Daniel Chapter 5
Showing all 31 verses for Daniel Chapter 5.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. "
"King Belshazzar threw a huge banquet for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine right there in front of all of them."
I want you to notice when busyness or pleasure has become a way of avoiding the truth about your life. Come to me honestly instead of drowning out the warning signs with noise.
"Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. "
"While enjoying the wine, Belshazzar ordered the gold and silver cups his father Nebuchadnezzar had looted from the Jerusalem Temple to be brought out, so he, his officials, wives and mistresses could drink from them."
I notice when people treat what's sacred to others as a joke to boost their own image. Show respect for what matters deeply to someone else, even when you have the power to disregard it.
"Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. "
"So the golden cups taken from God's Temple in Jerusalem were brought in, and the king, his officials, wives and mistresses drank from them."
Words matter less than what you actually do. I judge people by their actions, not just their intentions, so let your conduct match the respect you claim to hold for others.
"They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. "
"They drank the wine and toasted their gods made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone."
Be careful what you actually put your trust in day to day - money, status, image, possessions. None of those things can love you back or carry you through hard times, however good they look on the shelf.
"In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. "
"At that very moment, human fingers appeared and began writing on the plaster wall of the palace, right by the lampstand, in full view of the king."
I can get your attention in the middle of your most comfortable moments. Don't wait for a crisis to start paying attention to what your life is actually built on.
"Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. "
"The king's face went pale, he was terrified, his legs gave way, and his knees knocked together."
I don't shame you for being afraid - fear is honest. What matters is what you do next: whether you run further from truth or finally turn and face it.
"The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. "
"The king shouted for the enchanters, astrologers and fortune-tellers to be brought in, promising that whoever could read the writing and explain it would be dressed in purple, given a gold chain, and made third-highest ruler in the kingdom."
When you're afraid, notice where you instinctively turn for answers. I'd rather you come to me honestly than keep trying to buy your way out of a problem with more resources.
"Then came in all the king’s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof. "
"All the king's wise men came in, but none of them could read the writing or tell him what it meant."
It's fine not to have all the answers. Don't be ashamed when your usual resources run out - that's often exactly the moment real wisdom becomes possible.
"Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied. "
"King Belshazzar grew even more terrified, his face went paler still, and his nobles were bewildered."
Panic spreads when people feel powerless. In those moments, look for someone calm and trustworthy rather than adding to the noise.
"Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed: "
"Hearing the commotion, the queen mother came into the banquet hall and said, "Long live the king! Don't be alarmed or look so pale.""
Experience and memory matter. Don't dismiss the wisdom of someone older who has already lived through what you're currently panicking about.
"There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; "
""There's a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In your father's time, he was found to have insight, understanding and wisdom like that of the gods, and your father Nebuchadnezzar made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and fortune-tellers.""
Reputation built on real character outlasts a single generation. Live in such a way that people remember you as trustworthy long after the moment has passed.
"Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation. "
""This is because Daniel - whom the king renamed Belteshazzar - was found to have an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and understanding, able to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Send for Daniel now, and he will tell you what it means.""
Consistency over years builds a kind of trust that a single impressive moment never can. Keep showing up faithfully - it matters more than you think, even when no one seems to be watching.
"Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry? "
"So Daniel was brought before the king, who asked him, "Are you Daniel, one of the Jewish exiles my father the king brought from Judah?""
You don't need to belong to the "in crowd" to matter or to be useful with the gifts you've been given. Serve well wherever you find yourself, even among people who don't fully see you.
"I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. "
""I've heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have insight, understanding and remarkable wisdom.""
What people say about you when you're not in the room is often the most honest report of who you really are. Build a life that holds up to that kind of scrutiny.
"And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing: "
""The wise men and astrologers were brought before me to read this writing and explain it, but they couldn't tell me what it means.""
Admitting "I don't know" or "this isn't working" is often the doorway to real help arriving. There's no shame in acknowledging when your usual approach has failed.
