Daniel and the Lions’ Den

1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 ^psatraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; 2 and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. 3 Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an ^qexcellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him ^rover the whole kingdom. 4 Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

6 Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement¹ to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, ^slive forever! 7 All the high officials of the kingdom, ^tthe prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, ^uso that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction.

10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, ^vhe went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open ^wtoward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees ^xthree times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. 11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. 12 Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! ^yDid you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, ^zwho is one of the exiles from Judah, ^apays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”

14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. 15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.”

Greeting

1 ^aThe elder to the ^belect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who ^cknow the truth, 2 because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:

3 ^dGrace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love.

Walking in Truth and Love

4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children ^ewalking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. 5 And now I ask you, dear lady—^fnot as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we ^glove one another. 6 And ^hthis is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, ⁱjust as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. 7 For ^jmany ^kdeceivers have gone out into the world, those who ^ldo not confess the coming of Jesus Christ ^min the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the ⁿantichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we¹ have worked for, but may win a full ^oreward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever ^pabides in the teaching ^qhas both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, ^rdo not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

Final Greetings

12 ^sThough I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead ^tI hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that ^uour joy may be complete.

13 The children of your elect sister greet you.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

12 ^gWhile he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of ^hleprosy.¹ And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” 13 And Jesus² stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” ⁱAnd immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And he charged him to ^jtell no one, but “go and ^kshow yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, ^las Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” 15 ^mBut now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

17 ⁿOn one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was ^owith him ^pto heal.³ 18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. 20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, ^qyour sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks ^rblasphemies? ^sWho can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the ^tSon of Man has ^uauthority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. 26 And amazement seized them all, and they ^vglorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”