Shepherds at Christmas

A 5-Day Journey Exploring Moses’ Burning Questions

Love Where You Are

What You Earn Isn't Who You Are

Beyond the Stable: Christ's Mission on Earth

Advent: The Light That Rises in the Darkness

The Strength Approach to Christian Wellness

7 Keys for Spiritual Warfare

And He Shall Be Called: Advent Devotionals, Week 3

Christmas: The Things We May Have Missed

The Listener’s Bible®: NIV Edition

New International Version™  (Anglicised), Audio Edition

Holy Bible, New International Version™ (Anglicised), South Asian Audio Edition

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkDAN">
 <div class="chapter ch3" data-usfm="DAN.3">
 <div class="label">3</div><div class="s1">The Image of Gold and the Blazing Furnace</div><div class="p"> 1King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide,#3:1 That is, about 90 feet high and 9 feet wide or about 27 meters high and 2.7 meters wide and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. 3So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.</div><div class="p"> 4Then the herald loudly proclaimed, &#8220;Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: 5As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.</div><div class="p"> 8At this time some astrologers#3:8 Or Chaldeans came forward and denounced the Jews. 9They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, &#8220;May the king live forever! 10Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, 11and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon&#8212;Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego&#8212;who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, &#8220;Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 16Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, &#8220;King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us#3:17 Or If the God we serve is able to deliver us, then he will deliver us from the blazing furnace and from Your Majesty&#8217;s hand. 18But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 19Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22The king&#8217;s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.</div><div class="p"> 24Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, &#8220;Weren&#8217;t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?&#8221;</div><div class="p">They replied, &#8220;Certainly, Your Majesty.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 25He said, &#8220;Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 26Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, &#8220;Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!&#8221;</div><div class="p">So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.</div><div class="p"> 28Then Nebuchadnezzar said, &#8220;Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king&#8217;s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 30Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkDAN">
 <div class="chapter ch4" data-usfm="DAN.4">
 <div class="label">4</div><div class="s1">Nebuchadnezzar&#8217;s Dream of a Tree</div><div class="pmo"> # 4:0 In Aramaic texts 4:1-3 is numbered 3:31-33, and <span class="ref" data-usfm="DAN.4.4+DAN.4.5+DAN.4.6+DAN.4.7+DAN.4.8+DAN.4.9+DAN.4.10+DAN.4.11+DAN.4.12+DAN.4.13+DAN.4.14+DAN.4.15+DAN.4.16+DAN.4.17+DAN.4.18+DAN.4.19+DAN.4.20+DAN.4.21+DAN.4.22+DAN.4.23+DAN.4.24+DAN.4.25+DAN.4.26+DAN.4.27+DAN.4.28+DAN.4.29+DAN.4.30+DAN.4.31+DAN.4.32+DAN.4.33+DAN.4.34+DAN.4.35+DAN.4.36+DAN.4.37">4:4-37 is numbered 4:1-34. 1King Nebuchadnezzar,</div><div class="b"></div><div class="pmo">To the nations and peoples of every language, who live in all the earth:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="pmo">May you prosper greatly!</div><div class="b"></div><div class="pm"> 2It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.</div><div class="qm1"> 3How great are his signs,</div><div class="qm2">how mighty his wonders!</div><div class="qm1">His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;</div><div class="qm2">his dominion endures from generation to generation.</div><div class="pm"> 4I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous. 5I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me. 6So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me. 7When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers#4:7 Or Chaldeans and diviners came, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me. 8Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)</div><div class="pm"> 9I said, &#8220;Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me. 10These are the visions I saw while lying in bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous. 11The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth. 12Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the wild animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed.</div><div class="pm"> 13&#8220;In the visions I saw while lying in bed, I looked, and there before me was a holy one, a messenger,#4:13 Or watchman; also in verses 17 and 23 coming down from heaven. 14He called in a loud voice: &#8216;Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches. 15But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field.</div><div class="pm">&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth. 16Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times#4:16 Or years; also in verses 23, 25 and 32 pass by for him.</div><div class="pm"> 17&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people.&#8217;</div><div class="pm"> 18&#8220;This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Daniel Interprets the Dream</div><div class="pm"> 19Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said, &#8220;Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you.&#8221;</div><div class="pm">Belteshazzar answered, &#8220;My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries! 20The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth, 21with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the wild animals, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds&#8212; 22Your Majesty, you are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth.</div><div class="pm"> 23&#8220;Your Majesty saw a holy one, a messenger, coming down from heaven and saying, &#8216;Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live with the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.&#8217;</div><div class="pm"> 24&#8220;This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: 25You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes. 26The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules. 27Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">The Dream Is Fulfilled</div><div class="pm"> 28All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30he said, &#8220;Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?&#8221;</div><div class="pm"> 31Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, &#8220;This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. 32You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.&#8221;</div><div class="pm"> 33Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="pm"> 34At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.</div><div class="qm1">His dominion is an eternal dominion;</div><div class="qm2">his kingdom endures from generation to generation.</div><div class="qm1"> 35All the peoples of the earth</div><div class="qm2">are regarded as nothing.</div><div class="qm1">He does as he pleases</div><div class="qm2">with the powers of heaven</div><div class="qm2">and the peoples of the earth.</div><div class="qm1">No one can hold back his hand</div><div class="qm2">or say to him: &#8220;What have you done?&#8221;</div><div class="pm"> 36At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. 37Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk1JN">
 <div class="chapter ch3" data-usfm="1JN.3">
 <div class="label">3</div><div class="p"> 1See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,#3:2 Or when it is made known we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.</div><div class="p"> 4Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. 6No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.</div><div class="p"> 7Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil&#8217;s work. 9No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God&#8217;s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God&#8217;s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.</div><div class="s1">More on Love and Hatred</div><div class="p"> 11For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother&#8217;s were righteous. 13Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters,#3:13 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God&#8217;s family; also in verse 16. if the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.</div><div class="p"> 16This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.</div><div class="p"> 19This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. 23And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24The one who keeps God&#8217;s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.</div>
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