1. During the second year that Nebuchadnezzar was king, he had such horrible nightmares that he could not sleep.
2. So he called in his counsellors, advisers, magicians, and wise men,
3. and said, “I am disturbed by a dream that I don't understand, and I want you to explain it.”
4. They answered in Aramaic, “Your Majesty, we hope you live for ever! We are your servants. Please tell us your dream, and we will explain what it means.”
5. But the king replied, “No! I have made up my mind. If you don't tell me both the dream and its meaning, you will be chopped to pieces and your houses will be torn down.
6. However, if you do tell me both the dream and its meaning, you will be greatly rewarded and highly honoured. Now tell me the dream and explain what it means.”
12-13. This made the king so angry that he gave orders for every wise man in Babylonia to be put to death, including Daniel and his three friends.
28-29. But the God who rules from heaven can explain mysteries. And while you were sleeping, he showed you what will happen in the future.
41-42. This fourth kingdom will be divided—it will be both strong and brittle, just as you saw that the feet and toes were a mixture of iron and clay.
44-45. During the time of those kings, the God who rules from heaven will set up an eternal kingdom that will never fall. It will be like the stone that was cut from the mountain, but not by human hands—the stone that crushed the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold. Your Majesty, in your dream the great God has told you what is going to happen, and you can trust this interpretation.