You must do what you are instructed, and the verdict they pronounce to you, without fail. Do not deviate right or left from what they tell you.

And during the reign ¹  of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, ²  Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues ³  wrote to King Artaxerxes ⁴  of Persia. This letter ⁵  was first written in Aramaic but then translated. [Aramaic:] ⁶ 

“‘You must not eat anything with the blood still in it. ¹  You must not practice either divination or soothsaying. ² 

They read from the book of God’s law, explaining it ¹  and imparting insight. Thus the people ²  gained understanding from what was read.

Are God’s consolations ¹  too trivial for you; ²  or a word spoken ³  in gentleness to you?

Listen, children, ²  to a father’s instruction, ³  and pay attention so that ⁴  you may gain ⁵  discernment.

Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding; do not forget and do not turn aside from the words I speak. ¹ 

He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you understand it?” ¹ 

Both Judas and Silas, who were prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with a long speech. ¹ 

But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, ¹  encouragement, and consolation.

The one who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, ¹  but the one who prophesies builds up the church.

For you can all prophesy one after another, so all can learn and be encouraged.

So do not listen to your prophets or to those who claim to predict the future by divination, ¹  by dreams, by consulting the dead, ²  or by practicing magic. They keep telling you, ‘You do not need to be ³  subject to the king of Babylon.’

You and my brother Benjamin can certainly see with your own eyes that I really am the one who speaks to you. ¹ 

Wisdom is supreme ¹  – so ²  acquire wisdom, and whatever you acquire, ³  acquire understanding! ⁴ 

Who is the Lord ¹  trying to teach? To whom is he explaining a message? ²  Those just weaned from milk! Those just taken from their mother’s breast! ³ 

The king issued an order ¹  to summon the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and wise men ²  in order to explain his dreams to him. ³  So they came and awaited the king’s instructions. ⁴ 

“This is the conclusion of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and the color drained from my face. ¹  But I kept the matter to myself.” ² 

“Look! The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him ¹  Emmanuel,” ²  which means ³  “God with us.” ⁴ 

Then, gently taking the child by the hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up.”