Daniel 2 NLT ISV Parallel

◄ Daniel 2 ►

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1One night during the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had such disturbing dreams that he couldn’t sleep.

1During the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that troubled him. As a result, he couldn't sleep.

2He called in his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers, and he demanded that they tell him what he had dreamed. As they stood before the king,

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,

3he said, “I have had a dream that deeply troubles me, and I must know what it means.”

3the king told them, "I have dreamed a dream and I will remain troubled until I can understand it."

4Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, “Long live the king! Tell us the dream, and we will tell you what it means.”

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."

5But the king said to the astrologers, “I am serious about this. If you don’t tell me what my dream was and what it means, you will be torn limb from limb, and your houses will be turned into heaps of rubble!

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.

6But if you tell me what I dreamed and what the dream means, I will give you many wonderful gifts and honors. Just tell me the dream and what it means!”

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."

7They said again, “Please, Your Majesty. Tell us the dream, and we will tell you what it means.”

7They replied again, "Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we'll disclose its meaning."

8The king replied, “I know what you are doing! You’re stalling for time because you know I am serious when I say,

8The king responded, "I'm convinced that you're stalling for time because you're aware of what I've commanded.

9‘If you don’t tell me the dream, you are doomed.’ So you have conspired to tell me lies, hoping I will change my mind. But tell me the dream, and then I’ll know that you can tell me what it means.”

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."

10The astrologers replied to the king, “No one on earth can tell the king his dream! And no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter, or astrologer!

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.

11The king’s demand is impossible. No one except the gods can tell you your dream, and they do not live here among people.”

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."

12The king was furious when he heard this, and he ordered that all the wise men of Babylon be executed.

12At this point, the king flew into a rage and issued an order to destroy all the advisors of Babylon.

13And because of the king’s decree, men were sent to find and kill Daniel and his friends.

13When the order went out to kill the advisors, they searched for Daniel and his friends to kill them, too.

14When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, came to kill them, Daniel handled the situation with wisdom and discretion.

14Daniel responded with wisdom and discretion to Arioch, the king's executioner, who had gone out to execute the advisors of Babylon.

15He asked Arioch, “Why has the king issued such a harsh decree?” So Arioch told him all that had happened.

15He asked him, "Why such a harsh decree from the king?" Then Arioch informed Daniel,

16Daniel went at once to see the king and requested more time to tell the king what the dream meant.

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.

17Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened.

17Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah about the king's command.

18He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon.

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.

19That night the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven.

19When the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision later that night, Daniel blessed the God of heaven

20He said, “Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he has all wisdom and power.

20and said, "May the name of God be blessed forever and ever; wisdom and power are his for evermore.

21He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars.

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.

22He reveals deep and mysterious things and knows what lies hidden in darkness, though he is surrounded by light.

22He reveals what is profoundly mysterious and knows what is in the darkness; with him dwells light.

23I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors, for you have given me wisdom and strength. You have told me what we asked of you and revealed to us what the king demanded.” Daniel Interprets the Dream

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."

24Then Daniel went in to see Arioch, whom the king had ordered to execute the wise men of Babylon. Daniel said to him, “Don’t kill the wise men. Take me to the king, and I will tell him the meaning of his dream.”

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."

25Arioch quickly took Daniel to the king and said, “I have found one of the captives from Judah who will tell the king the meaning of his dream!”

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."

26The king said to Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar), “Is this true? Can you tell me what my dream was and what it means?”

26King Nebuchadnezzar replied by saying to Daniel (whose Babylonian name is Belteshazzar), "Are you able to tell me about the dream and its meaning?"

27Daniel replied, “There are no wise men, enchanters, magicians, or fortune-tellers who can reveal the king’s secret.

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.

28But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you your dream and the visions you saw as you lay on your bed.

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:

29“While Your Majesty was sleeping, you dreamed about coming events. He who reveals secrets has shown you what is going to happen.

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.

30And it is not because I am wiser than anyone else that I know the secret of your dream, but because God wants you to understand what was in your heart.

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.

31“In your vision, Your Majesty, you saw standing before you a huge, shining statue of a man. It was a frightening sight.

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.

32The head of the statue was made of fine gold. Its chest and arms were silver, its belly and thighs were bronze,

32That statue had a head made of pure gold, with its chest and arms made of silver, its abdomen and thighs made of bronze,

33its legs were iron, and its feet were a combination of iron and baked clay.

33its legs made of iron, and its feet made partly of iron and partly of clay.

34As you watched, a rock was cut from a mountain, but not by human hands. It struck the feet of iron and clay, smashing them to bits.

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.

35The whole statue was crushed into small pieces of iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold. Then the wind blew them away without a trace, like chaff on a threshing floor. But the rock that knocked the statue down became a great mountain that covered the whole earth.

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.

36“That was the dream. Now we will tell the king what it means.

36"This was the dream, and we'll now relate its meaning to the king.

37Your Majesty, you are the greatest of kings. The God of heaven has given you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor.

37You, your majesty, king of kings—to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the glory,

38He has made you the ruler over all the inhabited world and has put even the wild animals and birds under your control. You are the head of gold.

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.

39“But after your kingdom comes to an end, another kingdom, inferior to yours, will rise to take your place. After that kingdom has fallen, yet a third kingdom, represented by bronze, will rise to rule the world.

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.

40Following that kingdom, there will be a fourth one, as strong as iron. That kingdom will smash and crush all previous empires, just as iron smashes and crushes everything it strikes.

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.

41The feet and toes you saw were a combination of iron and baked clay, showing that this kingdom will be divided. Like iron mixed with clay, it will have some of the strength of iron.

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.

42But while some parts of it will be as strong as iron, other parts will be as weak as clay.

42Just as their toes and feet are part iron and part clay, so will the kingdom be both strong and brittle.

43This mixture of iron and clay also shows that these kingdoms will try to strengthen themselves by forming alliances with each other through intermarriage. But they will not hold together, just as iron and clay do not mix.

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.

44“During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever.

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.

45That is the meaning of the rock cut from the mountain, though not by human hands, that crushed to pieces the statue of iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold. The great God was showing the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its meaning is certain.” Nebuchadnezzar Rewards Daniel

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."

46Then King Nebuchadnezzar threw himself down before Daniel and worshiped him, and he commanded his people to offer sacrifices and burn sweet incense before him.

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.

47The king said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is the greatest of gods, the Lord over kings, a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this secret.”

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."

48Then the king appointed Daniel to a high position and gave him many valuable gifts. He made Daniel ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all his wise men.

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.

49At Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be in charge of all the affairs of the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the king’s court.

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.

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