| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1During the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that troubled him. As a result, he couldn't sleep. | 1In the second year of his reign Nebuchadnezzar had many dreams. His mind was disturbed and he suffered from insomnia. |
| 2So the king gave orders to summon diviners, enchanters, sorcerers, and Chaldeans to reveal to the king what he had dreamed. When they came and stood before him, | 2The king issued an order to summon the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and wise men in order to explain his dreams to him. So they came and awaited the king's instructions. |
| 3the king told them, "I have dreamed a dream and I will remain troubled until I can understand it." | 3The king told them, "I have had a dream, and I am anxious to understand the dream." |
| 4The Chaldeans responded to the king in Aramaic: "May the king live forever. Tell the dream to your servants, and we'll reveal its meaning." | 4The wise men replied to the king: [What follows is in Aramaic] "O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will disclose its interpretation." |
| 5In reply the king told the Chaldeans, "Here is what I have commanded: If you don't tell me both the dream and its meaning, you'll be destroyed and your houses will be reduced to rubble. | 5The king replied to the wise men, "My decision is firm. If you do not inform me of both the dream and its interpretation, you will be dismembered and your homes reduced to rubble! |
| 6But if you do relate the dream to me as well as its meaning, you'll receive gifts, rewards, and great honor from me. Therefore reveal the dream to me, along with its meaning." | 6But if you can disclose the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts, a reward, and considerable honor. So disclose to me the dream and its interpretation!" |
| 7They replied again, "Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we'll disclose its meaning." | 7They again replied, "Let the king inform us of the dream; then we will disclose its interpretation." |
| 8The king responded, "I'm convinced that you're stalling for time because you're aware of what I've commanded. | 8The king replied, "I know for sure that you are attempting to gain time, because you see that my decision is firm. |
| 9So if you don't disclose the dream to me, there will be only one sentence for all of you. You have conspired together to present lies and corrupt interpretations until the situation changes. Now tell me the dream and I'll know that you can reveal its true meaning." | 9If you don't inform me of the dream, there is only one thing that is going to happen to you. For you have agreed among yourselves to report to me something false and deceitful until such time as things might change. So tell me the dream, and I will have confidence that you can disclose its interpretation." |
| 10The Chaldeans answered the king directly, "There's not a single man on earth who can do what the king has commanded. No king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such a thing from any diviner, enchanter, or Chaldean. | 10The wise men replied to the king, "There is no man on earth who is able to disclose the king's secret, for no king, regardless of his position and power, has ever requested such a thing from any magician, astrologer, or wise man. |
| 11Furthermore, what the king is asking is so difficult that no one can reveal it except the gods—and they don't live with human beings." | 11What the king is asking is too difficult, and no one exists who can disclose it to the king, except for the gods--but they don't live among mortals!" |
| 12At this point, the king flew into a rage and issued an order to destroy all the advisors of Babylon. | 12Because of this the king got furiously angry and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. |
| 13When the order went out to kill the advisors, they searched for Daniel and his friends to kill them, too. | 13So a decree went out, and the wise men were about to be executed. They also sought Daniel and his friends so that they could be executed. |
| 14Daniel responded with wisdom and discretion to Arioch, the king's executioner, who had gone out to execute the advisors of Babylon. | 14Then Daniel spoke with prudent counsel to Arioch, who was in charge of the king's executioners and who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon. |
| 15He asked him, "Why such a harsh decree from the king?" Then Arioch informed Daniel, | 15He inquired of Arioch the king's deputy, "Why is the decree from the king so urgent?" Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter. |
| 16so Daniel went to ask Nebuchadnezzar for an appointment to see him , and it was granted him so that he could reveal the meaning to the king. | 16So Daniel went in and requested the king to grant him time, that he might disclose the interpretation to the king. |
| 17Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah about the king's command. | 17Then Daniel went to his home and informed his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the matter. |
| 18Daniel was seeking mercy, in order to ask about this mystery in the presence of the God of heaven, so that Daniel and his friends might not be executed along with the rest of the advisors of Babylon. | 18He asked them to pray for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery so that he and his friends would not be destroyed along with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. |
| 19When the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision later that night, Daniel blessed the God of heaven | 19Then in a night vision the mystery was revealed to Daniel. So Daniel praised the God of heaven, |
| 20and said, "May the name of God be blessed forever and ever; wisdom and power are his for evermore. | 20saying, "Let the name of God be praised forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to him. |
| 21It is God who alters the times and seasons, and he removes kings and promotes kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. | 21He changes times and seasons, deposing some kings and establishing others. He gives wisdom to the wise; he imparts knowledge to those with understanding; |
| 22He reveals what is profoundly mysterious and knows what is in the darkness; with him dwells light. | 22he reveals deep and hidden things. He knows what is in the darkness, and light resides with him. |
| 23To you, God of my ancestors, I give thanks and praise, because you have given me wisdom and power; you have now revealed to me what we asked of you by making known to us what the king commanded." | 23O God of my fathers, I acknowledge and glorify you, for you have bestowed wisdom and power on me. Now you have enabled me to understand what I requested from you. For you have enabled me to understand the king's dilemma." |
| 24After this, Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to execute the advisors of Babylon. He told him, "Don't destroy the advisors of Babylon. Bring me before the king and I'll explain the meaning to him." | 24Then Daniel went in to see Arioch (whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon). He came and said to him, "Don't destroy the wise men of Babylon! Escort me to the king, and I will disclose the interpretation to him!" |
| 25Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel into the king's presence and informed him: "I've found a man from the Judean captives who will make known the meaning to the king." | 25So Arioch quickly ushered Daniel into the king's presence, saying to him, "I have found a man from the captives of Judah who can make known the interpretation to the king." |
| 26King Nebuchadnezzar replied by saying to Daniel (whose Babylonian name is Belteshazzar), "Are you able to tell me about the dream and its meaning?" | 26The king then asked Daniel (whose name was also Belteshazzar), "Are you able to make known to me the dream that I saw, as well as its interpretation?" |
