First ReadingDaniel 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28
From the Book of Daniel
1Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords,and drank wine before the thousand.2Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine,commanded that the golden and silver vesselswhich Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the templewhich was in Jerusalem be brought to him,that the king and his lords,his wives and his concubines,might drink from them.3Then they brought the golden vesselsthat were taken out of the temple of God’s housewhich was at Jerusalem;and the king and his lords,his wives and his concubines, drank from them.4They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold,and of silver, of bronze,of iron, of wood, and of stone.
5In the same hour, the fingers of a man’s hand came outand wrote near the lamp stand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace.The king saw the part of the hand that wrote.6Then the king’s face was changed in him,and his thoughts troubled him;and the joints of his thighs were loosened,and his knees struck one against another.
verses 7–12 are not read13Then Daniel was brought in before the king.The king spoke and said to Daniel,“Are you that Daniel of the children of the captivity of Judah,whom the king my father brought out of Judah?14I have heard of you,that the spirit of the gods is in you,and that light, understanding,and excellent wisdom are found in you. verse 15 is not read16But I have heard of you,that you can give interpretations and dissolve doubts.Now if you can read the writing,and make known to me its interpretation,you shall be clothed with purple,and have a chain of gold around your neck,and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
17Then Daniel answered the king,“Let your gifts be to yourself,and give your rewards to another.Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king,and make known to him the interpretation. verses 18–22 are not read23but have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven;and they have brought the vessels of his house before you,and you and your lords,your wives, and your concubines,have drunk wine from them.You have praised the gods of silver,gold, bronze, iron,wood, and stone, which don’t see, hear, or know;and you have not glorified the God in whose hand is your breathand whose are all your ways.24Then the part of the hand was sent from before him,and this writing was inscribed.
25“This is the writing that was inscribed:‘MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.’
26“This is the interpretation of the thing:
MENE: God has counted your kingdom,and brought it to an end.
27TEKEL: you are weighed in the balances,and are found wanting.
28PERES: your kingdom is divided,and given to the Medes and Persians.”