| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that troubled his spirit, and sleep escaped him. | 1In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that troubled him, and sleep deserted him. |
| 2So the king gave orders to summon the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers to explain his dreams. When they came and stood before the king, | 2So the king gave orders to summon the diviner-priests, mediums, sorcerers, and Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. When they came and stood before the king, |
| 3he said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to understand it.” | 3he said to them, "I have had a dream and am anxious to understand it." |
| 4Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, “O king, may you live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.” | 4The Chaldeans spoke to the king (Aramaic begins here): "May the king live forever. Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation." |
| 5The 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. | 5The king replied to the Chaldeans, "My word is final: If you don't tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb, and your houses will be made a garbage dump. |
| 6But 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.” | 6But if you make the dream and its interpretation known to me, you'll receive gifts, a reward, and great honor from me. So make the dream and its interpretation known to me." |
| 7They answered a second time, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will give the interpretation.” | 7They answered a second time, "May the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will give the interpretation." |
| 8The king replied, “I know for sure that you are stalling for time, because you see that my word is final. | 8The king replied, "I know for certain you are trying to gain some time, because you see that my word is final. |
| 9If 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.” | 9If you don't tell me the dream, there is one decree for you. You have conspired to tell me something false or fraudulent until the situation changes. So tell me the dream and I will know you can give me its interpretation." |
| 10The 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. | 10The Chaldeans answered the king, "No one on earth can make known what the king requests. Consequently, no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked anything like this of any diviner-priest, medium, or Chaldean. |
| 11What the king requests is so difficult that no one can tell it to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.” | 11What the king is asking is so difficult that no one can make it known to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals." |
| 12This response made the king so furious with anger that he gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. | 12Because of this, the king became violently angry and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. |
| 13So 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. | 13The decree was issued that the wise men were to be executed, and they searched for Daniel and his friends, to execute them. |
| 14When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon, Daniel replied with discretion and tact. | 14Then Daniel responded with tact and discretion to Arioch, the commander of the king's guard, who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon. |
| 15“Why is the decree from the king so harsh?” he asked. At this time Arioch explained the situation to Daniel. | 15He asked Arioch, the king's officer, "Why is the decree from the king so harsh?" Then Arioch explained the situation to Daniel. |
| 16So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him some time, so that he could give him the interpretation. | 16So Daniel went and asked the king to give him some time, so that he could give the king the interpretation. |
| 17Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, | 17Then Daniel went to his house and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah about the matter, |
| 18urging 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. | 18urging them to ask the God of heaven for mercy concerning this mystery, so Daniel and his friends would not be killed with the rest of Babylon's wise men. |
| 19During the night, the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision, and he blessed the God of heaven | 19The mystery was then revealed to Daniel in a vision at night, and Daniel praised the God of heaven |
| 20and declared: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. | 20and declared: May the name of God be praised forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. |
| 21He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. | 21He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. |
| 22He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him. | 22He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him. |
| 23To 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.” | 23I offer thanks and praise to You, God of my fathers, because You have given me wisdom and power. And now You have let me know what we asked of You, for You have let us know the king's mystery. |
| 24Therefore 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.” | 24Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had assigned to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He came and said to him, "Don't kill the wise men of Babylon! Bring me before the king, and I will give him the interpretation." |
| 25Arioch 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.” | 25Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king and said to him, "I have found a man among the Judean exiles who can let the king know the interpretation." |
| 26The 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?” | 26The king said in reply to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, "Are you able to tell me the dream I had and its interpretation?" |
| 27Daniel answered the king, “No wise man, enchanter, medium, or magician can explain to the king the mystery of which he inquires. | 27Daniel answered the king: "No wise man, medium, diviner-priest, or astrologer is able to make known to the king the mystery he asked about. |
| 28But 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: | 28But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has let King Nebuchadnezzar know what will happen in the last days. Your dream and the visions that came into your mind as you lay in bed were these: |
| 29As 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. | 29Your Majesty, while you were in your bed, thoughts came to your mind about what will happen in the future. The revealer of mysteries has let you know what will happen. |
| 30And 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. | 30As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but in order that the interpretation might be made known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind." |
| 31As you, O king, were watching, a great statue appeared. A great and dazzling statue stood before you, and its form was awesome. | 31My king, as you were watching, a colossal statue appeared. That statue, tall and dazzling, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was terrifying. |
| 32The head of the statue was pure gold, its chest and arms were silver, its belly and thighs were bronze, | 32The head of the statue was pure gold, its chest and arms were silver, its stomach and thighs were bronze, |
| 33its legs were iron, and its feet were part iron and part clay. | 33its legs were iron, and its feet were partly iron and partly fired clay. |
| 34As 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. | 34As you were watching, a stone broke off without a hand touching it, struck the statue on its feet of iron and fired clay, and crushed them. |
| 35Then 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. | 35Then the iron, the fired clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were shattered and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away, and not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth." |
| 36This was the dream; now we will tell the king its interpretation. | 36This was the dream; now we will tell the king its interpretation. |
| 37You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given sovereignty, power, strength, and glory. | 37Your Majesty, you are king of kings. The God of heaven has given you sovereignty, power, strength, and glory. |
| 38Wherever 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. | 38Wherever people live--or wild animals, or birds of the air--He has handed them over to you and made you ruler over them all. You are the head of gold." |
| 39But after you, there will arise another kingdom, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule the whole earth. | 39After you, there will arise another kingdom, inferior to yours, and then another, a third kingdom, of bronze, which will rule the whole earth. |
| 40Finally, 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. | 40A fourth kingdom will be as strong as iron; for iron crushes and shatters everything, and like iron that smashes, it will crush and smash all the others. |
| 41And 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. | 41You saw the feet and toes, partly of a potter's fired clay and partly of iron--it will be a divided kingdom, though some of the strength of iron will be in it. You saw the iron mixed with clay, |
| 42And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. | 42and that the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly fired clay--part of the kingdom will be strong, and part will be brittle. |
| 43As 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. | 43You saw the iron mixed with clay--the peoples will mix with one another but will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with fired clay." |
| 44In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself stand forever. | 44In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, and this kingdom will not be left to another people. It will crush all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself endure forever. |
| 45And 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.” | 45You saw a stone break off from the mountain without a hand touching it, and it crushed the iron, bronze, fired clay, silver, and gold. The great God has told the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its interpretation certain." |
| 46At this, King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, paid homage to Daniel, and ordered that an offering of incense be presented to him. | 46Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell down, paid homage to Daniel, and gave orders to present an offering and incense to him. |
| 47The 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.” | 47The king said to Daniel, "Your God is indeed God of gods, Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, since you were able to reveal this mystery." |
| 48Then 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. | 48Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many generous gifts. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon. |
| 49And 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. | 49At Daniel's request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to manage the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king's court. |
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