Good Opportunities and Difficult Decisions

1. In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2. The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God; and he carried them into the land of Shinar to the house of his god. He brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god. 3. The king spoke to Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring in some of the children of Israel, even of the royal offspring and of the nobles; 4. youths in whom was no defect, but well-favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and endowed with knowledge, and understanding science, and who had the ability to stand in the king’s palace; and that he should teach them the learning and the language of the Chaldeans. 5. The king appointed for them a daily portion of the king’s dainties, and of the wine which he drank, and that they should be nourished three years; that at its end they should stand before the king. 6. Now among these were of the children of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7. The prince of the eunuchs gave names to them: to Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. 8. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s dainties, nor with the wine which he drank. Therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 9. Now God made Daniel find kindness and compassion in the sight of the prince of the eunuchs. 10. The prince of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink. For why should he see your faces worse looking than the youths who are of your own age? Then you would endanger my head with the king.” 11. Then Daniel said to the steward whom the prince of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 12. “Test your servants, I beg you, ten days; and let them give us vegetables to eat, and water to drink. 13. Then let our faces be examined before you, and the face of the youths who eat of the king’s dainties; and as you see, deal with your servants.” 14. So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. 15. At the end of ten days, their faces appeared fairer, and they were fatter in flesh, than all the youths who ate of the king’s dainties. 16. So the steward took away their dainties, and the wine that they would drink, and gave them vegetables. 17. Now as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18. At the end of the days which the king had appointed for bringing them in, the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19. The king talked with them; and among them all was found no one like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore stood they before the king. 20. In every matter of wisdom and understanding, concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters who were in all his realm. 21. Daniel continued even to the first year of king Cyrus.

2

1. In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams; and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep went from him. 2. Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be called to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3. The king said to them, “I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.” 4. Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in the Syrian language, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.” 5. The king answered the Chaldeans, “The thing has gone from me. If you don’t make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you will be cut in pieces, and your houses will be made a dunghill. 6. But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you will receive of me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.” 7. They answered the second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.” 8. The king answered, “I know of a certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see the thing has gone from me. 9. But if you don’t make known to me the dream, there is but one law for you; for you have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, until the situation changes. Therefore tell me the dream, and I will know that you can show me its interpretation.” 10. The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, “There is not a man on the earth who can show the king’s matter, because no king, lord, or ruler, has asked such a thing of any magician, or enchanter, or Chaldean. 11. It is a rare thing that the king requires, and there is no other who can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.” 12. Because of this, the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. 13. So the decree went out, and the wise men were to be slain. They sought Daniel and his companions to be slain. 14. Then Daniel returned answer with counsel and prudence to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. 15. He answered Arioch the king’s captain, “Why is the decree so urgent from the king?” Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. 16. Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would appoint him a time, and he would show the king the interpretation.

1. For you yourselves know, brothers, our visit to you wasn’t in vain, 2. but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know, at Philippi, we grew bold in our God to tell you the Good News of God in much conflict. 3. For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in deception. 4. But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak: not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts. 5. For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness (God is witness), 6. nor seeking glory from men (neither from you nor from others), when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ. 7. But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children. 8. Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you, not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us. 9. For you remember, brothers, our labor and travail; for working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached to you the Good News of God. 10. You are witnesses with God how holy, righteously, and blamelessly we behaved ourselves toward you who believe. 11. As you know, we exhorted, comforted, and implored every one of you, as a father does his own children, 12. to the end that you should walk worthily of God, who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory. 13. For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe. 14. For you, brothers, became imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus; for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews 15. who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out, and don’t please God, and are contrary to all men, 16. forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, to fill up their sins always. But wrath has come on them to the uttermost. 17. But we, brothers, being bereaved of you for a short season, in presence, not in heart, tried even harder to see your face with great desire, 18. because we wanted to come to you—indeed, I, Paul, once and again—but Satan hindered us. 19. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Isn’t it even you, before our Lord Jesus at his coming? 20. For you are our glory and our joy.

3

1. Therefore when we couldn’t stand it any longer, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone, 2. and sent Timothy, our brother and God’s servant in the Good News of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith, 3. that no one would be moved by these afflictions. For you know that we are appointed to this task. 4. For most certainly, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction, even as it happened, and you know. 5. For this cause I also, when I couldn’t stand it any longer, sent that I might know your faith, for fear that by any means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor would have been in vain.

3. Then Job answered Yahweh, 4. “Behold, I am of small account. What will I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. 5. I have spoken once, and I will not answer; Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.” 6. Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind, 7. “Now brace yourself like a man. I will question you, and you will answer me. 8. Will you even annul my judgment? Will you condemn me, that you may be justified? 9. Or do you have an arm like God? Can you thunder with a voice like him? 10. “Now deck yourself with excellency and dignity. Array yourself with honor and majesty. 11. Pour out the fury of your anger. Look at everyone who is proud, and bring him low. 12. Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him. Crush the wicked in their place.