Psalm 38^[a]

A psalm of David. A petition.

ד Daleth

ה He

ו Waw

The Writing on the Wall

5 King Belshazzar^(A) gave a great banquet^(B) for a thousand of his nobles^(C) and drank wine with them. ² While Belshazzar was drinking^(D) his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets^(E) that Nebuchadnezzar his father^[a] had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines^(F) might drink from them.^{(G) 3} So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. ⁴ As they drank the wine, they praised the gods^(H) of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.^(I)

⁵ Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. ⁶ His face turned pale^(J) and he was so frightened^(K) that his legs became weak^(L) and his knees were knocking.^(M)

⁷ The king summoned the enchanters,^(N) astrologers^[b](O) and diviners.^(P) Then he said to these wise^(Q) men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck,^(R) and he will be made the third^(S) highest ruler in the kingdom.”^(T)

⁸ Then all the king’s wise men^(U) came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant.^{(V) 9} So King Belshazzar became even more terrified^(W) and his face grew more pale. His nobles were baffled.

¹⁰ The queen,^[c] hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. “May the king live forever!”^(X) she said. “Don’t be alarmed! Don’t look so pale! ¹¹ There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods^(Y) in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom^(Z) like that of the gods.^(AA) Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners.^{(AB) 12} He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar,^(AC) was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles^(AD) and solve difficult problems.^(AE) Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.^(AF)”

Faith in the Incarnate Son of God

5 Everyone who believes^(A) that Jesus is the Christ^(B) is born of God,^(C) and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.^{(D) 2} This is how we know^(E) that we love the children of God:^(F) by loving God and carrying out his commands. ³ In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands.^(G) And his commands are not burdensome,^{(H) 4} for everyone born of God^(I) overcomes^(J) the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ⁵ Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.^(K)

⁶ This is the one who came by water and blood^(L)—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.^{(M) 7} For there are three^(N) that testify: ⁸ the^[a] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. ⁹ We accept human testimony,^(O) but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God,^(P) which he has given about his Son. ¹⁰ Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony.^(Q) Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar,^(R) because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. ¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life,^(S) and this life is in his Son.^{(T) 12} Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.^(U)

Jesus Heals Many^(A)(B)

³⁸ Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. ³⁹ So he bent over her and rebuked^(C) the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.

⁴⁰ At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one,^(D) he healed them.^{(E) 41} Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!”^(F) But he rebuked^(G) them and would not allow them to speak,^(H) because they knew he was the Messiah.

⁴² At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. ⁴³ But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God^(I) to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” ⁴⁴ And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.^(J)