Sing to the Lord a New Song

Let Everything Praise the Lord

Daniel's Terrifying Vision of a Man

10 ^(A)In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, ^(B)who was named Belteshazzar. And ^(C)the word was true, and it was a great conflict.^[a] And ^(D)he understood the word and ^(E)had understanding of the vision.

² In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for ^(F)three weeks. ³ I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I ^(G)anoint myself at all, for ^(H)the full three weeks. ⁴ On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing ^(I)on the bank of the great river (^(J)that is, the Tigris) ^5 (K)I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, ^(L)a man clothed in linen, ^(M)with a belt of fine ^(N)gold from Uphaz around his waist. ⁶ His body was like ^(O)beryl, his face ^(P)like the appearance of lightning, ^(Q)his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and ^(R)legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and ^(S)the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude. ^7 (T)And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves. ⁸ So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and ^(U)no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed,^{[b] (V)}and I retained no strength. ⁹ Then I heard the sound of his words, ^(W)and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep ^(X)with my face to the ground.

¹⁰ And behold, ^(Y)a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. ¹¹ And he said to me, “O Daniel, ^(Z)man greatly loved, ^(AA)understand the words that I speak to you, and ^(AB)stand upright, for ^(AC)now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. ¹² Then he said to me, ^(AD)“Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you ^(AE)set your heart to understand and ^(AF)humbled yourself before your God, ^(AG)your words have been heard, ^(AH)and I have come because of your words. ^13 (AI)The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me ^(AJ)twenty-one days, but ^(AK)Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, ^14 (AL)and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people ^(AM)in the latter days. For ^(AN)the vision is for days yet to come.”

¹⁵ When he had spoken to me according to these words, ^(AO)I turned my face toward the ground ^(AP)and was mute. ¹⁶ And behold, ^(AQ)one in the likeness of the children of man ^(AR)touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke. I said to him who stood before me, “O my lord, by reason of the vision pains have come upon me, and ^(AS)I retain no strength. ¹⁷ How can my lord's servant talk with my lord? For now no strength remains in me, and no breath is left in me.”

¹⁸ Again ^(AT)one having the appearance of a man ^(AU)touched me and strengthened me. ¹⁹ And he said, ^(AV)“O man greatly loved, ^(AW)fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.” ²⁰ Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to fight against the ^(AX)prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of ^(AY)Greece will come. ²¹ But I will tell you ^(AZ)what is inscribed in the book of truth: there is none who contends by my side against these except ^(BA)Michael, your prince.

Paul Before Felix at Caesarea

24 And ^(A)after five days the high priest ^(B)Ananias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid before ^(C)the governor their case against Paul. ² And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying:

“Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight, ^(D)most excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation, ³ in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude. ⁴ But, to detain^[a] you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly. ⁵ For we have found this man a plague, ^(E)one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of ^(F)the sect of the Nazarenes. ^6 (G)He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him.^{[b] 8} By examining him yourself you will be able to find out from him about everything of which we accuse him.”

⁹ The Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that all these things were so.

¹⁰ And when the governor had nodded to him to speak, Paul replied:

“Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense. ¹¹ You can verify that ^(H)it is not more than twelve days since I ^(I)went up ^(J)to worship in Jerusalem, ¹² and ^(K)they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues or in the city. ^13 (L)Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me. ¹⁴ But this I confess to you, that according to ^(M)the Way, which they call ^(N)a sect, ^(O)I worship ^(P)the God of our fathers, believing everything ^(Q)laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, ^15 (R)having ^(S)a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be ^(T)a resurrection ^(U)of both the just and the unjust. ¹⁶ So I always ^(V)take pains to have a ^(W)clear conscience toward both God and man. ¹⁷ Now ^(X)after several years ^(Y)I came to bring alms to ^(Z)my nation and to present ^(AA)offerings. ¹⁸ While I was doing this, they found me ^(AB)purified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult. But ^(AC)some Jews from Asia— ^19 (AD)they ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, should they have anything against me. ²⁰ Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council, ²¹ other than this one thing ^(AE)that I cried out while standing among them: ‘It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day.’”

Paul Kept in Custody

²² But Felix, having a rather accurate knowledge of ^(AF)the Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case.” ²³ Then he gave orders to the centurion that he ^(AG)should be kept in custody but have some liberty, and that ^(AH)none of his friends should be prevented from attending to his needs.