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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Daniel 5 New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/daniel/5.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmcc/daniel/5-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com/catholic">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NRSVCE</a> > Daniel 5</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../daniel/4.htm" title="Daniel 4">◄</a> Daniel 5 <a href="../daniel/6.htm" title="Daniel 6">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition</td><td width="1%" valign="top"></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><div class="text-html"> <h3><span id="en" class="text">Belshazzar’s Feast</span></h3><p class="chapter-1"><span class="text"><span class="versenum">1</span>King Belshazzar made a great festival for a thousand of his lords, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand.</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">2</span>Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar commanded that they bring in the vessels of gold and silver that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">3</span>So they brought in the vessels of gold and silver<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-26044a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote a">a</a>]</span> that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">4</span>They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.</span></p> <h3><span id="en" class="text">The Writing on the Wall</span></h3><p><span class="text"><span class="versenum">5</span>Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the wall of the royal palace, next to the lampstand. The king was watching the hand as it wrote. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">6</span>Then the king’s face turned pale, and his thoughts terrified him. His limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">7</span>The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners; and the king said to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever can read this writing and tell me its interpretation shall be clothed in purple, have a chain of gold around his neck, and rank third in the kingdom.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">8</span>Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king the interpretation. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">9</span>Then King Belshazzar became greatly terrified and his face turned pale, and his lords were perplexed.</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">10</span>The queen, when she heard the discussion of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall. The queen said, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts terrify you or your face grow pale. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">11</span>There is a man in your kingdom who is endowed with a spirit of the holy gods.<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-26052b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote b">b</a>]</span> In the days of your father he was found to have enlightenment, understanding, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners,<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-26052c" title="See footnote c">c</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote c">c</a>]</span> </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">12</span>because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.”</span></p> <h3><span id="en" class="text">The Writing on the Wall Interpreted</span></h3><p><span class="text"><span class="versenum">13</span>Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king said to Daniel, “So you are Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">14</span>I have heard of you that a spirit of the gods<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-26055d" title="See footnote d">d</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote d">d</a>]</span> is in you, and that enlightenment, understanding, and excellent wisdom are found in you. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">15</span>Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and tell me its interpretation, but they were not able to give the interpretation of the matter. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">16</span>But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you are able to read the writing and tell me its interpretation, you shall be clothed in purple, have a chain of gold around your neck, and rank third in the kingdom.”</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">17</span>Then Daniel answered in the presence of the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, or give your rewards to someone else! Nevertheless I will read the writing to the king and let him know the interpretation. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">18</span>O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar kingship, greatness, glory, and majesty. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">19</span>And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. He killed those he wanted to kill, kept alive those he wanted to keep alive, honored those he wanted to honor, and degraded those he wanted to degrade. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">20</span>But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he acted proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and his glory was stripped from him. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">21</span>He was driven from human society, and his mind was made like that of an animal. His dwelling was with the wild asses, he was fed grass like oxen, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God has sovereignty over the kingdom of mortals, and sets over it whomever he will. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">22</span>And you, Belshazzar his son, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this! </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">23</span>You have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven! The vessels of his temple have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them. You have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know; but the God in whose power is your very breath, and to whom belong all your ways, you have not honored.</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">24</span>“So from his presence the hand was sent and this writing was inscribed. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">25</span>And this is the writing that was inscribed: <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">mene</span>, <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">mene</span>, <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">tekel</span>, and <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">parsin</span>. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">26</span>This is the interpretation of the matter: <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">mene</span>, God has numbered the days of<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-26067e" title="See footnote e">e</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote e">e</a>]</span> your kingdom and brought it to an end; </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">27</span><span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">tekel</span>, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting; </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">28</span><span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">peres</span>,<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-26069f" title="See footnote f">f</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote f">f</a>]</span> your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">29</span>Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed in purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made concerning him that he should rank third in the kingdom.</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">30</span>That very night Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">31</span><span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-26072g" title="See footnote g">g</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote g">g</a>]</span> And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.</span></p> <A name="fen"></a><div class="footnotes"><h4>Footnotes</h4><ol><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Daniel 5:3">Daniel 5:3</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Theodotion Vg: Aram lacks <i>and silver</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Daniel 5:11">Daniel 5:11</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Or <i>a holy, divine spirit</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Daniel 5:11">Daniel 5:11</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Aram adds <i>the king your father</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Daniel 5:14">Daniel 5:14</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Or <i>a divine spirit</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Daniel 5:26">Daniel 5:26</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Aram lacks <i>the days of</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Daniel 5:28">Daniel 5:28</a> <span class='footnote-text'>The singular of <i>Parsin</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Daniel 5:31">Daniel 5:31</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Ch 6.1 in Aram</span></li></ol></div> </div></div></div></div></div> </div> </div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. 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