"And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom. "
""But I've heard that you can interpret meanings and solve problems. Now, if you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you'll be dressed in purple, given a gold chain, and made the third-highest ruler in the kingdom.""
People will often try to buy your integrity or your service. It's worth knowing in advance what you actually value, so their offers don't catch you off guard.
"Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. "
"Daniel answered the king, "Keep your gifts, and give your rewards to someone else. I'll read the writing for you anyway, and tell you what it means.""
Do the right thing because it's right, not because of what you'll get from it. When you're not motivated by reward, you're free to say what actually needs saying, even if it's unwelcome.
"O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: "
""Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty, greatness, glory and splendour.""
Whatever position, talent or success you have is a gift, not something you built entirely on your own. Holding that lightly keeps you humble and grateful rather than entitled.
"And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. "
""Because of the greatness he gave him, all peoples, nations and languages trembled with fear before him. He killed whoever he wanted, spared whoever he wanted, promoted whoever he wanted, and humbled whoever he wanted.""
However much control you seem to have over other people's lives, remember it's borrowed, not owned. Use whatever influence you have to protect people, not to prove you can do anything you like with them.
"But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: "
""But when his heart grew arrogant and his mind hardened with pride, he was removed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory.""
Watch your own heart when things are going well. Success has a way of quietly hardening into arrogance if you don't stay honest with yourself about where it came from.
"And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: 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 ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will. "
""He was driven away from human society, his mind became like an animal's, he lived among wild donkeys, ate grass like cattle, and was soaked by the dew, until he acknowledged that the Most High God rules over human kingdoms and puts whoever he wants in charge.""
No status protects you from the consequences of an unchecked ego. I'd rather meet you humble and whole than proud and eventually broken by your own choices.
"And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; "
""But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this.""
Knowing the right thing isn't the same as doing it. I care less about what you've learned in your head and more about whether you actually let it change how you live.
"But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: "
""Instead you have defied the Lord of heaven. The vessels from his house were brought to you, and you and your nobles, wives and mistresses drank wine from them, praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood and stone, which can't see, hear, or understand anything. But you have not honoured the God who holds your very breath and all your life in his hand.""
Notice what you're actually giving your attention and gratitude to. The source of your life deserves more honesty from you than the things that can't even notice you exist.
"Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. "
""That is why the hand was sent from him, and this writing was inscribed.""
Actions have consequences, and I'd rather you see that connection clearly than experience life as a series of unlucky accidents. Owning your choices is the first step to changing course.
"And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. "
""This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.""
Sometimes the plainest, most ordinary language carries the weight of the deepest truth. You don't need mystical answers - honest, clear words are often enough to change everything.
"This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. "
""Here is what it means: MENE - God has counted the days of your reign and brought it to an end.""
None of us have unlimited time. Let that truth make you more present and more honest today, rather than something to fear.
"TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. "
""TEKEL - you have been weighed on the scales and found lacking.""
I'm less interested in how you compare to other people and more interested in whether your life matches up to what you actually know is right. Let that be your honest measure, not comparison with others.
"PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. "
""PERES - your kingdom is being divided and given to the Medes and the Persians.""
Truth doesn't need to stay vague to be honest. I'd rather give you clarity, even hard clarity, than let you sit in comfortable uncertainty.
"Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. "
"Then Belshazzar gave the order, and they dressed Daniel in purple, put a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed him third-highest ruler in the kingdom."
Doing right by your word matters, even in your worst moment. Integrity isn't just for the good days.
"In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. "
"That very night, Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was killed."
Don't assume you have unlimited time to get things right. The moment to live with honesty and humility is always now, not some day you're imagining down the line.
"And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old. "
"And Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at about sixty-two years old."
Don't put your ultimate security in any system, ruler or institution, however solid it looks. Build your life on something that doesn't change with the next regime.