| NET Bible | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1King Belshazzar prepared a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in front of them all. | 1King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine in their presence. |
| 2While under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar issued an order to bring in the gold and silver vessels--the ones that Nebuchadnezzar his father had confiscated from the temple in Jerusalem--so that the king and his nobles, together with his wives and his concubines, could drink from them. | 2Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that his predecessor Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, wives, and concubines could drink from them. |
| 3So they brought the gold and silver vessels that had been confiscated from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, together with his wives and concubines, drank from them. | 3So they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, wives, and concubines drank from them. |
| 4As they drank wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. | 4They drank the wine and praised their gods made of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. |
| 5At that very moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the royal palace wall, opposite the lampstand. The king was watching the back of the hand that was writing. | 5At that moment the fingers of a man's hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the king's palace wall next to the lampstand. As the king watched the hand that was writing, |
| 6Then all the color drained from the king's face and he became alarmed. The joints of his hips gave way, and his knees began knocking together. | 6his face turned pale, and his thoughts so terrified him that he soiled himself and his knees knocked together. |
| 7The king called out loudly to summon the astrologers, wise men, and diviners. The king proclaimed to the wise men of Babylon that anyone who could read this inscription and disclose its interpretation would be clothed in purple and have a golden collar placed on his neck and be third ruler in the kingdom. | 7The king shouted to bring in the mediums, Chaldeans, and diviners. He said to these wise men of Babylon, "Whoever reads this inscription and gives me its interpretation will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain around his neck, and have the third highest position in the kingdom." |
| 8So all the king's wise men came in, but they were unable to read the writing or to make known its interpretation to the king. | 8So all the king's wise men came in, but none could read the inscription or make its interpretation known to him. |
| 9Then King Belshazzar was very terrified, and he was visibly shaken. His nobles were completely dumbfounded. | 9Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face turned pale, and his nobles were bewildered. |
| 10Due to the noise caused by the king and his nobles, the queen mother then entered the banquet room. She said, "O king, live forever! Don't be alarmed! Don't be shaken! | 10Because of the outcry of the king and his nobles, the queen came to the banquet hall. "May the king live forever," she said. "Don't let your thoughts terrify you or your face be pale. |
| 11There is a man in your kingdom who has within him a spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, he proved to have insight, discernment, and wisdom like that of the gods. King Nebuchadnezzar your father appointed him chief of the magicians, astrologers, wise men, and diviners. | 11There is a man in your kingdom who has a spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your predecessor he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. Your predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, mediums, Chaldeans, and diviners. Your own predecessor, the king, |
| 12Thus there was found in this man Daniel, whom the king renamed Belteshazzar, an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, and skill to interpret dreams, solve riddles, and decipher knotty problems. Now summon Daniel, and he will disclose the interpretation." | 12did this because Daniel, the one the king named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and intelligence, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems. Therefore, summon Daniel, and he will give the interpretation." |
| 13So Daniel was brought in before the king. The king said to Daniel, "Are you that Daniel who is one of the captives of Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? | 13Then Daniel was brought before the king. The king said to him, "Are you Daniel, one of the Judean exiles that my predecessor the king brought from Judah? |
| 14I have heard about you, how there is a spirit of the gods in you, and how you have insight, discernment, and extraordinary wisdom. | 14I've heard that you have a spirit of the gods in you, and that insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom are found in you. |
| 15Now the wise men and astrologers were brought before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation. But they were unable to disclose the interpretation of the message. | 15Now the wise men and mediums were brought before me to read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they could not give its interpretation. |
| 16However, I have heard that you are able to provide interpretations and to decipher knotty problems. Now if you are able to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, you will wear purple and have a golden collar around your neck and be third ruler in the kingdom." | 16However, I have heard about you that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain around your neck, and have the third highest position in the kingdom." |
| 17But Daniel replied to the king, "Keep your gifts, and give your rewards to someone else! However, I will read the writing for the king and make known its interpretation. | 17Then Daniel answered the king, "You may keep your gifts and give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription for the king and make the interpretation known to him. |
| 18As for you, O king, the most high God bestowed on your father Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, greatness, honor, and majesty. | 18Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty, greatness, glory, and majesty to your predecessor Nebuchadnezzar. |
| 19Due to the greatness that he bestowed on him, all peoples, nations, and language groups were trembling with fear before him. He killed whom he wished, he spared whom he wished, he exalted whom he wished, and he brought low whom he wished. | 19Because of the greatness he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages were terrified and fearful of him. He killed anyone he wanted and kept alive anyone he wanted; he exalted anyone he wanted and humbled anyone he wanted. |
| 20And when his mind became arrogant and his spirit filled with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and his honor was removed from him. | 20But when his heart was exalted and his spirit became arrogant, he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken from him. |
| 21He was driven from human society, his mind was changed to that of an animal, he lived with the wild donkeys, he was fed grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until he came to understand that the most high God rules over human kingdoms, and he appoints over them whomever he wishes. | 21He was driven away from people, his mind was like an animal's, he lived with the wild donkeys, he was fed grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky until he acknowledged that the Most High God is ruler over human kingdoms and sets anyone he wants over them. |
| 22"But you, his son Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, although you knew all this. | 22"But you his successor, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this. |
| 23Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. You brought before you the vessels from his temple, and you and your nobles, together with your wives and concubines, drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone--gods that cannot see or hear or comprehend! But you have not glorified the God who has in his control your very breath and all your ways! | 23Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of the heavens. The vessels from his house were brought to you, and as you and your nobles, wives, and concubines drank wine from them, you praised the gods made of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or understand. But you have not glorified the God who holds your life-breath in his hand and who controls the whole course of your life. |
| 24Therefore the palm of a hand was sent from him, and this writing was inscribed. | 24Therefore, he sent the hand, and this writing was inscribed. |
| 25"This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEQEL, and PHARSIN. | 25"This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN. |
| 26This is the interpretation of the words: As for mene--God has numbered your kingdom's days and brought it to an end. | 26This is the interpretation of the message: 'Mene' means that God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end. |
| 27As for teqel--you are weighed on the balances and found to be lacking. | 27'Tekel' means that you have been weighed on the balance and found deficient. |
| 28As for peres--your kingdom is divided and given over to the Medes and Persians." | 28'Peres' means that your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians." |
| 29Then, on Belshazzar's orders, Daniel was clothed in purple, a golden collar was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed third ruler in the kingdom. | 29Then Belshazzar gave an order, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and issued a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. |
| 30And in that very night Belshazzar, the Babylonian king, was killed. | 30That very night Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans was killed, |
| 31So Darius the Mede took control of the kingdom when he was about sixty-two years old. | 31and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two. |
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