| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand. | 1Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. |
| 2While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. | 2Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. |
| 3Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple of the house of God which had been in Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. | 3Thus they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king drank from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. |
| 4They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone. | 4As they drank the wine, they praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone. |
| 5In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. | 5At that moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. As the king watched the hand that was writing, |
| 6Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other. | 6his face grew pale and his thoughts so alarmed him that his hips gave way and his knees knocked together. |
| 7The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” | 7The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to be brought in, and he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and tells me its interpretation will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.” |
| 8Now all the king’s wise men came, but they could not read the writing, or make known to the king its interpretation. | 8So all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or interpret it for him. |
| 9Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, his countenance was changed, and his lords were astonished. | 9Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face grew even more pale, and his nobles were bewildered. |
| 10The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came to the banquet hall. The queen spoke, saying, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance change. | 10Hearing the outcry of the king and his nobles, the queen entered the banquet hall. “O king, may you live forever!” she said. “Do not let your thoughts terrify you, or your face grow pale. |
| 11There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. 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—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. | 11There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners. Your own father, the king, |
| 12Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.” | 12did this because Daniel, the one he named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, as well as knowledge, understanding, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Summon Daniel, therefore, and he will give you the interpretation.” |
| 13Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke, and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is one of the captives from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? | 13So Daniel was brought before the king, who asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah? |
| 14I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. | 14I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom. |
| 15Now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not give the interpretation of the thing. | 15Now the wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this inscription and interpret it for me, but they could not give its interpretation. |
| 16And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and explain enigmas. 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 around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” | 16But I have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.” |
| 17Then Daniel answered, and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation. | 17In response, Daniel said to the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the inscription for the king and interpret it for him. |
| 18O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor. | 18As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor. |
| 19And because of the majesty that He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down. | 19Because of the greatness that He bestowed on him, the people of every nation and language trembled in fear before him. He killed whom he wished and kept alive whom he wished; he exalted whom he wished and humbled whom he wished. |
| 20But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. | 20But when his heart became arrogant and his spirit was hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken from him. |
| 21Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses. | 21He was driven away from mankind, and his mind was like that of a beast. He lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind, setting over it whom He wishes. |
| 22“But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. | 22But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this. |
| 23And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. 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, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified. | 23Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you have failed to glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways. |
| 24Then the fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written. | 24Therefore He sent the hand that wrote the inscription. |
| 25“And this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. | 25Now this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN. |
| 26This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; | 26And this is the interpretation of the message: MENE means that God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. |
| 27TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; | 27TEKEL means that you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. |
| 28PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.” | 28PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.” |
| 29Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. | 29Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed him the third highest ruler in the kingdom. |
| 30That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. | 30That very night Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans was slain, |
| 31And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old. | 31and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two. |
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