Friday in Easter

1Verse 1. In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that troubled his spirit, and sleep escaped him. 2Verse 2. So the king gave orders to summon the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers to explain his dreams. When they came and stood before the king, 3Verse 3. he said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to understand it.” 4Verse 4. Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, “O king, may you live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.” 5Verse 5. The king replied to the astrologers, “My word is final: If you do not tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will be cut into pieces and your houses will be reduced to rubble. 6Verse 6. But if you tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and its interpretation.” 7Verse 7. They answered a second time, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will give the interpretation.” 8Verse 8. The king replied, “I know for sure that you are stalling for time because you see that my word is final. 9Verse 9. If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one decree for you. You have conspired to speak before me false and fraudulent words, hoping the situation will change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I will know that you can give me its interpretation.” 10Verse 10. The astrologers answered the king, “No one on earth can do what the king requests! No king, however great and powerful, has ever asked anything like this of any magician, enchanter, or astrologer. 11Verse 11. What the king requests is so difficult that no one can tell it to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.” 12Verse 12. This response made the king so angry and furious that he gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13Verse 13. So the decree went out that the wise men were to be executed, and men went to look for Daniel and his friends to execute them. 14Verse 14. When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, went out to execute the wise men of Babylon, Daniel responded with discretion and tact. 15Verse 15. “Why is the decree from the king so harsh?” he asked. Then Arioch explained the situation to Daniel. 16Verse 16. So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him some time, so that he could give him the interpretation. 17Verse 17. Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 18Verse 18. urging them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be killed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19Verse 19. During the night, the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision, and he blessed the God of heaven 20Verse 20. and declared: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. 21Verse 21. He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. 22Verse 22. He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him. 23Verse 23. To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, because You have given me wisdom and power. And now You have made known to me what we have requested, for You have made known to us the dream of the king.”

23Verse 23. On their release, Peter and John returned to their own people and reported everything that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24Verse 24. When the believers heard this, they lifted up their voices to God with one accord. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “You made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them. 25Verse 25. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of Your servant, our father David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 26Verse 26. The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.’ 27Verse 27. In fact, this is the very city where Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed. 28Verse 28. They carried out what Your hand and will had decided beforehand would happen. 29Verse 29. And now, Lord, consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness, 30Verse 30. as You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” 31Verse 31. After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.