and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him.
47 GLT The king answered and said to Daniel,“Truly your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings, and the one who reveals mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.” BSB BSB: The king said to Daniel, “Your God is truly the God of gods and Lord of kings, the Revealer of Mysteries, since you were able to reveal this mystery.”
48 GLT Then the king gave Daniel high honors and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. BSB BSB: Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many generous gifts. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon.
49 GLT Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the administration of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the court of the king. BSB BSB: And at Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to manage the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the king’s court.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.