| 27By way of answer, Daniel addressed the king: "None of the advisors, enchanters, diviners, or astrologers can explain the secret that the king has requested to be made known. | 27Daniel replied to the king, "The mystery that the king is asking about is such that no wise men, astrologers, magicians, or diviners can possibly disclose it to the king. |
| 28But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he is making known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter days. "While you were in bed, the dream and the visions that came to your head were as follows: | 28However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the times to come. The dream and the visions you had while lying on your bed are as follows. |
| 29Your majesty, when you were in bed, thoughts came to your mind about what would happen in the future, and the Revealer of Secrets has made known to you what will take place. | 29"As for you, O king, while you were in your bed your thoughts turned to future things. The revealer of mysteries has made known to you what will take place. |
| 30As for me, this secret was made known to me, not because my own wisdom is greater than anyone else alive, but in order that the meaning may be made known to the king, and that you might understand the thoughts of your heart. | 30As for me, this mystery was revealed to me not because I possess more wisdom than any other living person, but so that the king may understand the interpretation and comprehend the thoughts of your mind. |
| 31"Your majesty, while you were watching, you observed an enormous statue. This magnificent statue stood before you with extraordinary brilliance. Its appearance was terrifying. | 31"You, O king, were watching as a great statue--one of impressive size and extraordinary brightness--was standing before you. Its appearance caused alarm. |
| 32That statue had a head made of pure gold, with its chest and arms made of silver, its abdomen and thighs made of bronze, | 32As for that statue, its head was of fine gold, its chest and arms were of silver, its belly and thighs were of bronze. |
| 33its legs made of iron, and its feet made partly of iron and partly of clay. | 33Its legs were of iron; its feet were partly of iron and partly of clay. |
| 34"As you were watching, a rock was quarried—but not with human hands—and it struck the iron and clay feet of the statue, breaking them to pieces. | 34You were watching as a stone was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its iron and clay feet, breaking them in pieces. |
| 35Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken in pieces together and became like chaff from a summer threshing floor that the breeze carries away without leaving a trace. Then the rock that struck the statue grew into a huge mountain and filled the entire earth. | 35Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold were broken in pieces without distinction and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors that the wind carries away. Not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a large mountain that filled the entire earth. |
| 36"This was the dream, and we'll now relate its meaning to the king. | 36This was the dream. Now we will set forth before the king its interpretation. |
| 37You, your majesty, king of kings—to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the glory, | 37"You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has granted you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor. |
| 38so that wherever people, wild animals, or birds of the sky live, he has placed them under your control, giving you dominion over them all—you're that head of gold. | 38Wherever human beings, wild animals, and birds of the sky live--he has given them into your power. He has given you authority over them all. You are the head of gold. |
| 39"After you, another kingdom will arise that is inferior to yours, and then a third kingdom of bronze will arise to rule all the earth. | 39Now after you another kingdom will arise, one inferior to yours. Then a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule in all the earth. |
| 40Then there will be a fourth kingdom, as strong as iron. Just as all things are broken to pieces and shattered by iron, so it will shatter and crush everything. | 40Then there will be a fourth kingdom, one strong like iron. Just like iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything, and as iron breaks in pieces all of these metals, so it will break in pieces and crush the others. |
| 41"The feet and toes that you saw, made partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, represent a divided kingdom. It will still have the strength of iron, in that you saw iron mixed with clay. | 41In that you were seeing feet and toes partly of wet clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom. Some of the strength of iron will be in it, for you saw iron mixed with wet clay. |
| 42Just as their toes and feet are part iron and part clay, so will the kingdom be both strong and brittle. | 42In that the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, the latter stages of this kingdom will be partly strong and partly fragile. |
| 43Just as you saw iron mixed with clay, so they will mix themselves with human offspring. Furthermore, they won't remain together, just as iron doesn't mix with clay. | 43And in that you saw iron mixed with wet clay, so people will be mixed with one another without adhering to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. |
| 44"During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor its sovereignty left in the hands of another people. It will shatter and crush all of these kingdoms, and it will stand forever. | 44In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever. |
| 45Now, just as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without human hands—and that it crushed the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold to pieces—so also the great God has revealed to the king what will take place after this. Your dream will come true, and its meaning will prove trustworthy." | 45You saw that a stone was cut from a mountain, but not by human hands; it smashed the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold into pieces. The great God has made known to the king what will occur in the future. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is reliable." |
| 46Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face before Daniel, paid honor to him, and commanded that an offering and incense be presented on his behalf. | 46Then King Nebuchadnezzar bowed down with his face to the ground and paid homage to Daniel. He gave orders to offer sacrifice and incense to him. |
| 47The king told Daniel, "Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and the Revealer of Secrets, because you were able to reveal this mystery." | 47The king replied to Daniel, "Certainly your God is a God of gods and Lord of kings and revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery!" |
| 48Then the king promoted Daniel to a high position and lavished many great gifts on him, including making him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief administrator over the advisors of Babylon. | 48Then the king elevated Daniel to high position and bestowed on him many marvelous gifts. He granted him authority over the entire province of Babylon and made him the main prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. |
| 49Moreover, Daniel requested that the king appoint Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained in the royal court. | 49And at Daniel's request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the administration of the province of Babylon. Daniel himself served in the king's court. |
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